(P1) In Aria Beth Sloss’ short story, “North, the narrative is told from the perspective of a child as he/she talks about his/her parents. The narrator opens the piece by telling the reader that his/her father, Thomas, was an explorer who left for an expedition and “was never heard from again” (Sloss 2). The narrative then continues into a description of the relationship between the father and mother. The mother, Mary, was considered a “wild woman” (Sloss 5) growing up. Her family had concerns that she was unsuitable for any man. Upon meeting each other, the narrator’s mother and father found common ground in that they both loved adventure and had “a habit of disappearing” (Sloss 5). As the story progresses into the couple’s married life, the father is described to be a man “in love” (Sloss 7) with the wilderness like a “schoolboy” (Sloss 7). He cannot be home from expeditions long without getting restless. As days pass, the father spends his time planning his next adventure, a hot air balloon ride to the Arctic, something that he claims will “write his name beside Darwin’s in the history books” (Sloss 13). The father does not tell Mary of his plans and she does not tell him of the loneliness that has struck her “sudden as a storm” (Sloss 13) from his lack of presence. One day though, Mary and Thomas have sex and Mary feels as though “something dangerous is running through her” (Sloss 21). Days later, she learns she is pregnant, but does not get to tell her husband as he
Throughout Some, too Fragile for Winter Winds written by Emily Dickinson the poem discusses nature that has alternative meanings. This is also shown throughout The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. Both texts use nature to discuss how we face the harsh times in our life. Each of the texts shows a way that a person copes with the harsh times in their life while using nature. Throughout Some, too Fragile for Winter Winds by Emily Dickinson a mother is shown coping with the harsh times in her life after her children have died. While in The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe we see someone coping with harsh times by looking for answers. Throughout both texts the speaker is coping with the harsh times that they have encountered by describing nature.
The first passage reveals the parallel suffering occurring in the lives of different members of the family, which emphasizes the echoes between the sufferings of the father and the narrator. The narrator’s father’s despair over having watched
Mary begins the story as a doting housewife going through her daily routine with her husband. She is content to sit in his company silently until he begins a conversation. Everything is going as usual until he goes “ slowly to get himself another drink” while telling Mary to “sit down” (Dahl 1). This shocks Mary as she is used to getting things for him. After downing his second drink, her husband coldly informs her that he is leaving her and the child. This brutal news prompts the first change in Mary, from loving wife to emotionless and detached from everything.
The author’s melancholic, yet, optimistic tone arouses mix feelings from his readers. Bragg clouts his readers’ perception of his father with harrowing, however, coveted recollections of the past. In the author’s comparative recount of the Father’s demeanor, he paints an unsettling, yet a hopeful life of his father:
A familial bond cannot be broken. As genetics pass from one end of the family tree to another, a series of exchanged physical and–more significant in terms of the story–behavioral traits, moreover, make themselves apparent. From each member of the complicated maternal chain consisting of three narrators, their behavioral traits and tendencies are easily taken advantage of, along with making them prone to grievous mistakes and overall actions. The topics of betrayal and subsequent neglect are present in an almost unavoidable continuous cycle throughout Michael Dorris’ A Yellow Raft on Blue Water, as each generation of women faced a series of abrupt and unforeseen deceptions by those either in an influential position in their lives or those possessing their trust, leading to damaged and unresolved relationships.
As a woman, the narrator must be protected and controlled and kept away from harm. This seemed to be the natural mindset in the 19th century, that women need to have guidance in what they do, what decisions they make, and what they say. John calls her a “little goose”(95) and his “little girl”(236), referring her to a child, someone who needs special attention and control. His need for control over her is proven when she admits that her husband is “careful and loving and hardly lets me stir without special direction”(49). John has mentally restrained the speaker’s mind, she is forced to hide her anxieties, fears and be submissive, to preserve the happiness of their marriage. When the narrator attempts to speak up, she is bogged down and made guilty of her actions. Her husband makes her feel guilty for asking, he says, “‘I beg of you, for my sake and for our child’s sake, as well as your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind!’”(225-226). By making her feel guilty for her illness, John has trapped her mentally from speaking up about it, convincing her that she must be more careful about her actions. Men often impose the hardships placed upon women during this era. They are often the people reassuring them of their “womanly” duties, and guiding them
As a young mom, Mary had days in which she felt overwhelmed she enjoyed “partying, dancing, and being noticed by men-and noticing them back - much to the chagrin of her family, friends who ended watching the boys so many nights”(Moore 19). This contrasts Joy’s choice to leave her children with family and friends because she on the other hand had to work. Her absence in her children’s life did not transmit nurture, but absent mindedness instead. Joy also “knew what her older son was into but didn’t think there was anything she could do for him now. She hoped that Wes would be different” (Moore 71).
