Conflict, Love and Hope in Donovan's Short Story "All That Glisters"

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“All that glisters” by Anne Donovan includes tragic, moving and emotional scenes throughout the short story. Anne Donovan has used effective Glasgow dialect. Donovan introduces the protagonist Clare by the use characterisation, as a young and sincere girl who goes through a sad experience and who is initially in denial about her father’s looming death. Clare’s belief of glitter giving life to her father breaks apart which leads to a massive change in her personality. The reader sees Clare develop in to a more mature girl, yet a turning point occurs when she makes a controversial decision to wear red on her father’s funeral. Donovan’s theme of relationship between Clare and the characters changes throughout the short story, involving conflict, love, trust and most importantly hope. Clare symbolises glitter as an asset to bring liveliness into her father, as glitter has the ability to brighten up anything.

Donovan highlights Clare as an innocent and naïve girl who is a symbol of life itself. The asbestos dust and the true life of glitter pens add vibration to the story. Clare has high hope for her father’s life because she is in denial for her father’s approaching death. Donovan shows conflict between Clare and her auntie when Clare appears dressed for the funeral in her father’s favourite colour red that’s when the turning point occurs. The relationships with other adults are not that strong towards Clare, Donovan shows the relationship with other adults within the story and their influence on the young Clare.

Clare’s character has a very unique touch to it. Her childish yet innocent behaviour is shown throughout the short story, however her character itself shows us the love between her and her father thus it is highlighted ...

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...out the word “subtle” and his comments saying how the glitter pens were “subtle” .This is a very important word used throughout the story including the end which her love and care for her father reminds her of her father’s comments once again.

In conclusion, “All That Glisters” provides us with a very touching end and indeed Clare involves the glitter in her life and “glisters” all the way to the end. Clare had the ability to stand up for herself and control herself after getting all the conflicts carried out by the adults in the short story. The only strong relationship with Clare was her father’s, her mum was rarely mentioned and her relationship wasn’t that strong. The outcome of the story was indeed very interesting and effective. This persuasive short story has provided happiness, sadness and conflict yet the very powerful and strong reality about glitter.

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