"Martha, Martha" is a short story written by Zadie Smith and follows the story of Pam, an estate agent, who tries to help Martha, a young girl, to find a place to live. The story is written from a third person perspective, which allows the reader to simply observe what is going on, without being too influenced by the characters individual emotions and thoughts.
You might want to point out in your literary analysis that the title of the story, "Martha, Martha," could be seen as somewhat misleading. The fact that the author chose Martha's name for the title would usually suggest that the story is mainly about Martha. This is further underlined by the fact that the name Martha is repeated in the title, giving even more importance to this character. However, when reading the story, it soon becomes apparent that the story deals more with Pam, rather than...
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Martha herself.
In your analysis, you might also want to highlight the fact that Zadie Smith uses literary devices such as similes to help the reader form a clear picture of the character. For example, we can read that Pam is in the habit of "buying the same things over and over, black and loose, like a fat Zen monk."
Another interesting observation for you to elaborate on is the fact that a lot of the dialogue in this short story is reported directly, without any further commentary of the narrator. This almost makes it read like a screenplay, rather than a story. This technique allows the reader to really feel like an observer; it is as if the reader stood right next to Pam and Martha, listening in on their conversations.
Analyze the short story "Martha, Martha" by Zadie Smith.
Your literary analysis of Zadie Smith's short story "Martha, Martha" could focus on the title. Although, as you might have noticed, Pam does much of the talking throughout the story, the title is all about Martha. You might want to think about why Smith chose to make the title about the quieter character and not the verbose character. You could analyze the ways in which Martha's shy and withdrawn disposition makes her the more captivating person. Since Pam is so talkative, there's not much mystery surrounding her. Yet with Martha, there's a lot the reader doesn't know. You could discuss how the uncertainty of Martha's situation catapults her into the spotlight and into the title.
Your literary analysis of "Martha, Martha" might also touch on some gender issues. You could talk about the way Pam looks. Remember, early on, Smith details Pam's mustache. She also describes her clothes as "black and loose, like a fat Zen monk." You could argue that neither Pam's style nor looks adhere to ideal feminine fashion or beauty standards. Yet the men still stare at her. They still gaze at her. You might think about why Smith chose to include Pam's mustache, her rather lackluster style, and the attention that it manages to attracts. You could also contemplate how Pam's looks link to her overall personality.
One other idea for your analysis could link to race. You could discuss the awkward moments between Pam and Martha when Pam starts talking about people of color. You might also mention the ways in which Pam tends to reduce people to their country of origin.