Thematic Relationships in Literature. Essay Sample.

Authors of short stories usually strive to communicate various thematic concerns within the little span of a short story. The themes handled by any writer are normally a depiction of real-life situations. This creates the basis for the relationship among various literary pieces despite their different authors. The stories Carpathia, Hills like White Elephant and The story of an hour are different from each other and tell about various life events. However, when specific moments in the stories get traced, they are revealed as related in terms of thematic concerns. This paper presents an assessment of some thematic aspects used in the narratives in Carpathia, Hills like White Elephant and The story of an hour. Although the stylistic features and plot structures of the three stories are different, some of the themes are closely related and reveal the very nature of human beings.

In the tale The Story of an hour, the author tackles complex issues involving the link between marriage, independence, and love through the characterization of Mrs. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard encounters conflicting sentiments on the death of her husband and triumphs at the predictions of her freedom in the remainder of her life (Chopin). The latters feelings take priority in her mind. Similar to other short narratives, the tale does not end peacefully but instead creates a twist. Mallards realization that her husband never perished dims her expectations and anticipations of the prospects of her life. The author presents Louise as a sympathetic character with vigor and vision. Louise understands that the loss of her husband is not an opportunity for grief but rather a chance to escape the bondage of personal relationships. The situation is a depiction of the American society during the 19th Century. They were bound to their partners status and social position. Nevertheless, since widows never had the responsibility of searching for husbands, they gained recognition and frequently had control of their lives.

The audience comes to know Mrs. Louise Mallard who seems to have a heart trouble. The nature of her condition indicates that it could be as a result of some other secondary sources or a more in-depth problem in view. There arises a suspicion of whether she may have the capacity of showing love. How the death news gets broken to Mrs. Mallard reveals some aspects of information concealing. She becomes a widow thereby granting her independence and control of her life. Louise weeps for a short while and leaves for her room. In that scenario, the author depicts the picture of freedom, integral in womanhood. The armchair is a direct metaphor for maturity. It is free, expansive and roomy unlike the narrow closed world majority of women lived (Chopin). Additionally, the chair faces the window an indication for the longing of freedom.

Besides the aspect of female independence, Mrs. Mallard suggests that despite Brently treating their relationship with the best of intentions, any human connection with effects such as permanence despite its merit may be a limiting factor. The physical description of Louise points at her personality and associates it with a youthfulness that could be of much potential for the future. Since no one understands Louise stance, she embraces solitude as her choice. The plot alters depicting Mrs. Mallard as a typical lady. She appears to have control over her emotions but with a suspicion of her thoughts. The author uses the circumstance to increase the tension by indicating the obstacle threatening to overwhelm her. Louise initially does not know of the future events but soon realizes that she is fighting back with an increasing tension. Later on, she discovers and can name the monster, freedom (Chopin). At this point, Mrs. Mallard completely changes from a submissive woman to an independent one as expected of women in that period. She is now happier, and that creates a shocking scene to the readers since it was entirely unheard of for a lady to be disgruntled of her marriage and happy over her partner's demise.

Louise Mallard characterization is intricate by the momentary nature of her grief over her spouse. The picture might indicate egotism. The author, however, twists our perception of Mrs. Mallard in that direction and confronts the situation by suggesting that the need for human freedom can surpass love and marriage. Mrs. Mallard reaches the inference with the suggestive aid of the surrounding, an imagery associating Louises awakening to the beginning of life in the new season. Oddly, she does not select her new understanding but instead obtains it from the environment. The name Mallard in itself is an imagery to some extent signifying freedom.

There is the relation of Mrs. Mallard to a caged bird trapped in an unhappy union, her name referring to the actual bird. The birds outside are flying freely without any form of suppression. The description further reinforces when we see Mrs. Mallard being incorporated by the monster overtaking her as it flaps her wings to nothing (Chopin). When she receives her freedom, she opens her wings as if healthy and ready to fly. The author states that both women and men impose their will on others and that they need to understand each other better to uphold their marriage. Chopin believes it is a crime to impose your will on others.

In unifying the core theme, the author begins and ends using Louise Mallards heart trouble that turns out to be both a mental and physical component. The narrative terminates by attributing Mrs. Mallards heart disease to the joy that kills. The phrase is however ironic as it results in both pleasure and disappointment. The line, Louises heart condition, is more of a metaphor than a physical ailment.

