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Nineteenth Century Short Stories
By Ernest Cheng
Kate Chopin The Unexpected
Thomas Hardy Tony Kytes, the Arch-Deceiver
Arnold Bennett News of the Engagement
Elizabeth Gaskell The Half Brothers
Guy de Maupassant Country Living
Richard H. Davis Van Bibber’s Burglar
Oscar Wilde The Nightingale and the Rose
Olive Schreiner The Woman’s Rose
Charlotte Perkins Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper
Maxim Gorky 26 Men and a Girl
Charles Dickens The Poor Relation’s Story
Willa Cather Lou, the Prophet
H.G. Wells The Stolen Bacillus
Edgar Allen Poe Hop Frog
Charlotte Bronte Napoleon and the Spectre
Ambrose Bierce An Arrest
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventure of the Speckled Band
Notes
Many of the longer commentaries can be divided into smaller topics.
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Many of the shorter commentaries can be used in addition to part of a long commentary.
Not all the quotes are useful, be careful picking the ones to memorize.
The themes and characters described in these notes may not cover all of the available topics.
Please be aware of this and refer to your own notes.
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The Unexpected by Kate Chopin
Key Quotes
“She had sat daily gazing for hours upon his portrait, which showed him to be an almost a
perfect specimen of youthful health, strength and manly beauty”
“His skin was waxy and hectic… his breath was feverish and tainted.”
“The lips which he had kissed her so hungrily, and with which he was kissing her now, were dry
and parched”
“After the first delirious embrace he had been unable to hold himself upon his tottering feet, and
had sunk exhausted in a corner of a sofa.”
“something within her seemed to be shuddering, shrinking, shriveling together”
“some unwonted energy – a stubborn impulse that lighted her eyes, set her cheeks aflame, bent
her supple body to one purpose – that was swiftest flight.”
“was fleeing as if Death himself pursued her”
“the drone of insects… the quivering, lambent air”
“‘Never!’ she whispered, ‘not for all his thousands! Never, never! Not for millions!’”
“The good-bye dragged with lingering kisses and sighs, and more kisses and more clinging till
the last wrench came.”
“impassioned and interminable”
“This was not the man who had gone away from her; the man she loved and had promised to
marry.”
“Every muscle, nerve, fibre abandoned itself to the delicious sensation of rest that overtook and
crept tingling through the whole length of her body.”
Dominant Themes and Characters
Randall – Deterioration of Character, Dorothea – Role of Women, Deterioration of Love
Randall
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Randall’s physical and mental composure deteriorates throughout the narrative.
Randall is initially established as an “almost perfect specimen of youthful health, strength and
manly beauty.” Chopin’s description of him creates a semantic field of attractiveness. However,
when he returns ill and wasted, the author displays this sudden change in appearance in minute
detail. Chopin’s prosopographia of Randall, his “waxy and hectic” skin, “sunken” eyes, leaves a
striking image to the reader. This intense description creates a sense of realism, allowing the
reader to sympathize with Dorothea, for her loss of such an epitome of her man.
On this note, their passion and romance also disappeared with his youthful appearance, “the lips
which he [Randall] had kissed her so hungrily, and which he was kissing her now, were dry and
parched.” The use of past and present, and the emphasis of “had” contrasts the deterioration in
his passion.
Through Chopin’s extensive description, it is now clear that Randall “was not the man who had
gone away from her; the man she loved and promised to marry.”
Dorothea
Dorothea displays fickle, superficial and self-centric characteristics throughout the story.
Kate Chopin depicts her always focusing on Randall’s physical appearance. When Randall was
away, her superficial yet attached interest in Randall is displayed when she “sat daily gazing for
hours upon his portrait…” Her “gazing” creates a tone of almost hypnotic concentration,
showing her intense obsession with his appearance. Undoubtedly, this image of a “perfect
specimen” is no longer valid, as the portrait is only an image of his past handsome façade,
depicting that Dorothea is unable to accept the radical change in Randall’s appearance. As soon
as she sees Randall in his ill and wasted form, her love for him begins “shuddering, shrinking,
shriveling”. This use of synathroesmus and sibilance emphasizes the speed of which her
attraction towards him suddenly disappears.
Dorothea’s fleeing from the house is a symbol of defiance against the social conventions that a
woman depended on her husband for social and financial security. The setting of nature, “the
drone of insects… the quivering lambent air” at the closure of the story symbolizes the freedom
that she has achieved. The liveliness, “quivering” movement of the forest is contrasted to the
confines and stillness of her home. Although she has proven that although she may only love
Randall’s lively appearance, her unquenchable desire for freedom is quantified as she says
“‘Never!’ she whispered, ‘Not for all his thousands! Never, never! Not for millions!” The
repetition of the word “never” reinstates her insistence on freedom.
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While her fickle and superficial nature is displayed as her attraction vaporizes after seeing his
deteriorated appearance, the reader is convinced to sympathize with her through her harsh
defiance of the restrictive and traditionalistic social conventions of the 19th century.
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Tony Kytes, the Arch-Deceiver by Thomas Hardy
Key Quotes
“‘This is nice, isn’t it, Tony?’ she says. ‘I like riding with you.’”
“‘And – can you say I’m not pretty, Tony? Now look at me!’”
“Hannah had seen her father, and had run to him, crying worse than ever.”
“And screeched and sobbed till they was quite spent.”
“Then would ye [Milly] creep under the empty sacks”
“He was quite the women’s favourite, and in return, for their likings he loved ‘em in shoals”
“a nice, light, small, tender little thing.”
“She was a much more dashing girl than Milly Richards.”
“O the petticoats went off, and the breeches went on”
“there was no more sign of a whisker or a beard on Tony Kytes’ face than on the palm of my
hand”
“When he reached the foot of the very hill… who should he see waiting for him at the top but
Unity Sallet”
“But what Tony says to other women is all mere wind, and no concern to me!”
“Tony looking like a tree struck by lightning”
Dominant Themes and Characters
Tony – Misogynistic, Role of Women, Ending – Ironic
Tony
Tony Kytes is illustrated by Thomas Hardy as a womanizer, he is misogynistic and egotistical.
The eponymous story title Tony Kytes, the Arch-Deceiver is indicative of his misogynistic nature.
His deceitful nature is representative of this story’s plot, as he tricks the women, making each of
them believe he loves them. This utter disrespect for women also illustrated in his dialogue with
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them, calling Unity Sallet “a nice, light, small, tender little thing.” Thomas Hardy’s use of
synathroesmus show Tony’s emphasis on the physical aspect of a character, and create a
semantic field of attractiveness, as is synonymous with all the women that Tony is attracted to.
