1. “A Chitterin’ Bite.”

2. About the collapse of relationships.

3. Themes

4. Themes Collapse of relationships Friendship Betrayal
Maturity and learning from experiences

5. Settings.

6. The baths. Past vs. Present. Past – end of p. 61
Present – middle of p. 62

7. Past vs. Present. “the noise hits you”
“warm and brightly lit leisure centre”
“saunas and steam rooms, aromatherapy massages and hot showers”
“shampoo, conditioner and body lotion tucked neatly in my designer sportsbag”
“the noise hits you”
“ceilin high and pointy like a chapel roof”
“it leaks”
“place is fulla weans, screechin ower the racket”
“along the grey, gluthery street”
“the shock of the cauld makin us scream”

8. The Café vs. The restaurant
Past – half way down p. 63
Present – p. 62, 67 and 70

9. Past vs. present “smell of chips and the steam risin”
“booths wi gless panels, frosted like sugar icing”
“windaes are aye steamed up”
“the seats flip up and doon on creaky metal hinges”
“anonymous place tucked away in a side street”
“we are unlikely to be spotted here”
Want to be unseen.
“at our usual table”
“pinkish glow of the candlelight” – romantic atmosphere

10. The pictures “chummy seats up the back” “sharing wer sweeties”
“grabbing each other’s airms at the scary bits”
“giggling at the love scenes”

11. Structure.
Opening pages – Experience of swimming, then and now. Flashback to the past. Introduces setting (description), characters of Mary and Agnes, and motif of “chitterin bite”.

12. Structure
Present. (Standard English) Links back to the past and a similar experience of going to the baths. “I still go swimming”. She is reflecting. Nostalgic tone.

13. Contrasts in the opening
Swimming experience then and now.
Clothing items – from child with no money to woman with designer goods.
Setting – from busy, open places to anonymous and secluded restaurants.
Contrast in food – from jam sandwiches to expensive Italian meals.
Contrast between Agnes her close, best friend and Matthew with her rules and distance.

14. Middle.