Loss: A Compelling Theme
In this life on earth, man suffers as a result of the Fall. He must endure troubles and hardships. In order to illustrate this reality, every story should include a conflict that the main character faces. Often, an author can construct an effective conflict by exploring the theme of loss in his story. This theme, in particular, induces the reader to connect with the character, since everyone has experienced at least some form of loss in his life. By incorporating an underlying theme of loss, Ursula K. Le Guin's "Gwilan's Harp," Isaac Bashevis Singer's "The Washwoman," and O. Henry's "The Last Leaf" develop fascinating plots that leave the reader begging for more.
In her short story "Gwilan's Harp," Ursula K. Le Guin formulates a thought-provoking plot by weaving a theme of identity loss into the tale. During her youth, Gwilan, the main character, makes her life revolve around a legendary harp that she inherited from
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Through her own extraordinary work ethic, this elderly woman manages to support herself without help from anyone, including her own family. The washwoman apparently has no living husband and suffers from the figurative loss of her son, a wealthy villain who demonstrates utter faithlessness towards his own mother. Isaac Bashevis Singer clearly conveys the disgusting nature of the son when he writes, "The woman had a son who was rich. . . . He was ashamed of his mother, the washwoman, and never came to see her. Nor did he ever give her [money]" (Singer). The son even refrained from inviting his own mother to his wedding. By shedding a light on the dark kinship between the washwoman and her son, this short story soberly presents the theme of a lost
These beliefs include how women should act in society and in marriage. Nanny and her daughter, Janie's mother, were both raped and left with bastard children, this experience is the catalyst for Nanny’s desire to see Janie be married to a well-to-do gentleman. She desires to see Janie married to a well-to-do gentleman because she wants to see that Janie is well cared for throughout her life. As a result of Nanny’s desire to see Janie married to wealth, she forces Janie to marry Logan Killocks, an older black farmer who owns 60 acres and a mule. Janie does not love Logan but because Nanny pushes her into the marriage she believes love will follow marriage, but Nanny quickly says “You come head wid yo’ mouf full uh foolishness on uh busy day.
The harp had come to Gwilan from her mother, and so had her mastery of it, people said. “Ah,” they said when Gwilan played, “you can tell, that’s Diera’s touch,” just as their parents had said when Diera played, “Ah, that’s the true Penlin touch!” Gwilan’s mother had had the harp from Penlin, a musician’s dying gift to the worthiest of pupils. From a musician’s hands Penlin too had received it; never had it been sold or bartered for, nor any value put upon it that can be said in numbers. A princely and most incredible instrument it was for a poor harper to own. The shape of it was perfection, and every part was strong and fine: the wood as hard and smooth as bronze, the fittings of ivory and silver. The
Some would argue that my story is incomparable to that of the young woman’s due to the significantly different circumstances and the different time periods. Nonetheless, it is not the story that is being compared; it is the underlying emotion and specific experiences that made such a wonderfully deep connection. Marie’s intention when writing this tale was for her reader to learn something, whether it is about themselves or the story. Though the outcomes seemingly differ as the three characters--Milun, the women, and their son--are reunited and live happily ever after, my story is not over. Through my life experience and emotions of love, motherhood, and separation, I have learned that patience and time heal all.
the theme of bravery in the novel, by showing how bravery is different in every
The word “lose” invokes a depressing feeling because it emphasizes the influential message Chris is presented with as he grows up: loss is acceptable and is something he should become accustomed to. Gladwell goes on to explaining the rest of Chris’ life with descriptions of similar relationships to the one mentioned above, including unfavorable roommates with poor morales. The ongoing precise descriptions of Langan’s horrible life continue to target the reader's emotions. Although the appeal to emotion may steer the reader away from faults in Langan’s logic, this appeal to emotion is used with the intent to make the author’s point about Langan’s life easy to follow. The keen attention to word choices make the emotions stand out to the reader and reside in them. Using a similar approach, Gladwell demonstrates the lack of support that may exist within relationships between children and working class parents. Gladwell explains: “Katie Brindle - sang in a choir after school. But she signed up for it herself and walked to choir practice on her own. Laureau writes: .