Furthermore, the choice of diction “thing” express an objectification of women. “The Tailor’s
Breeches”, which Tony sings “as a hymn” is a sexual and offensive song, characteristics of
which Tony embodies in his playboy lifestyle.
Tony Kytes is further represented by Hardy as an immature character. His juvenile mind is
displayed by Hardy through physiognomy. Tony’s appearance is described by the narrator as
“there was no more sign of a whisker or a beard on Tony Kytes’ face than on the palm of my
hand.” This lack of facial hair connotes youth and naiveté. In that era, a beard was a symbol of
dignity and wisdom, and the author expresses that Tony indeed has neither of those
characteristics.
Thomas Hardy depicts Tony Kytes’ idiosyncrasies, most notably immaturity and misogyny
through his disrespect towards women and personality.
Role of Women
In Tony Kytes, the Arch-Deceiver by Thomas Hardy depicts the women’s lack of dignity,
individuality and their dependence on men at the time.
The all three of the women in the story, Milly, Unity and Hannah, have the intention of gaining
the love of Tony Kytes. This conveys the importance of marriage for social and financial
stability and the dependence of women on men. Another quote that reinforces their dependence
is “[Hannah] had run to him, crying worse than ever.” This act of crying is paralleled with that of
a child’s tantrum, and creates a sense of immaturity of women. Additionally, their flirtatious
behavior, although they knew Tony was married, shows their lack of dignity. Furthermore, Milly
proceeds to marry Tony, even after she acknowledges his liking towards other women. A
women’s lack of individuality and character in the 19th century is portrayed in their complete
obedience of Tony, his own wife willing to “creep under the empty sacks” to hide from his
lovers. Tony describes Milly to Hannah as “a couple of ferrets”; this comparison belittles Milly,
describing her as nothing more than a rat-like animal.
In the 19th century, women were considered inferior to men and this story certainly the ignominy
and lack of independence that the women displayed.
Ending
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The ending of Tony Kytes, the Arch-Deceiver is depicted by Thomas Hardy as ironic and
humorous.
Thomas Hardy presents Milly as ignorant towards Tony’s sexual exploits, thus establishing a
sense of irony within the story. When Unity suggests that Tony is disloyal, Milly ignores her,
exclaiming that “what Tony says to other is all mere wind, and no concern to me!” The use of
exclamation marks show she is offended by the comment of Tony’s disloyalty. The choice of
diction “wind”, which is quick to pass, establishes Tony’s fickle and inconstant nature.
Indeed, the author does describe Tony as a womanizer, however, his exploits are not as effortless
as the audience first perceives. At the beginning of the story, “When he reached the foot of the
very hill… who should he see waiting for him at the top but Unity Sallet.” The positioning of the
characters, with Tony placed lower, looking up to Unity, shows that he is in fact inferior.
Furthermore, he has to go up the hill to see Unity, further indicating that he has to work to attract
women. This builds onto the irony that is established when his “darlings” reject him. His
appearance when Hannah and Unity reject his proposals is described by Hardy as “like a tree
struck by lightning”. The use of hyperbole emphasizes his disbelief, and the choice of diction
“tree” illustrates that Tony is frozen out of surprise.
Thomas Hardy utilizes the ignorance of Milly and Tony’s shocked reaction to create an ironic
yet humorous atmosphere in the ending of the narrative.
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News of the Engagement by Arnold Bennett
Key Quotes
“But you can’t write even to your mother and say in cold blood: ‘I think I am beginning to fall in
love with Agnes’”
“I was all that my mother had.”
“There were tears in her smiling eyes, and she was as nervous as a young girl.”
“Mothers were kittle cattle.”
“nothing was changed except the incandescent light and the picture postcards on the mantelpiece.”
“Supper was set for three!”
“And trembling with expectation I opened the door. It was Mr. Nixon.”
“What do you think of me as a stepfather?”
“She couldn’t well have written, “My dear Phillip, an old friend, Mr. Nixon, is falling in love
with me and I believe I’m falling in love with him.””
“‘Shake hands,’ I said warmly. ‘I’m delighted.’
“I had never thought of my mother as a woman with a future. I had never realized that she was
desirable and that a man might desire her…”
“And I was ashamed of my characteristic filial selfish egoism.”
Dominant Themes and Characters
Ending – Twist, Phillip – Self-centric
Ending
The ending of News of the Engagement is ironically twisted to prompt the audience to reflect on
the protagonist’s self-centric characteristics and the mother’s fulfillment of her life.
The sudden change in his mother, Sarah Durance’s life is displayed throughout the play, albeit
Phillip mistakes it as a surprise for him. When she greeted Phillip at the door, “there were tears
in her smiling eyes, and she was as nervous as a young girl.” This newfound vibrance in her life
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was due to her love, Mr. Nixon. The simile compares her to a young girl, further enforcing her
rejuvenation. Another sign of the happiness in her life is the “incandescent light and the picture
postcards on her mantelpiece”. The light is a symbol of joy, and the picture postcards represent
new memories in her life. When Phillip discovers that “supper was set for three”, he instantly
thinks that Agnes is coming to surprise him. The irony is created by the doublethink of Phillip’s
belief and what is actually happen.
Mr. Nixon speaking to Phillip about the marriage is paralleled to Phillip describing his plans in
the prelude. Phillip says “But you can’t write even to your mother and say in cold blood: ‘I think
I am beginning to fall in love with Agnes’”, and Mr. Nixon says “She couldn’t well have written,
“My dear Phillip, an old friend, Mr. Nixon, is falling in love with me and I believe I’m falling in
love with him.”” The sense of refrain creates irony that both surprises Phillip and the audience.
The repetition also prompts Phillip to realize that he has not thought of his mother, and only of
himself, displaying his egotistical characteristic.
In News of the Engagement, the twist in the ending surprises both the audience and Phillip,
however, the ending was foreshadowed throughout the story, only the audience could not realize
it from Phillip’s self-centric perspective.
Phillip
In News of the Engagement, Phillip is presented as a self-centered and egotistical person.
Phillip dismisses his mother’s desire for happiness, believing that he was “all that my mother
had”. When he realizes his mother made special preparations, such as the “supper set for three”
and her sudden changes such as “tears in her smiling eyes”, he automatically believes she had
“discovered the state of my desires towards Agnes”. However, after he discovers that the
preparations were for his mother’s marriage to Mr. Nixon, in a moment of grim self-realization,
he “was ashamed of my characteristic filial selfish egoism.”
