One short story which I have studied and enjoyed is "Next Term, We'll Mash You" by Penelope Lively. This short story is interesting to study because of its use of language, which helps to convey the themes and to understand the characters and the central theme of bullying, artificiality and symbolism.

From the title of the short story "Next Term, We'll Mash You" we know immediately that this story will be threatening and unpleasant. "Mash" is onomatopoeic and suggests violent and aggressive. We also know from the title- the word "Term" that the story involves a child or bullies and a school.

The opening of the story is set in the car, which there happens to be an unusual setting because outside: "the sunlight was glassy, remote as a coloured photo" which for me seems unreal and fake and " inside the car it was quiet, the air just...