Diana’s Comments (group member since Oct 02, 2015)

Diana’s comments from the Forms of Literature (Keating's Goodreads Discussion forum) group.

Lawrence uses many symbols throughout "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" in order to successfully convey the theme presented in the story. One of the many symbols Lawrence uses includes the cemetery, where Mabel's mother lies. After losing her mother, Mabel feels as though she is dead in a way. The cemetery represents this. Another example includes the pond, representing both death and rebirth. Mabel, during a period of depression, walks into the pond in an attempt to drown herself, but is soon saved by Jack Fergusson. After being rescued by him she opens up her heart and falls in love with her rescuer, portraying a rebirth of emotions and purpose in life.

Perla wrote: "I think what both stories share is that is based in the perspective of a mother. The feelings of trying to be fair with their daughters that can only be understood by a mother. In "I Stand Here Iro..."

I think both stories more focus on how different the daughters turned out to be despite their childhood or environment they lived in, and how the mother's deal with it.

Both "Everyday Use" and "I Stand Here Ironing" are short stories narrated by the mother and deal with mother-daughter relationships. In both these stories, the mother's struggle with the fact that their daughters turn out to be someone they didn't expect them to be. In "Everyday Use" Emily, despite living a childhood in solitude with a neglectful mother, turned out to be a child gifted with comedy. In "I Stand Here Ironing" Dee, the mother's oldest daughter, demonstrates not only a great lack of emotional affection and understanding towards her mother, but she also demonstrates to be an educated woman contrary to her mother. Both of these stories contain family values and portray mother's who struggle to understand why their daughters turned out to be the way they did.

Jesus wrote: "In the story, "Soldier's Home", Krebs was a frat boy before he went to war and one may assume he was the usual college kid going to parties and stuff. Once Krebs goes to war and comes back, one can..."

I completely agree in that the war drastically changed Krebs' character and mentality, which resulted in him wanting to live his life without worries.

Jennifer wrote: "In Hemingway's story, “Soldier's Home,” the protagonist Krebs, has a dramatic transformation from frat boy to war veteran. The author uses a dull and isolated attitude to show Krebs’ emotional stat..."
I hadn't even thought of the author using the protagonist's last name to show a lack of intimacy and emotional disconnection. I really like your outlook on that.

Before the war, Krebs was a frat boy. Frat boys are defined as young arrogant men who behave in boisterous or foolish manners, so it’s safe to assume that Krebs was a social and outgoing before heading off to war and coming back a war veteran. His character throughout the story radiates a rather dull and isolated persona all thanks to the tragedies he faced as a war veteran. His desire to “live without consequences” stems from the experiences during war. I believe wanting to “live without consequences” is, in simpler terms, wanting to live without conflict and/or to live carelessly and daring, which is most likely what Krebs is aiming for. All in all, Krebs wants to live life without having to worry about the choices he makes while living it.

Uzi wrote: "Emily's character in "I Stand Here Ironing" is flat. The only details of her characteristic are given by her mother. A mother who was not always there for her therefore Emily shows little to no emo..."

I completely agree with you. Because we are limited to only the mother's perspective, she is a flat or one-dimensional character. If we had seen more of Emily through other character's perspectives or through Emily herself she would be considered more of a rounded character.

Moy wrote: "I would say that Emily’s character in, “Here I Stand Ironing” is a combination of a flat character, and also a rounded one. As you read the story, you realize that the majority of what is told abou..."

I agree with you in that Emily is both a flat and rounded character, but to me it seemed that Emily leaned more toward flat than rounded. As you mentioned before, the reader's knowledge and understanding of Emily are limited to her mother's perspective and how she herself views Emily. That contributes a lot to how Emily is portrayed and viewed by the readers. The readers themselves don't really have the opportunity to ever form their own perspective of Emily or to ever see her from someone else's point of view. This is why Emily seemed more of a flat character than a round one to me.

Throughout, "I Stand Here Ironing" Emily's character, as told and described by her mother, is perceived as flat and strictly one-dimensional. Everything the reader is told about Emily is told through the narrator's eyes perspective; thus, giving us very limited information and ability to comprehend Emily. This is what makes Emily so flat and one-dimesional.

A Jury of Her Peers not only touches on physical isolation but also suggests psychological isolation, which are both greatly prompted by the setting portrayed in the story. The setting plays a major role in the story as it is described as a "lonesome looking place" by the narrator and is, in fact, secluded from other houses and the city. In the story, it is mentioned that aside from it's seclusion and isolation, it also takes "half a day's travel on a buggy" to reach the Wright's home. The narrator also mentions that Mrs. Wright has no children and only finds company in a bird. A deep connection is made with both Mrs. Wright and the caged bird. Through the caged bird the reader's can relate it to Mrs. Wright's feeling of being caged in her own household and even more so when the bird, her only source of company and solace, is killed by her own husband. Throughout the whole story Mrs. Wright is made up to be lonely and isolated from everyone, greatly due to the story's setting.