Phillip realizes that his self-centric nature has led him to dismiss “my mother as a woman with a
future.”
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The Half Brothers by Elizabeth Gaskell
Key Quotes
“she cried day and night, day and night”
“aunt Fanny heard her cry as if he heart was breaking”
“it just turned him sour to see how her eye brightened and her colour came at the sight of that
little child, while for him who had given her so much, she only had gentle words as cold as ice.
“he took a positive dislike to Gregory, - he was jealous of the ready love that always gushed out
like a spring of fresh water when he came near.”
“My father never got over his grudging dislike for his stepson, who had so innocently wrestled
with him for the possession of my mother’s heart.
“Gregory was lumpish and loutish, awkward and ungainly, marring whatever he meddled in”
“I am ashamed – my heart is sore to think how I fell into fashion of the family, and slighted my
poor orphan brother.”
“It looked dark and gloomy”
“Only the noiseless, pitiless snow kept falling thicker, thicker – faster, faster!”
“We could not speak of him; but he was strangely in our thoughts.”
“not even missing Gregory, or heeding his absence, poor fellow – poor, poor fellow!
“‘God forgive me my hardness of heart towards the fatherless child!’”
“in which he desired that he might lie at the foot of the grave, in which, by his desire, poor
Gregory had been laid with our mother.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Tragedy – Discrimination and sacrifice, Guilt
Tragedy
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Throughout The Half Brother, a prominent tone of tragedy is established by the discrimination
against Gregory, his sacrifice to save his brother and the extraordinary succession of misfortune
that occur to the mother.
Undeniably, the tragedy that struck the mother sets a tone of tragedy within the narrative. The
early death of her husband, the premature death of her daughter and the failure of the farm
caused her to cry “day and night, day and night”. The refrain of the phrase “day and night”
emphasizes her constant tears and thus it is conveyed that the mother is in trauma and perhaps
forms a close bond with her son Gregory to compensate for this. Her love and desire for Gregory
to live a good life is the antecedent to her unhappy marriage to William Preston, when he
proposed to her, she immediately ran home and cried “as if her heart was breaking”. Gaskell uses
a simile to encapsulate the social difficulties women faced in the 19th century, they were almost
forced to marry, as having a husband was necessary for social and financial stability. The mother
marries William Preston, as he assured a good education and life for young Gregory.
William Preston’s prejudice against his stepson Gregory further extends the tragedy that the
characters experience. William Preston was jealous that the mother’s “eye brightened and her
colour came at the sight of that little child, while for him who had given her so much, she only
had gentle words as cold as ice.” This sentence compares her attitudes towards Gregory and her
husband, it employs syncrisis to contrast the words “brightened” and “cold”, “colour” and “ice”.
The use of simile “cold as ice” creates a taciturn and unfriendly tone. Preston also felt a
“grudging dislike” towards Gregory, who “innocently wrestled with him for the possession of
my mother’s heart”. Gaskell’s choice of diction “grudging” invokes an image of unprovoked
and constant hatred, and “innocently” suggests that it was not in Gregory’s kind intentions to
disrupt his parent’s relationship, it was only the consequence of his father’s jealousy and greed.
The narrator, Gregory’s brother, describes how he “fell into fashion of the family, and slighted
my poor orphan brother.” Although he is ashamed of this, it conveys how his entire family
followed the prejudice that William Preston had towards Gregory, and he unintentionally
followed the example of his father. He describes Gregory as “lumpish and loutish, awkward and
ungainly, marring whatever he meddled in”. The list of adjectives creates a semantic field of
clumsy ineptness. The family saw no potential in Gregory, limiting him to farm and menial labor,
further adding to the tragedy. Indeed, after Gregory’s death, his stepfather feels guilty for
mistreating him, but while the narrator disappeared, none in the family even heeded Gregory’s
absence.
Tragedy is expressed throughout the narrative by the suffering that the mother experiences, and
Gaskell’s representation of the prejudice against Gregory, which his stepfather vindicates that it
is punishment for causing the death of his mother.
Guilt
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The guilt that the father and the family experiences for mistreating Gregory is an extension of the tragedy
in The Half Brothers.
After Gregory’s death, the family “could not speak of him; but he was strangely in our thoughts.”
They remember Gregory, but the lack of talking shows their unwillingness to accept their
mistreatment of him. The choice of diction “strangely” depicts that before his death, no one had
ever thought of him. Thus it is conveyed that his death causes a change of attitude towards him,
and generates and emotion of guilt. The father pleads for repentance, “‘God forgive me my
hardness of heart towards the fatherless child!’” These are William Preston’s last words, which
symbolizes that the regret and guilt has stayed with him to his grave. The repentance is a social
convention in a heavily religious time. The narrator later describes that they found a note “in
which he desired that he might lie at the foot of the grave, in which, by his desire, poor Gregory
had been laid with our mother.” The father attempts to repair the relationship between Gregory
and his mother that he attempted to destroy. His placement “at the foot of” Gregory’s grave
shows his respect for him, for saving his son the narrator.
Guilt is expressed through the emotions of the father, experiencing a heavy sense of remorse
over his dead stepson that he bullied to the grave.
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Country Living by Guy de Maupassant
Key Quotes
“cultivating the poor soil to rear all the children they had.”
“meagre diet of soup, potatoes, and fresh air”
“the wooden kitchen table which shone with fifty years of wear.”
“small piece of meat in a stew on Sundays was a treat for one and all”
“I’d love to have one of them – that one, the tiny one”
“his dirty cheeks, on his curly, blond, mud-daubed hair”
“stuffed him full of cake and handed sweets to all the others”
“Her name was Madame Henri d’Hubieres”
“I would very much like… I would very much like to… to take your little boy away with me”
“We’d need a hundred and twenty.”
“took the screaming child away as others might bear off a coveted bargain from a shop.”
“saying nothing, grim-faced, and perhaps regretting that they had said no.”
“that it was a horrible, disgusting, dirty business.”
“Which explains why the fury of the Tuvaches, who remained poor, was so implacable.”
“A young gentleman, wearing a gold watch-chain”
“Little Charlot, who was now almost 18 and had been brought up having this idea constantly
repeated to him, also thought he was a cut above his friends because he had not been sold.”
“Stupid, bog-trotting yokels.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Poverty – Wealth disparity, Morality - Jealousy
Poverty
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In Country Living, poverty is portrayed through the environment that the Tuvaches and Vallins
live in, and its contrast with the wealth of the d’Hubieres.
