It has been said that Pepys in his Diary “almost persuades us that we are sharing his life” (The Illustrated Pepys). Discuss three literary devices Pepys uses that helps him achieve this sense of realism.

What official role, if any, does Pepys play during the plague? During the Great Fire? How do others assess Pepys as a civil servant?

How much do we learn about Pepys’s government work from the Diary as compared with what he reveals about his personal life? Is there any aspect of his life you would like to know more about?