Appearance Versus Reality in Katharine Anne Porter's He

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Appearance Versus Reality in Katharine Anne Porter's He

So many memories came to my mind while reading this story! I grew up in a family (or at least one side of that family) who always cared and worried about what other people thought! Most obviously, the short story, "He," by Katharine Anne Porter is about appearance vs. reality and living with a disabled child. But I also believe the story is about life, the hardships of life, poverty, the innocence of children, the trust children put into their parents, the gossip of small towns, the resentment and bitterness of the hardships of life, being a mother, rural life, denial, guilt, and compassion.

Most importantly, however, I believe the story is mostly about the resentment of the hardships of life and appearance vs. reality. Edgar Allan Poe once said in his "Twice Told Tales" that a writer must give her "single effect," or thesis, in the first sentence of a story or they have made a mistake. So, I always look at the first sentence of a story when I read it to see what themes it provokes. The first sentence in "He" is: Life was very hard for the Whipples (324). Throughout the story, we get a building up of just how "hard life was for the Whipples." Through all these hardships, Mrs. Whipple seems to be resentful of every problem the family must overcome. Instead of supporting her husband and her children she complains about everything and seems to worry only about herself.

For example, one of the first instances of Mrs. Whipple's true feelings of resentment of having a disabled child (and the burden that creates) comes when she butchers the pig. After she slits its throat, He runs away and Mrs. Whipple thinks to herself "with a stiff face": He'd eat it all if I didn't stop him. He'd eat up every mouthful from the other two if I'd let him (327). Here, I believe Mrs. Whipple's tone is very resentful that she has a disabled child that cannot think for or take care of himself. Mrs. Whipple must always take care of Him first before anyone else since he cannot fend for himself. She "gets tired trying to keep [Him] decent" (327).

This scene also shows how resentful Mrs.

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