Poverty is presented through the diet and lifestyle of the farmers. They survived on a “meagre
diet of soup, potatoes, and fresh air” Guy de Maupassant utilizes synathroesmus to create a
semantic field of scarcity. Furthermore, potatoes were widely cultivated at the time, providing a
cheap but abundant source of food, further enforcing his poverty. Guy de Maupassant also
describes “A small piece of meat in a stew on Sundays” as a treat, this shows that such a trivial
extra to their food was greatly valued by the two families. The poverty of the two families are
further portrayed by the children’s “dirty cheeks” and “mud-daubed hair”. The distribution of
dirt and mud shows their unclean environments, corroborating with the idea of poverty, and
creates a semantic field of lack of hygiene.
In contrast to the farmer’s poverty, the d’Hubieres couple is established as wealthy by
Maupassant. When they first met the boy, she “stuffed him full of cake and handed sweets to all
the others”. Although they were no more than strangers, Madame Henri d’Hubieres was insistent
to gain their trust through presents. The use of “stuffed” and “all” shows the quantity that they
supplied, implying their wealth. Furthermore, the descriptions of “gleaming carriage” and
“gentlemen” and “gold watch-chain” displays their cultured and wealthy nature. The element
“gold” is the superlative of wealth, and contrasting the dirtiness before to the “gentleman,
wearing a gold watch-chain” emphasizes the wealth effect of the family.
In conclusion, the poverty is displayed through the poor and unhygienic lifestyle of the farmers,
and its contrast to the wealth of the couple.
Morality
Morality is presented by Guy de Maupassant through the jealousy and ferocity that the Tuvaches
show towards the Vallins.
Although the Tuvaches rejects d’Hubieres’ offer at the onset of the story, when the couple left
with the baby, they “stood on their doorstep and watched him go, saying nothing, grim faced and
perhaps regretting that they had said no.” Their “grim” appearance is contrasted to their
indignation when they were offered to sell their child. Guy de Maupassant utilizes the
“implacable” fury of the Tuvaches to further imply the regret of not selling Charlot. They
claimed that what the Vallins were doing was a “horrible, disgusting, dirty business.”
Maupassant uses synathroesmus to create a semantic field of repulsive behavior. Their name,
“Vallins” is similar to the word villain, and thus creates a sense of intrinsic evil within their acts.
Whereas the Tuvaches sacrificed money and the wellbeing of the family for pride and dignity,
the Vallins believed that selling the son to the d’Hubieres couple would bring well-being to both
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themselves and his son. Charlot Tuvache blames his parents for being “soft in the head” and for
holding him back, he believes that they did not think of his future, only their own when they
refused the offer. He calls his parents “Stupid bog-trotting yokels”, showing the distinct contrast
between his uneducated and uncultured character and Jean Vallin, who was brought up to be a
“gentleman”.
In conclusion, the Vallins sacrificed their reputation within the villages for the well-being of the
family, and causes the rest of the families to spite them in jealousy of their new-found wealth.
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Van Bibber’s Burglar by Richard Harding Davis
Key Quotes
“They covered up all signs of their evening dress with their great-coats, and filled their pockets
with cigars”
“they also fastened their watches to both key-chains”
“was greatly pleased and flattered at their coming”
“‘two gents in high hats’ had come in a carriage, and this and their patent-leather boots made
them objects of keen interest.”
“a very dingy, dirty place”
“Night in a great city is not picturesque and it is not theatrical”
“perched on the top of the wall like Humpty Dumpty”
“his face desperate and bitter, and hopeless to a degree of utter hopelessness that Van Bibber
never imagined.”
“‘Go ahead,’ reiterated the man, doggedly, ‘I won’t move. Shoot me.’”
“Van Bibber felt the pistol loosening in his hand”
“With all the colour gone out of my skin, and all the life out of my legs.”
“I’m a skeleton and a baby, I am. I couldn’t kill a cat.”
“And now you’re going to send me back again for another lifetime”
“Seven years without seeing your wife or your child!”
“‘Oh, I don’t know. Some bacon and eggs and green things and coffee.’”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Wealth disparity, Deception
Wealth disparity
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Richard Harding Davis portrays the theme of wealth disparity in Van Bibber’s Burglar through
the contrast between the lives of Van Bibber and the burglar.
In Davis’ initial description of Van Bibber’s wealthy persona is created through Davis’s vivid
description of him. In the onset of the story, he “fastened their watches to both key-chains.” This
shows his transition to a poorer area of the city and his fear of his belongings being stolen. This
divulges the desperation in the poorer sections of the society at the time. Furthermore, the buzz
created in the arena about “two gents in high hats” reveals him as a socialite. The use of “high
hats” as a metonym of wealth and high class emphasizes his wealth.
Poverty is conveyed through the setting in Van Bibber’s Burglar. The steakhouse is described as
a “very dingy, dirty place.” The use of alliteration emphasizes the unhygienic qualities of the
poorer sections of America in the 19th century. Halfway through their conversation about poverty
and adventures in big cities, a women enters and “begged for a drink ‘for the love of heaven’”, as
if to support the discussion about the abundance of poverty. The choice of diction “begged”
displays a sense of desperation, and the exclamation “for the love of heaven” further emphasizes
her needs. Richard Harding Davis describes the burglar’s face as “desperate and bitter” and
“hopeless to a degree of utter hopelessness that Van Bibber had never imagined.” This sentence
creates a semantic field of desperation, and the repetition of hopeless further enforces that.
Wealth disparity in Van Bibber’s Burglar is created by the Davis’s vivid description of Van
Bibber’s wealth, as opposed to the appearance of the poor such as the burglar.
Deception
In Van Bibber’s Burglar, the thief persuades Van Bibber to sympathize with him, and help him
escape to the West.
The burglar accuses Van Bibber for ruining his life, tell him that he’s “going to send me back for
another lifetime.” The use of hyperbole creates a sense of wasted life, which manifests as guilt
within Van Bibber. This guilt is further forced when the burglar says “‘I won’t move. Shoot me.’”
The use of short sentence structure and imperatives force Van Bibber to make a fast decision.
Furthermore, it proves that the burglar is unwilling to spend another life in prison, and would
rather die.
