Ladybirds for Lunch
The story “Ladybirds for Lunch” written by Hanif Kureishi is a children’s story because we get the story from a childish view. When you read the story you kind of get an understanding of the childish behaviour and children’s point of views, e.g. “Theo had gathered a group of ladybirds in his hand and was intending to place them, for the afternoon, in a cardboard box, so the insects could party together”. This action is done in a kind way, Theo clearly just wants the ladybirds to have a bit of fun, and does not worry about the consequences the ladybirds have to take by being looked in a box, I do not even think the consequences have crossed his mind in contrast to an adult mind, where things are being more considered from different point of views, before the thoughts are put in action.
Another thing that also makes this story a children’s story, is the childish descriptions, e.g. when the boy’s mother has put her curlers in her hair, her hair is being described like this: “and her head looked like a bowl of pasta”. And when Mr and Mrs Binswangers are entering the garden they are being described like this: “Sabina’s jewellery jingle-jangled and her high heels punctured father’s new lawn, while Fraser’s confident voice boomed across the neighbourhood. They both wore sharp perfume which caused all flies in the vicinity to immediately become unconscious”. You can sense the childish imagination and how everything is seen with the eye of a child, I think that it is kind of funny the way children look at the norms of a grownup, they see their perfume as some kind op insect killer, and how the mother and father is running about laying the table when there are so many other more fun things to do. They do not see the importance in making a good impression.