Part 1 of Essay
McBain aims to lead the reader into the bleak litter-strewn environment of a crowded American slum with its inherent threat of violence. Two dominating forces, Heat and July, established in the first two words, emerge as double personifications, prostitutes, in the first paragraph, their brazen ‘vengeance’, st ....

Part 2 of Essay
.... ‘off-white brilliance’, ‘light that is dizzying’ and ‘shimmer of blue’, all bring with them feelings of intense light, and a harsh, unnatural environment. The inseparable ideas of ‘heat’ and ‘July’ give the piece a secure foundation on which the detail builds. This structural security, reinforced by three other lines also set in isolation, gives McBain’s writing an uncompromising edge, thus complementing his bleak tone. It is only 8:40 am&# ....