The narrator is totally crushed by the gender discrimination. She longed to be seen by her mother and her grandma. The narrator is heartbroken that her mother loved her brother more than her and failed to notice her. “When she went into Nonso’s room to say good night, she always came out laughing that laugh. Most times, you pressed your palms to your ears to keep the sound out, and kept your palms pressed to your ears, even when she came into your room to say Good night, darling, sleep well. She never left your room with that laugh” (190). Her agony can be easily seen by the way of her narrating. She does not get the affection that she deserves. She really needs the affection from her own mother, but she is not getting it. She compares the love which her mother shows to his brother and herself. This is gender discrimination can be seen with her grandmother too. She hated her grandma as she would always support her brother and find fault with her. Even though what the brother did, no matter what crime. Her mother and grandmother always supported her brother and never supported or showed interest towards
The lives of Suitcase Lady and Curley’s wife are full with feelings of loneliness and seclusion, eliciting feelings of pity in those who are reading. Curley’s wife lived during a time in which women had little rights and were considered to be the property of their husbands. The men on the farm would not allow her to talk to them as they feared how Curley would react to his wife talking to men other than himself, “I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be (24).” George’s words perfectly describe the mentality of the men on the ranch towards Curley’s wife, they viewed her as a trap and piece of jailbait simply because she was a woman who wanted to talk to someone. Living on a ranch with only men who refused to acknowledge her because of her marital status was deeply troubling to both Curley’s wife and the readers, “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time? (55).” Similarly, Suitcase Lady is immensely isolated because comparable to
As the tale begins we immediately can sympathize with the repressive plight of the protagonist. Her romantic imagination is obvious as she describes the "hereditary estate" (Gilman, Wallpaper 170) or the "haunted house" (170) as she would like it to be. She tells us of her husband, John, who "scoffs" (170) at her romantic sentiments and is "practical to the extreme" (170). However, in a time
The narrator begins her life story describing her upbringing as a child. Although her father was from a proper family in New England, he chose to be among the few who ventured Northwest in order to expand
During the opening of the story, the narrator recounts significant times in his wife’s life from just before she met him leading up to the main event of the narrative. Despite
In a country where Divorce is more normalized than ever before, one can be guilty of neglecting to consider the pain it can cause, not just the couple, but also their children. The short story “Hot or Cold” by Maile Meloy is a remembrance from the author's life which communicates the divorce of her parents represented in a nostalgic memory from her past. In the piece, the author’s young self plays in a van while her parents deal with an unexpected encounter with a bear. After a brief chase, the parents escape and the family drives away. The author masterfully develops the story by hinting at the nature of the parents relationship by adding clever metaphors, until it is apparent that the parents eventually divorce and that the story is only a dream. In the short story, the author utilizes juxtaposition, a motif, and metaphors, to suggest that memories create narratives, true or otherwise, that help one comprehend events that are otherwise incomprehensible.
The dominant image of a father figure that we are left with after reading this poem is far from a loving or pleasant one. In fact, it is rather the opposite. The “Daddy” whom the speaker is addressing in this poem ends up being portrayed as a vampire, who “the villagers” (77) — perhaps the people surrounding the speaker— never seemed to be fond of. This strengthens the image of a highly dysfunctional relationship, rather than a “normal,” loving one. As readers, we have to ask ourselves about the reliability of Plath’s character; however, seeing as she is clearly emotionally unstable. We learn about at least one suicide attempt in the lines
As she soon came to find, he was quite different than her. She lived to discover, to fill her never ceasing curiosity. She went on for hours about her lasts findings while he listened and gasped along with it. They spent so many nights under the stars, drawing out lions and fish among the constellations. His favorite time was the day, he loved the sun and the way the world lit up. She loved the night for everything was dark so they could watch the