The Long Time, Gayle Brandeis, is a relatively short piece of fiction, just under two full page in length. It is surprising then to find out that the narrator uses the phrase 'a long time' some nine times. Brandeis also starts 16 sentences with the word 'She' referring to the narrator and also has 16 additional sentences with the word 'she' not at the beginning, again referring to the narrator.
Brandeis uses this repetitive pronoun to allow the reader to get to know her narrators better than they might otherwise have. This amount of repetition in such a short space also seems to create a nearly hypnotic effect on the reader, pulling he or she into the story, and making it that much more unforgettable.
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