Isolation, rejection, confrontation or loneliness are all major themes explored in many novels and short stories.

By examining techniques used by an author, show how one of these themes is dealt with in a way in which you found meaningful.

William McIlvanney, short story " At the bar" focuses on the main theme of confrontation in a way which I found to be meaningful. Techniques used by McIlvanney are his successful structure, meaningful language, colloquial setting and his colourful characterisation.

The main technique used by McIlvanney is his Colourful characterisation, which is brought in at the very start of the text. He starts of by describing "the big man", which is one of the main characters in the story. He starts of by describing the "the big man" as wearing an "ill fitting suit" which "tightened him but not diminished him", this suggest...