The story Hills like White Elephant is a narrative of a lady and a man drinking beer and anise liquor while they wait at a train station in Spain. The man is attempting to convince the lady to take an abortion, but the woman is reluctant about it. The story obtains its tension from the couples verbal duel. Jig, hesitant to procure the abortion, notes that the pregnancy has complicated her relationship. However, she wonders whether taking an abortion would be the remedy. The American is nervous that Jig takes the abortion and doubts whether he still loves Jig. It is regardless of whether he would like her if the procedure takes place or not. As the tale progresses, the influence varies back and forth in the heated conversation though a misunderstanding is present among scholars whether Jig emerged victoriously and made her decision.

The author intends to characterize the couple in the best way possible and offers a complete explanation of their dilemma using dialogue. The conversation to some extent gets rid of the words abortion and baby. The American wants Jig to undergo the procedure as he is only interested in her and no one else. It is evident how they have been globetrotting and labels of all hotels they had frequented and spent time together, He looked at the bags against the wall of the station (Hemingway). In making the procedure seem apparent, he asserts that it is simple and never mentions that it is entirely safe. Eventually, the Americans ammunition is the verbal confrontation with Jig. It is the ability to make the relationship unfriendly for her evident from his reaction about the hills and the fact that everything she waits for tastes like licorice. The author implies that Jig emotionally invests in the relationship which contrasts with the Americans man situation. Jig seems not interested in the abortion and to some extent cares about the child and doubts whether the approach would be the best solution. Jigs ammunition is ensuring that he invests in both of them in case the abortion does not take place. She sees that because he has not left, she might have a grip on him despite there being no possibility of a marriage taking place. Possibly he loves her as she assumes.

Scholars note that the American wants Jig to accept the abortion so that he can absolve himself of the blame. However, Jig declines to give her partner that kind of satisfaction. In case she agrees with the operation, she would blame him on forcing her, and she maintains the attitude throughout the story. Nonetheless, it is not sure if she would change. Jig seems to obtain an upper hand and smiles at both the barmaid and the American. She realizes a new sense of confidence about herself which prompts the American to leave. It seems that he comprehends he has lost the argument and takes a short while away to drink before getting back to their table. On arriving, he asks her if she is okay and smiles replying that everything is well.

A crucial aspect evident in the narrative is that the author breaks his typical bitch goddess characterization of ladies. Jig appears as a sympathetic character compared to the American. She weighs options before arriving at a decision. Referring to that, she considers the impact of the abortion on their relationship and that of their economic wellbeing. On the other hand, the American wants to maintain the status quo by living a carefree life with the intentions of avoiding responsibilities of fatherhood. He tries bullying Jig into swaying her opinion, but she refuses thus she becomes the main protagonist of the narrative. The other significant aspect portraying Jig as the main protagonist is the fact that she appreciates the beauty of the trains natural surroundings. It is evident when Jig understands and values fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro (Hemingway). The author is a firm believer in the power that nature has in uplifting and edifying people. The fact that Jig comprehends her surrounding is enough to indicate that her priorities are straight.

The other crucial theme is the role of gender. Jig, the lady, appears to request permission from the American man so that she can engage in specific activities. An illustration is when she appeals to take a drink and try a new one. Jig looks at the hills and romanticizes how they would appear in something else. However, the American is unaware of her thoughts. He is nonetheless open on most topics, although in some instances he is unable to voice out his concerns. His opinion bears a lot of weight, and they appear to have a significant influence on Jig. He dictates to her on what she should do, while she is insistent, in some instances she seems not willing to defend her emotions for long. The author portrays the man as superior in the conversation, while the woman is inferior.

The aspect of communication breakdown is the other evident attribute. Jig and the American are not communicating plainly about what each wants. Jig is making her decision based on the Americans happiness despite being reluctant about the abortion. Nonetheless, the American wants her to have it but not in a way that would appear as if he is forcing her. They are concealing their motives behind drinks and train schedules rather than just opening up to each other. The communication breakdown is one aspect that reveals the more significant problem in the relationship, which is the lack of trust and honesty. Without the two attributes, their relationship is over, but Jig seems to be aware.

The title of the story remains to be ambiguous with many speculating that it symbolizes the couple. The white elephant in most instances is a problematic and challenging issue. Other theories relating to the meaning of the title include that it could be referring to the pregnancy, the baby, Jigs reluctance to the abortion, the abortion or Americans persistence on Jig to abort. However, the most common premise is that the title refers to the pregnancy or American himself. The story is full of metaphors and similes as the language is empty using the words baby and abortion...