Pigeon English Lesson Plan

What is the significance of the opening sentence? What does it reveal about the setting and characters?

The novel opens with Harri stating, "You could see the blood. It was darker than you thought. It was all on the ground outside Chicken Joe's. It just felt crazy." Opening in medias res, readers are immediately immersed in the dangerous, criminal world of inner-city London. Harri's surprise at the color of the blood demonstrates his innocence - he expects blood to be the bright red color presented in movies. His interaction with Jordan, who dares him to touch the blood, further underscores the boys' youth and naivety. This childlike innocence coupled with the...