Gordimer’s story is characterized partially by the use of colons, semi-colons, and dashes. Read over the first page and a half of the story carefully, noting where colons and semi-colons appear. Substitute periods for each of these. Note where dashes occur. Substitute periods or parentheses for these. Comparing the original and altered versions, answer the following questions:
What do semi-colons and colons seem to mean? What connections do they establish between ideas before and after?
How does the meaning of words set off by dashes change when placed in parentheses? when separated by a period?
Revise a piece of your own writing by experimenting with colons, semi-colons and dashes. How can you establish connections between ideas and subordinate ideas?