Three different stages on "A Sense of Shame"

Within this story there are three clearly marked stages. These are not only characterised by changes of attitude and of personality in the main characters, but are also characterised by the emersion of certain themes which are central to the story.

To start with, on the initial stage, the first meeting of Lorraine and Mohammed occurs. They instantly fall in love with each other and enter into a state of such passion and physical attraction that the relationship is almost unconscious of itself. Nevertheless, as time passes it is not a bliss for them any more: they have the need to keep it secret for it was not well seen by their families and society to be with each other as she was a white Catholic girl and he was a darker Pakistan boy, so they have to travel to forlorn places or the outskirts of the city in order to be together, which is illustrated in the statement "sometimes they had a drink in a little lonely pub they'd found" and arises the themes of discrimination and silent domination of society and society's values, as this issue was never discussed by them, but just established; it was something that both knew each other felt and made them feel doubtful and fearful. A good example of extreme discrimination and violence in the first stage, which also justifies their fright, is the moment in which Mohammed's brothers find out that he is dating Lorraine and punch them.

On the second stage, this relationship, which had been living on undercover, gradually starts to be discovered. The first one to find out is Lorraine's friend, Jackie. Lorraine had been lying to her and finally Jackie suspects that she has a boy and asks her about it. Lorraine can't lie to her any more and tells her he is a 'Paki', but most important is when Jackie asks her if she feels ashamed of it being so and she just can't answer it. This query brings up the issue of shame which is even stronger than the love Lorraine and Mohammed had for each other and which both of them tried to appease