How Late It Was, How Late

Content Warning: The source material features depictions of police violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and ableism against people with sight loss.

“Next time he woke it was black night again, and sore christ he was really really sore; aches all ower. The whole of the body. And then his fucking eyes as well, there was something wrong with them, like if it had still been daylight and he was reading a book he would have had double-vision or something, his mind going back to a time he was reading all kinds of things, weird things, black magic stuff and crazy religious experiences and the writing started to get thick, each letter just filled out till there was nay space between it and the next yin: no doubt just coincidental but at the time man he was fucking strung out with other sort of stuff so he took it extremely personal, extremely personal man ye know what I’m talking about.”

This quote represents Sammy’s first realization that he is experiencing sight loss. He is still confused about all the sensations in his body. The false analogy between his complete sight loss and reading with double vision emphasizes his confusion at the new state that he is experiencing. Sammy’s mind works in circles, as he departs from the realization of his sight loss, then returns to it with increased intensity.

“He was hell of a weary but; drained, ye know. He was due to be mind you; the battering he had took. Plus sometimes ye just feel like drawing the curtains. Getting the blankets ower the head. That was the way Sammy felt. It wasnay the first doing he had had and sure as fuck it wouldnay be the last.”

James Kelman employs several literary elements and devices to convey Sammy’s physical and emotional exhaustion. The repetition of the third person at the beginning of sentences creates a sense of weariness and emphasizes Sammy’s distance from himself. The image of drawing the curtains and getting under the blankets serves as a metaphor for wanting to retreat from the world.

“Fuck it. Sammy had nay regrets. Ye try to work things out. When ye go wrong; ye get yourself the gether; ye give it another go; ye hope it works out. But if it doesnay it fucking doesnay. What can ye do. Same auld fucking process. It can be damaging for the nut but that’s the fucking problem. Plus the physical side of things man the disintegrating process, ye have to face up to it, ye dont need the fucking sodjers to give yer body a battering, ye perform the job yerself.”

Kelman employs raw and unfiltered language to depict Sammy’s gritty outlook on life. The use of profanity reflects Sammy’s working-class background and adds realism to his character. The use of repetition lends force to a certain thought, in this case that of resilience and determination.