This essay will provide quotes representing the parts of life that make a story relatable. It has all of the elements of a good creative non-fiction story. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver its promise to readers. It is a great story, but it is not creative non-fiction. Unfortunately, because of its tainted history it will never be remembered for its greatness. Too bad.
Throughout the story, the different roles and expectations placed on men and women are given the spotlight, and the coming-of-age of two children is depicted in a way that can be related to by many women looking back on their own childhood. The narrator leaves behind her title of “child” and begins to take on a new role as a young, adolescent woman.
Why would a married woman go out, spend the night with a man whom she barely knows, when she has a wonderful, devoted husband and child? Mrs. Mallard's cry of ultimate relief and the joy she felt when she learned of her husband's deathis intolerable.
Marie, who is a product of an abusive family, is influenced by her past, as she perceives the relationship between Callie and her son, Bo. Saunders writes, describing Marie’s childhood experiences, “At least she’d [Marie] never locked on of them [her children] in a closet while entertaining a literal gravedigger in the parlor” (174). Marie’s mother did not embody the traditional traits of a maternal fig...
Theme is defined as the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person’s thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic. Throughout literary history, authors have been using theme to bring a story together and make a point. In order to make a story have a resounding feeling in readers, authors use themes to leave an underlying message which are usually lessons and morals that should be widely taught, such as in children’s books or in fables. In all three stories, “A Rose for Emily”, “Hills like White Elephants”, and “Harrison Bergeron” the author’s use a mutual theme of death and further show how death brings change to each of the main character’s lives in different
Nanny has learned the lesson that love is not synonymous with love, and she thinks Janie is just too young to realize the truth. As a slave near the end of the Civil War, Nanny gave birth to her white master's child, who became Janie's mother. But the white man disappointed Nanny when the his wife realized the baby is her husband's, his wife went into a jealous rage; she declared that Nanny would receive a hundred lashes in the morning and watch her baby sold off when it is a month old, but he didn't do anything for Nanny and his own child, and Nanny had to escape with her baby eventually. This painful heartbreaking experience has taught Nanny a harsh lesson that love cannot always be trusted; more than that, love cannot play a only part in marriage. Unlike her young granddaughter Janie who is youthful and only sees the reason to marry is if is true love. ¡§the inaudible voice of it all came to her.
Her family life is depicted with contradictions of order and chaos, love and animosity, conventionality and avant-garde. Although the underlying story of her father’s dark secret was troubling, it lends itself to a better understanding of the family dynamics and what was normal for her family. The author doesn’t seem to suggest that her father’s behavior was acceptable or even tolerable. However, the ending of this excerpt leaves the reader with an undeniable sense that the author felt a connection to her father even if it wasn’t one that was desirable. This is best understood with her reaction to his suicide when she states, “But his absence resonated retroactively, echoing back through all the time I knew him. Maybe it was the converse of the way amputees feel pain in a missing limb.” (pg. 399)
He did not invite his mother to this wedding, so she stood on the steps of the church to watch her son be married. Even though she was not very wealthy she still did her work as a washwoman. When a cold came upon the washwoman, predictions started being
For an abundance of authors, the driving force that aids them in creation of a novel is the theme or number of themes implemented throughout the novel. Often times the author doesn’t consciously identify the theme they’re trying to present. Usually a theme is a concept, principle or belief that is significant to an author. Not only does the theme create the backbone of the story, but it also guides the author by controlling the events that happen in a story, what emotions are dispersed, what are the actions of characters, and what emotions are presented within each environment to engage the readers in many
Mrs. Mallard’s repressed married life is a secret that she keeps to herself. She is not open and honest with her sister Josephine who has shown nothing but concern. This is clearly evident in the great care that her sister and husband’s friend Richard show to break the news of her husband’s tragic death as gently as they can. They think that she is so much in love with him that hearing the news of his death would aggravate her poor heart condition and lead to death. Little do they know that she did not love him dearly at all and in fact took the news in a very positive way, opening her arms to welcome a new life without her husband. This can be seen in the fact that when she storms into her room and her focus shifts drastically from that of her husband’s death to nature that is symbolic of new life and possibilities awaiting her. Her senses came to life; they come alive to the beauty in the nature. Her eyes could reach the vastness of the sky; she could smell the delicious breath of rain in the air; and ears became attentive to a song f...