The burglar highlights his physical weaknesses, and his family’s need of him to create pathos to
cause Van Bibber to sympathize with him. He says “With all the colour gone out of my skin, and
all the life out of my legs”. Davis uses anaphora and hyperbole to emphasize his weakness and
his deterioration while in prison. The burglar allows Van Bibber to believe that he is in a position
of strength, that he has the situation under control. The burglar attempts to feign weakness as he
says “I’m a skeleton and a baby, I am. I couldn’t kill a cat.” The metaphor of skeleton and baby
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imply his physical and mental weakness, and his emaciated appearance. The line “I couldn’t kill
a cat” emphasizes his weak willed nature. The burglar, Jimmie the Gent, exclaims to Van Bibber
that he has gone for “Seven years without seeing your wife or your child!” He involves a child,
as their innocence makes Van Bibber believe that the burglar just wants to see his child grow up,
as all parents do. The “seven years” quantifies the mental pain and suffering he’s in, further
evoking pity.
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The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde
Key Quotes
“I have read all that wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for
want of a red rose my life made wretched.”
“His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but
passion has made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow.”
“Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals.
Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the market-place. It may not be
purchased of the merchants, nor can it be weighed out in the balance of gold.”
“It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon
in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the scent of hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells is the scent of
hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and the heather that blows on the
hill.”
“her voice was like water bubbling from a silver jar.”
“She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish.”
“Press closer, little Nightingale.”
“The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky.”
“the Chamberlains’s nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels
cost far more than flowers.”
“he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.”
“‘What a silly thing Love is,’ said the Student as he walked away.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Love, Tragedy – Sacrifice
Love
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In The Nightingale and the Rose, true love is symbolized by the nightingale, and the student and
the professor’s daughter are fickle and superficial lovers.
The nightingale believes that “Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than
emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in
the market-place. It may not be purchased of the merchants, nor can it be weighed out in the
balance of gold.” The personification of love using the capital letter emphasizes the nightingale
believes that love is a true force. Oscar Wilde compares love with luxurious gems and objects to
portray the infinite value of love.
The animals and trees each represent a different perspective on love. The red rose is true passion,
the white rose is purity, the yellow rose is fickle and inconstancy, the butterfly is the confusing
and misunderstood aspect of love and the green lizard is the cynical perspective towards love.
Many elements of nature such as the moon are capitalized, personifying it and portraying true
love as ethereal and natural.
The fickle and superficial love between the students is presented through the professor’s
daughter’s materialistic personality, and the student’s ingratitude. Oscar Wilde initially presents
the student as a character of true love, he is described by the nightingale with “His hair is dark as
the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but passion has made his face
like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow.” Wilde utilizes vivid natural imagery,
such as flowers, ivory to represent his attractiveness. This is juxtaposed with the sorrow of
unrequited love that has gripped him. The choice of diction “rose” is the metonym of true love,
and the color red has connotations of passion. The contrast of “passion” and “pale” show the
extent of the unrequited love. This is contrasted with his dismissal of love at the end, “What a
silly thing Love is”. Wilde’s exposition of the character the professor’s daughter is defined by
the line “the Chamberlains’s nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that
jewels cost far more than flowers.” She does not understand the true value of the flower, made
with the nightingale’s life. Her materialism is made apparent, as jewels is the superlative of
wealth and quality.
Love is presented in many forms in The Nightingale and the Rose, both fickle and true love are
represented. Wilde expresses that true love is not existent, and suppressed by the fickle nature of
humans.
Tragedy
Tragedy is expressed through the futility of the student’s love, and the Nightingale’s sacrifice in
vain.
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The sacrifice of the nightingale is reminded to the reader by Wilde throughout the story. The
phrase “Press closer, little Nightingale” is repeated throughout her sacrifice. Wilde uses refrain
to emphasize the pain she is experiencing, but also the incredible persistence she has to complete
the rose. Wilde also creates pathos through the qualities of the nightingale, “her voice was like
water bubbling from a silver jar.” The use of simile to portrays her voice’s quality and depth,
further evoking pity as the audience vies this as a waste of a beautiful life form.
The tragedy is expressed by the vanity of the student, immediately dismissing love after he is
rejected, and “threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went
over it.” The waste of the nightingale’s life is tragic, and the use of gutter parallels it to garbage.
The emphasis on the “cart wheel” is almost like the nail in the coffin.
In the Nightingale and the Rose, Wilde uses tragedy to evoke a sense of futility of true love, that
it will never triumph over the fickle nature of humans.
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The Woman’s Rose by Olive Schreiner
Key Quotes
“but the rose in the box still.”
“When my eye is dim, and my heart grows faint, and my faith in woman flickers, and her present
is an agony to me, and her future a despair, the scent of that dead rose, withered for twelve years,
comes back to me.”
“I know there will be spring; as surely as the birds know it when they see above the snow two
tiny, quivering green leaves. Spring cannot fail us.”
“She was about seventeen, fair, and rather fully-fleshed; she had large dreamy blue eyes, an
wavy light hair; full rather heavy lips, until she smiled; then her face broke into dimples, and her
white teeth shone.”
“She reigned alone. All the men worshipped her.”
“They brought flowers to the front door; they offered her horses; they begged her to marry them
when they dared.”
“I was vital, and I was new, and she was old – they all forsook her and followed me. They
worshipped me.”
“I did not know all men were my children, as the large woman knows when her heart is grown”
“I felt sure she hated me; that she wished I was dead; hat she wished I had never come to the
village.”
“I would not let her see that I cared about what she felt towards me.”
“She was dressed in pure white, with her great white arms and shoulders showing,… and the
white rose fastened at her breast. She looked like a queen.”
“to arrange my old black scarf across my old black dress”
“When my faith in woman grows dim, and it seems that for want of love and magnanimity she
can play no part in any future heaven; then the scent of that small withered thing comes back –
spring cannot fail us.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Maturity – Role of women
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Maturity
The theme of maturity is vividly represented in The Woman’s Rose by Olive Schreiner by the
woman’s act of mature admiration for the narrator. This small act gave the narrator faith in
womankind, for their mutual caring and respect.
The significance of the woman’s kind action is displayed through the contrast of the narrator’s
superficial personality, and the tension between the two women. The narrator believed that says
“I was vital, and I was new, and she was old – they all forsook her and followed me. They
worshipped me.” The choice of diction “new” not only portrays her fresh image, but also her
naïve and immature personality. The change in the men’s attraction builds tension between the
two women, which is conceived as jealousy by the immature narrator, who was “sure she [the
woman] hated me; that she wished I [the narrator] was dead; that she wished I had never come to
the village.” The narrator’s vain personality is further emphasized by her mistreatment of the
men, that she ”despised them”. Schreiner reinforces the narrator’s immature character when she
says she “would not let her [the woman] see that I [the narrator] cared about what she felt
towards me”. Her petty grudge against the woman creates an aura of childishness.
