Anita and Me (Grades 9–1) York Notes

Meena is the first-person narrator, recounting her childhood experiences, but often from an ironic adult perspective. Overhearing conversations allows her to provide information beyond her own experience.

Syal, through Meena, makes frequent digressions from the main story, often recalling earlier occasions, such as her nearly choking on a hot dog.

Syal frequently uses metaphors, similes and personification, for example, portraying death as an animal (p. 37). These enliven the description and express Meena’s imaginative side.

Syal uses vivid, often very visual, descriptive language, for example, to introduce characters (pp. 41, 46, 47) or settings such as the Big House grounds.

This feature of Meena’s narrative voice entertainingly expresses her reactions, as when the shocked Aunties and Uncles become ‘parodies of Hindi film villains’ (p. 115).