Pippi Longstocking Literary Qualities

Pippi Longstocking Literary Qualities

The story tells the events from the day that nine-year-old Pippi moves into Villa Villekulla until her tenth birthday party, with references throughout to days aboard the sailing ship and to her mother and father. Lindgren tells a straightforward story, and one of the techniques that makes Pippi Longstocking enjoyable is the author's matter-offact tone when relating the most implausible events. For example, two policemen come to put Pippi into a home for children. They chase after her, even onto the roof of the house and back down again, before they finally catch her. In her understated fashion, Lindgren writes: "Then she took hold of the policemen by the belts and carried them down the garden path, out through the gate, and onto the street. There she set them down, and it was quite some time before they were ready to get up again."

Several items in the...
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