Reflecting back, the narrator says that “I did not know all men were my children, as the large
woman knows when her heart is grown.” The metaphor “all men were my children” suggests that
the woman has learnt to love and respect the men, albeit their relentless pestering. Her maturity
is recognized in this reflection, as “her heart is grown”. Schreiner uses the image of a heart to
connote caring and motherly characteristics when a woman matures.
The woman’s maturity has great significance to the narrator, as after many years, “the rose is in
the box still.” The long lasting rose shows the undying and everlasting effect that the act of
maturity has made on her life. The narrator’s reflection ends in “When my faith in woman grows
dim, and it seems that for want of love and magnanimity she can play on part in future heave;
then the scent of that small withered thing comes back – spring cannot fail us.” The parallelism
and refrain between this line, and a similar line at the prelude to her story emphasizes the
importance of this action, and how the woman’s maturity is a symbol of an independent woman.
The final words, “spring cannot fail us”, shows Schreiner’s belief that happiness and joy will
always come, after a period of darkness, Winter.
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26 Men and a Girl by Maxim Gorky
Key Quotes
“twenty-six living machines – incarcerated from morning to night in a damp basement room”
“Life in this stone box”
“the red flames casting a flickering shadow onto the wall of the bakery, as if in silent mockery of
its inhabitants.”
“Those two deep hollows were like eyes – a monster’s pitiless, dispassionate eyes with a
persistently veiled expression... despising them with the cold scorn of wisdom and expecting
nothing human from them.”
“our lives were so oppressed that it seemed as if we were carrying all three storeys of this house
on our shoulders”
“which perhaps took the place of the sun in our hearts”
“the innocent face of the young girl, smiling so sweetly at us.”
“she would appear fleetingly before our eyes like a falling star and then disappear.”
“‘Hey, convicts, let’s have the pretzels then!’”
“We would do these things for her, and anything else she wanted, eagerly and with a sense even
of pride.”
“we envied them: their work was easier than ours, they were paid better, fed better, their room
was spacious and light and we found them repulsively clean and healthy.
“He was handsome, this soldier, tall, healthy-looking with ruddy cheeks and a friendly cheerful
expression in his large, clear eyes.”
“‘Do you make use of them?’”
“And they respect strength, too, men with arms like this…!”
“They scratched and tore at each other’s face… what a laugh!”
“We surrounded her and reviled her maliciously, without restraint, heaping obscenities on her.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Role of women – Obsession, Poverty – Oppression
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Role of Women
In Maxim Gorky’s 26 Men and a Girl, the woman, Tanya, is portrayed as an idol by the men,
while the soldier believes women are objects.
In 26 Men and a Girl, Gorky uses a description of Tanya’s characteristics, and the actions of the
men towards her, to illustrate the obsession and idolization of Tanya, and the social distance
between the men and her. The men describe her facial features in the quotation “innocent face
smiling so sweetly as us.” The choice of diction “innocent” connotes a clean and young figure,
juxtaposed with the description of men as “ugly, dirty, ignorant.” The use of synathroesmus in
this depiction further contrasts Tanya and the men, exaggerating the social disparity between
them. Another prosopographia of Tanya is “appear fleetingly before our eyes like a falling star
and then disappear.” The choice of diction “stars” connotes an appearance of beauty and
significance. Furthermore, “falling stars” are rarely seen, depicting the men’s deprivation of
contact to the outside world, emphasizing Tanya as the only link. The use of comparison of
Tanya and the stars denote that the she is unreachable and can only be seen and enjoyed. A
further reinforcement of the men’s obsession with Tanya is that they serve her, “a sense even of
pride.” This is contrasted to Tanya calling them “convicts”, portraying that the obsession was
unrequited. The use of the word “even” shows the men do not adhere to the social context of the
19th century, where women were widely regarded as inferior. This misogynistic attitude towards
women is a prominent theme in the story 26 Men and a Girl, embodied by the character of the
soldier. This is evident in the quotation “Do you make use of them?” The soldier thinks of
women as tools, and objectifies them, establishing his ethos of superiority and the
interchangeability of women.
In essence, although Tanya is idolized within the men in the bakery, they are only attracted to her
superficially, and while the men believe they respect her, she only provides a form of escapism
to the men, reinforcing the social conventions of the exploitation of women.
Poverty
Poverty and oppression is displayed through the routines and living condition of the workers in
26 Men and a Girl.
Gorky objectifies the men to establish their low social class and lack of importance. At the onset
of the story, the workers describe themselves as “twenty-six living machines – incarcerated from
morning to night in a damp basement room”. The choice of diction “machines” connotes they
worked with an almost mechanical manner, and they were not treated humanely. The workers
believe they are “incarcerated”, paralleling their workplace to a prison, a symbol of oppression.
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The location of a “basement room” further extends their separation from society, as a basement
is underground and lowers their status. The workers lived in a “stone box”, further objectifying
them as the boss’s tools.
The atmosphere around them further divulged their low social class and poverty. In the simile of
the “two deep hollows were like eyes – a monster’s pitiless, dispassionate eyes with a
persistently veiled expression... despising them with the cold scorn of wisdom and expecting
nothing human from them.” Gorky explores the disdain that society expresses towards them, the
“dispassionate eyes” defines the indifference present in the 19th century. Furthermore, Gorky
dehumanizes the workers, “expecting nothing human from them”. The words “pitiless”, “veiled”,
“cold”, “scorn” create a semantic field of contempt and disparagement. The author uses
personification to emphasize society’s conviction of them.
The disparity of wealth is conveyed when the worker’s lives are compared to the other baker’s,
who’s “was easier than ours, they were paid better, fed better, and their room was spacious and
light and we found them repulsively clean and healthy.” The repetition of “better” emphasizes
the contrast between their lives. The choice of diction “repulsively” create a sense that the
workers were jealous of their counterparts.
The prominence of poverty in the 19th century is effectively divulged in 26 Men and a Girl.
Through Gorky’s use of objectification, and a vivid description of their surroundings, he creates
a deprived and oppressed environment, as if the workers were “carrying all three storeys of this
house on our [their] shoulders”. Gorky characterizes the men to embody the poverty and lack of
education rife in cities of the 19th century, and presents a harsh criticism on the indifference of
society towards the people in the lowest strata, perhaps a representation of his own early life.
