Small Island and The Plague explores the concept of alienation in the two characters Gilbert and Cottard through the usage of vocabulary that is used to refer to the two characters, contrasting the characters' actions with those around them, and the usage of metaphor.

Vocabulary

GIlbert

"Small Islanders" (p.131)

"coon", "darkie", "wog" (p. 316-317)

Cottard

"invalid" (p. 34)

"some fellow out of his head" (p. 304)

Character's actions

Gilbert

Cottard

People of Oran are celebrating while he remained at home. Then later, he shoots at these jubilant citizens and gets arrested

Using words like "Cha" in his coversation

Him holding back against white men when he was beaten up by them (p. 317)

Metaphor

Gilbert

Story of "the gecko and the dog"

Mother being a metaphor for Britain to illustrate Gilbert's treatment and alienation (p. 139)

Metaphor of the reaction of the town of Hunmunby towards the West Indian RAF volunteers (p, 137)

Cottard

The metaphor of the dog (p. 304)

The dog is used to represent Cottard since the word "barked" is used to describe Cottard's gunshot to kill the dog and that the dog survived the purge of animals through hiding and exile.