How does Kelman present Harrison’s experience of change in Pigeon English? Write about:

• one or more of the change(s) that Harrison experiences
• how Kelman presents Harrison’s experience of change

In “Pigeon English,” Kelman depicts the transformation Harrison Opoku goes through as he adjusts to life in London. A young Ghanaian kid named Harrison must adapt to a new culture, language, and way of life, which causes him to go through various profound character transformations. With language, imagery, and symbolism, Kelman depicts these shifts from Harrison’s point of view throughout the entire book.

Harrison’s loss of innocence is among the biggest transformations he goes through. Harrison’s innocence eventually disappears as he gets a better understanding of his surroundings, and he starts to realise the seriousness of the situations he finds himself in. Harrison is astonished and appalled by the brutality when he and his friend Dean watch a stabbing, for instance. He says, “The guy is lying there with blood coming out of him. He is making a sound like a baby, and it is so sad. I feel like I want to cry” (Kelman, 2011, p. 55).