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The Poor Relation’s Story by Charles Dickens
Key Quotes
“I am nobody's enemy but my own.”
“fire being expensive, and being objected to by the family on account of its giving trouble and
making a dirt.”
“I am a solitary man, and seldom walk with anybody.”
“I knew no reason why I should remain here.”
“His mother comes of a highly genteel family, and rather disapproves, I am aware, of our being
too much together.”
“I shall not leave much more in this world than I shall take out of it”
“Though he was rich, he pinched, and scraped, and clutched, and lived miserably.”
“colder in my uncle's unwarmed house than in the street”
“contemptible dog”
“sniveling milksop”
“On my death… On my death -- death -- Death!”
“feeble wretch”
“over-persuaded and influenced by her mother, married a rich man, the dirt from whose carriage
wheels is often, in these changed times, thrown upon me as she rides by.”
“My Castle is not a splendid place, but it is very comfortable, and it has a warm and cheerful air,
and is quite a picture of Home.”
“I really do not know, in my Castle, what loneliness is.”
“My Castle is in the Air!”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Social class, Dream and reality
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Social class
The disparity in wealth and the importance of social standing is highlighted in Charles Dickens’ The Poor
Relation’s Story.
Dickens criticizes the importance of retaining wealth in the family in 19th century society. He utilizes the
exposition of the character Uncle Chill to embody the avaricious mentality that many had in the 19th
century. The use of charactonym “chill” establishing his cold and austere nature. His cold disposition is
also displayed through pathetic fallacy, that it was “colder in my uncle’s unwarmed house than in the
street”. This shows that he is unwilling to spend some of his wealth on a basic necessity such as fire. The
author describes his greediness with, “Though he was rich, he pinched, and scraped, and clutched,
and lived miserably.” The repeated use of plosives, describing the action of taking, illustrates the
aggressive nature of Uncle Chill. Furthermore, Uncle Chill’s excessive use of derogatory insults
such as “contemptible dog”, “sniveling milksop” and “feeble wretch” when Michael announces
his engagement to Christiana divulges his irate character.
The dependence of women on the husband for social and financial security epitomizes the
patriarchal domination in 19th century society. Dickens portrays this through Christiana’s
marrying of a rich man instead of the narrator, Michael. Christiana, persuaded by her mother
marries “a rich man, the dirt from whose carriage wheels is often, in these changed times, thrown
upon me [Michael] as she rides by.” The “dirt from whose carriage wheels” thrown on Michael
is used to emphasize the weakness of the poor and the disparity between the wealthy and the
underprivileged.
Dickens highlights the social standards present in the macrocosm of a financially and socially
polarized 19th century society through the characterization of Uncle Chill and the concept of
marrying for wealth.
Dream and reality
The contrast of dream and reality is evident throughout the story The Poor Relation’s Story. Dickens
exposes the stark difference between the utopian nature of a dream and the realistic indifference in the
lower echelons of 19th century society.
Michael’s first tale of a lonely lifestyle is perceived by the reader as the real story. His insignificance and
poverty is depicted by Dickens when he says “I shall not leave much more in this world than I shall
take out of it”. The poor relation’s lack of impact on the world emphasize his insignificance,
Furthermore, the author illustrates his contemplation of suicide as he “knew no reason why I
should remain here”. The social taboo of suicide in a 19th century society is used by Dickens to
represent Michael’s diffident and depressed nature. The insignificance of his life is further
emphasized through his loneliness, as he was a “solitary man, and seldom walk with anybody”.
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His alienation from society is emphasized by his lack of friends, except from Little Frank, his
only relationship with a child extends his unsociable nature.
This dismal lifestyle is juxtaposed with the poor relation’s second tale, which he claims is his
real life. However, his emphasis on the place as a “Castle” evokes an image of a fairy tale, and
an imaginary environment. This reveals Michael as a delusional character, unwilling to accept
Christiana’s rejection and his partner John’s seizing of his business. He claims that in his Castle,
he does not know “what loneliness is.” This is analogized with his solitary lifestyle in the
previous tale, further polarizing his different imaginations of his life. Additionally, he believes
that “My Castle is not a splendid place, but it is very comfortable, and it has a warm and cheerful
air, and is quite a picture of Home.” The words “warm”, “cheerful”, “comfortable” create a
semantic field of love and kindness, contrasted with the cold and lonely environment of his
accommodation in the first story.
In essence, Dickens uses the comparison of the two tales to criticize the dilemmas of greed and
poverty that plagued society in the 19th century. Through the “Castle in the air”, he creates a
delusional character who has fallen victim to the fact that he is “nobody’s enemy but his own”.
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Lou, the Prophet by Willa Cather
Key Quotes
“It had been a very trying summer to everyone, and most of all to Lou.”
“He was a rather simple fellow, and was always considered less promising than his brothers”
“His bill of fare never changed the year round; bread, coffee, beans and sorgum molasses,
sometimes a little salt pork.”
“He thought he saw the Devil and all his angels in the air holding back the rain clouds, and they
loosed all the damned in Hell, and they came, poor tortured things, and drank up whole clouds of
rain.”
“Then he felt something give way in his poor, weak head, and with a cry of pain he awoke.”
“he read those burning, blinding, blasting words, and they seemed to shrivel up his poor brain
altogether”
“and stayed so until the dull gray dawn stole over the land and he heard the pigs clamoring for
their feed.”
“So he went on several days, praying and reading and fasting, until he grew thin and haggard.”
“he only saw in them a great world ready for the judgment, a funeral pyre ready for the torch.”
“his emaciated frame and wild eyes”
“A very young child can tell a sincere man better than any phrenologist.”
“The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”
“he was translated like Enoch of old”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Religious allusions, Deterioration of character
Religious allusions
In Lou, the Prophet, the author Willa Cather uses heavy religious imagery to emphasize Lou’s
devotion to religion and its extraordinary effect on him. Cather’s religious influences and living
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on the American frontier forms the basis of this short story, where she describes the hardship of
those around her.
Throughout the story, Lou expresses the execution of judgment upon earth through religious
allusions. Through his dreams, which was believed as a prophecy at the time, he saw “the Devil
and all his angels in the air holding back the rain clouds, and they loosed all the damned in Hell,
and they came, poor tortured things, and drank up whole clouds of rain.” The anthropomorphism
of “Devil” and “Hell” through capitalization creates a tone of realism. The use of adjectives,
“poor”, “tortured”, “damned” create a semantic field of horror and macabre. Cather utilizes
hyperbole, that they “drank up whole clouds of rain” to exaggerate the extent of the draught.
