A Time to Keep

Style

First-Person Narrative

• The story is narrated in the first-person, offering the perspective of the protagonist, Bill. This narrative style provides insight into Bill's thoughts and experiences.
• Bill's role as the narrator raises questions about his reliability and impartiality, as readers see confrontations and events primarily from his point of view.
• Bill is portrayed as somewhat of an outsider in the community, similar to the character Barclay in "The Eye of the Hurricane."

The Use of Symbolism

• Fire and light are used as symbols throughout the story to represent changing fortunes and relationships.
• The act of lighting a fire in their croft symbolises the beginning of Bill and Ingi's relationship and their new life together.
• The different colours of the smoke rising from their roof, from grey to blue to black, symbolise the ups and downs that their relationship experiences.
• Ingi's association with light is evident when she is described as lighting the paraffin lamp, and her lack of experience is symbolised by the squinting flame.
• Ingi's death is symbolised by her being described as "pale as a quenched candle," signifying the end of her life and her relationship with Bill.
• The closing scene, where Anna breaks the red core of the fire, symbolises the beginning of a new relationship between Bill and Anna, with the fire representing hope, love, warmth, and danger associated with relationships.