Mathilde, the main character of Guy de Maupassant’s short story “The Necklace,” is presented using straightforward yet accurate language, which also shows her goals and death. From the start, Mathilde was described as someone who “was unhappy all the time,” thinking that, in in spite of her poor childhood, she should have a life of luxury. This text’s basic wording communicates Mathilde’s sadness and her obsession with money. She feels stuck in her current reality of “cheap” clothes and a “humble” life and longs for a life of beauty and improvement, which she believes would bring her happiness. The necklace is given a meaning through clear and straightforward explanations when Mathilde borrows it for a party. As “a superb diamond necklace,” the necklace itself symbolizes all of Mathilde’s desires which are beauty, richness, and a reputation. The tragic irony of the narrative is brought into focus by this ordinary item. When Mathilde loses the necklace and gets a real, pricey one in its place, her entire world is flipped upside down. The 10 years that come next, during which her family struggles to pay back the loan, are shown with honest reliability, highlighting how her need for wealth and looks causes her life to shift permanently. Finally, the sad irony and foolishness of Mathilde’s affection are exposed when it is revealed that the necklace was a cheap copy.
Daily Archives: December 1, 2024
The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W. B. Yeats is a short poem about a man who yearns for the peace and simplicity of nature. Yeats provides details as to what the speaker is going to do when he gets there. In Stanza 1, the second line, “And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:” The speaker plans to create a small home for himself. The use of the word small cabin to gives the impression that he is going to be the only one living in the house, without any family or relations of any kind. He plans to build the cabin from clay and wattles (sticks and rods). Once he’s living in his small cabin, he dreams of having “nine” rows of bean plants and a hive for, presumably, many honeybees, as in the next line, the glade (or small clearing in a forest), is filled with their sound.
When I think of something that holds immense power in a poem, I think of “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats. The introductory lines he writes that explain the glade’s scenery have a peace-inducing feel to them that entices almost anyone reading to want to stay in an area like it: “And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee; And live alone in the bee-loud glade.” A small cabin made from the local land, with a small garden of beans growing and a hive of bees being the loudest thing in the surrounding glade. It’s a scene many have probably seen, with some exceptions (such as not seeing a beehive but seeing a cabin), whether it be in their local woods as a child or on hikes that they may have taken later in life. However, the power of Yeat’s word and imagination can go farther than any experience one may have.
The short story “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel García Márquez in the passage described commonplace but precise language by interpreting the drowned man’s appearance in perspective of other woman’s view into a whole different person altogether. Here this story expresses the women of affection, of charismatic charm and naming of uncertainty they were holding inside their village. One of the women gazed to the corpse in curiosity, in her mind that “‘He has the face of someone called Esteban'” (Marquez, pg.2). On page 6, the author uses the word ‘knife’ in a harsh yet bold manner as to allow the readers in describing the tough stony fingers of the corpse man. Despite the local village and their customs, Marquez’s short story clearly followed Raymond Carver’s idea by emphasizing the commonality of the utensils in figurative speech along with the potential view using a common name to the readers.
In Flannery O’Connor’s story “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, simple and clear language gives deep meaning to everyday things. Raymond Carver once said that simple things can have great power, and this idea fits O’Connor’s writing well. For example, the grandmother’s hat is not just a hat—it shows how she sees herself and what society expects from her: “In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady.” This line shows the grandmother’s concern with looking proper and being respected, even in death. The hat, a simple object, reveals her vanity and focus on appearances. By the end of the story, when the grandmother faces her own death, the hat loses its importance. This shows the difference between her earlier pride and her final vulnerability. O’Connor’s clear, straightforward writing turns ordinary things, like the hat, into powerful symbols that add meaning to the story.
In Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” he really nails Raymond Carver’s point about how precise language can elevate everyday moments into something truly impactful. The poem captures a simple moment: a traveler pausing in the woods on a snowy night. Frost uses clear and simple language, yet it stirs deep feelings and touches on universal themes. The woods, the snow, and the serene atmosphere become something special thanks to his thoughtful word choices. For example, Frost writes, “The only other sound’s the sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake.” ( Frost). In this place, the ordinary sounds of the wind and snow gently falling transform into something magical and soothing, creating a vibe of profound quiet and reflection. The woods themselves, described as “lovely, dark and deep,” symbolize more than just a spot on the map; they evoke feelings of beauty, mystery, and maybe even the tempting idea of rest or escape. Frost chooses simple, clear words to give these objects a surprising strength, encouraging readers to think about the struggle between life’s demands and the pull of a peaceful letting go. .
