But when you are depressed and dirt poor, living in a ramshackle old house that leaks cold air, with a daughter-in-law in the house that you dislike intensely -- and who wants you out of the house whenever possible -- things are seriously awful.
For Leah, who has vivid memories of how life used to be in Estonia, her misery is compounded by her confused mind. Author Morgan does a splendid job of portraying Leah's misery -- and the reality of Leah's life beyond Leah's twisted approach to what life she has left -- through three main themes and symbols: colors, sounds, and death. Also incorporated into the short story is Leah's total lack of motivation , her cynical view of the people around her, the conflict she experiences -- which she no doubt exaggerates because Morgan does not provide any scenes that suggest the grandchildren and Ruth are really that annoying.
In fact towards the end of the story Morgan lets readers know that Leah "…didn't really know much about her grandchildren. Colors -- Light and Dark The use of colors -- and of light and dark -- in this short story is an extremely effective use of theme and symbolism.
In a short story that is only nine pages, the author needed to pack in as many effective images as possible through the creative use of language to maximize the impact on In this story, color is frequently present in the narrative. Leah has just awakened on another cold winter's morning but the light of morning wasn't what woke her up because there wasn't much daylight available in her bedroom.
In the second sentence of the story readers are treated to the ugly image of "a pale greenish light" that doesn't come into the room like ordinary light but in fact it "slithered down" from the roof of the pathetic house. Leah's hair isn't just gray, it is "yellow-gray" which adds an almost witch-like portrayal.
The light in her room is also "dingy green" -- a depressing image. But Leah still had a good memory, and she could recall the "…pattern of green leaves against a blue sky" in Estonia, and there was the "amber glow of firelight on stone walls" and fields of "wheat" and girls wearing "red kerchiefs" tending the wheat. These images are pastoral and provide a familiar break from the depression for Leah, and make her feel good. Juxtaposed next to her pleasant imagery of "leaves in sunshine" in Estonia is the "naked bulb hung from a twisted black cord" in the kitchen.
This almost sounds like the gallows; "hung" is an effective word to suggest death by hanging; and "black cord" could be thought of as the noose that goes around the neck.
That naked bulb gives of a "hard, yellow glare" and it provides enough light to show "grease mark" in the "motley wallpaper. If Leah had the tools for knitting, she might knit "a bright wool afghan for her bed," but that is just a fantasy. With her hot tea and her feet in the oven, she turns off the naked bulb "that terrible light" and enjoys peace with the "pleasant glow of the fire" that softens the "harsh look of poverty. Even leaves that turn color when seasons change. There were many different techniques that he used in order to set.
Throughout the story. Premium F. She makes this choice to differentiate herself from other girls. HOME Themes of windows by bernice morgan. Page 1 of 50 - About Essays. Bored with his uneventful life he becomes completely obsessed with the lives of his neighbors spending the majority of his Premium Laura Mulvey , National Film Registry , Marriage Words 6 Pages Open Document.
Throughout the story Premium F. Themes on appearance and reality in young goodman brown Themes on first they killed my father Themes on grotesque in god of small things Themes on kindred Themes that are prevalent in popular american culture Themes the laramie project Themes united different groups of progressive reformers and how evident in the reform activities and philosophies Themes used by edgar allan poe in his short stories Themes used in the selfish giant Themistocles.
0コメント