Time Parks

Time Parks’ (1954) short ‘Bedtimes’ (2015) was published in The New Yorker. It is a short story written using various language conventions and techniques that help the reader understand the feelings, emotions and experiences of the two focal characters, Thomas and Mary. They are trapped in a repeating loop every night over the course of a week, where every night they find excuses not to go to bed at the same time.

Language text, literature genres and culture context are important things that have been considered whilst reading this text. This story contains parts that allude to rather than directly stating facts, leaving the reader to create their own interpretation. This text is reliant on interpretation, as "... interpretation depends

Without looking to much into the family they seem functional, the kids get along together fine as well as having a pretty good relationship with their father who takes them out for burgers and drinks, the movies and to the pub – however it’s when we get glimpses of the more private moments of the marriage we see the faults and problems.

Parks has written his text in Third Person Omniscient therefore giving us, the reader, to know the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the characters; as seen in “If he is going to work all night, I may as well go to bed, Mary decides, and goes upstairs without a word.” (Paragraph 1) and “Thomas finds the film dull, stupid, and disturbingly violent.” (Paragraph 4). This style of narration, where we are hearing Thomas and Mary’s thoughts, helps to enrich the audiences understanding by approaching the story from multiple perspectives instead of one objective

The Author has chosen to depict everyday commonplace activities and experiences as opposed to a romanticized or other presentation, which is what makes it so easy for people to relate to and understand the text. In paragraph 10 when Thomas wonders “...Should he wait up for his wife and confront her? But in the end it is only a passing thought. Surely it’s she who should confront him” is a very familiar setting for most people. No one wants conflict, and most people don’t want to confront others when there is a possibility of being hurt. Parks has interpreted Thomas’s thoughts for us, the reader, helping us to continue our familiarisation with the characters voice and personality. This then helps us understand the emotions of the characters, therefore enhancing our understanding of the