Furthermore, it aligns with the biblical use of plagues and famine to execute judgment. The
association of fire to cleansing and punishment is also prominently used by Cather. She describes
Lou reading the “burning, blinding, blasting words” of the Bible. The author uses list of three
and alliteration to vividly describe the intensity of the Bible’s words, and the Lou’s sudden
revelation. After Lou compares the world to “a funeral pyre ready for the torch”. Cather’s use of
metaphor creates a sense of impending judgment, and the choice of diction “funeral” connotes
the world’s end.
Cather also uses religious imagery to depict Lou comparing himself to biblical figures, showing
the extent of his insanity. The conversation between Lou and the children is a direct comparison
to Jesus speaking to the children, giving them guidance. This displays Lou’s transformation from
a weakling to a mentor, showing the profound effect that the bible had on him. His shouting of
“The sword of the Lord and of Gideon” further intensifies his self-belief of prophecy. Gideon is
a prophet and also a judge, the sword symbolizing the judgment enacted upon earth. Cather’s
reference to “Enoch of Old”, whom was translated and taken by God to live with him, expresses
the image that the impressionable boys had of Lou as a god and prophet.
Willa Cather’s extensive religious allusion establishes Lou’s insanity and the his belief of the
impending judgment. It cements the audience’s perspective of his insanity, and allows them to
relate to the character in such a religious era.
Deterioration of character
Willa Cather expresses the tremendous hardship faced by the people on the American Frontier in
the 19th century in Lou, the Prophet. His poverty and the tragic events that he experiences
augments his deterioration into insanity.
Lou’s tragic life is expressed in the first few paragraphs, where the author divulges a series of
unfortunate events that occur simultaneously. In the first line, “It had been a very trying summer
to everyone, and most of all to Lou” establishes Lou as an outsider. This creates pathos, invoking
the audience to sympathize with him. Furthermore, the author notes that Lou’s mother, who he
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had “always loved” passed away, his planned marriage had gone awry and he had lost all his
crop over the winter. These events emphasize the detrimental effects on Lou, and serves as an
antecedent to his gradual insanity.
Willa Cather signifies a sudden change in Lou’s life through his bad dreams and him feeling
something “give way in his poor, weak head”. The use of “poor, weak” creates an almost pitiful
tone, and suggests to the audience that he has a tumor. His sudden addiction to the bible further
intensifies his deterioration, as he read until he grew “thin and haggard”. His physical change
indicates the time he spends reading the bible. His impressionable nature is revealed through his
immediate gain of hope and faith. His immersion in the bible is further extended as he reads until
the “dull gray dawn stole over the land”. The color “dull gray” utilizes pathetic fallacy to
foreshadow a gloomy future. Furthermore, the color “dull gray” connotes dismay and negativity.
Lou is described by Cather in the sentence, “his emaciated frame and wild eyes”. The word
“emaciated” suggests starvation, and illustrates and image of a skeleton. The “wild eyes” further
establish Lou’s insanity, emphasizing the dismissal of his insane prophetic claims.
In essence, Lou deteriorates from a simple unsuccessful farmer, to an insane, deprived man
through a series of tragic events, and his sudden belief in an impending apocalypse.
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The Stolen Bacillus by H.G. Wells
Key Quotes
“And yet those little particles, those mere atomies, might multiply and devastate a city!
Wonderful!”
“The Bacteriologist watched the morbid pleasure in his visitor's expression.”
"The lank black hair and deep grey eyes, the haggard expression and nervous manner, the fitful
yet keen interest of his visitor”
“Yes, here is the pestilence imprisoned.”
“and death - mysterious, untraceable death, death swift and terrible, death full of pain and
indignity - would be released upon this city, and go hither and thither seeking his victims.”
“‘Blue ruin!’ cried the Bacteriologist”
“The Bacteriologist, hatless, and in his carpet slippers, was running and gesticulating wildly
towards this group.”
“‘Strike me giddy!’ cried Old Tootles.”
“Minnie went by in a perfect roar of applause.”
“Death, death, death!”
“he certainly might have made things look blue for this civilized city.”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Tension, Ending – Twist, humorous
Tension
Throughout H.G. Wells’ story The Stolen Bacillus, tension is built through the author’s
antagonistic portrayal of the anarchist, and the atmosphere of imminent danger.
The contrast between the dark and mysterious anarchist and the eccentricity of the scientist
creates an atmosphere of tension. The lack of a name, as well as the malicious nature intrinsic
with an anarchist, divulges a sense of mystery. Wells describes the anarchist, with his “lank
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black hair and deep grey eyes, the haggard expression and nervous manner”, utilizing
physiognomy to establish the dark intents of the visitor. The color “black” has negative
connotations of death and plague, while the visitor’s “nervous manner” expresses his fear of
being caught. The anarchist’s eerie curiosity for the deadliness of the disease is vividly described
to extend the fear evoked in the reader. He examines the “pestilence imprisoned” with a “morbid
pleasure” in his expression. The use of the word “pestilence” refers to the biblical four deadly
horsemen in Revelations, conveying that he believes civilization needs to be judged and cleansed.
The irony of the use of “imprisoned”, while the solution is contained within the fragility and
insecurity of a glass tube, emphasizes the impending danger and foreshadows a disastrous ending.
The oxymoron of the “morbid pleasure” juxtaposes an unpleasant nature with pleasure, depicting
his sadistic disposition and his indulgence in death and catastrophe.
His perverse addiction to destruction is also shown when he says ““And yet those little particles,
those mere atomies, might multiply and devastate a city! Wonderful!” The juxtaposition of
“devastate” and “wonderful” create a warped sense of pleasure. The contrast of the miniscule
size of “atomies” and the massive area of a “city” solidify Wells’ criticisms of the safety of
rapidly advancing technologies. The anarchist’s vivid description of death, “mysterious,
untraceable death, death swift and terrible, death full of pain and indignity - would be released
upon this city, and go hither and thither seeking his victims.” The congeries of adjectives,
“mysterious”, “untraceable”, “swift”, “terrible”, “pain” create a semantic field of malice and
malevolence. Wells’ use of repetition of “death” emphasizes the anarchist’s addiction and the
destructiveness of Cholera, further adding to the tension. The choice of diction “hither and
thither” rhyme with slither, which projects an impression of poison and vindictiveness.
Through the extensive illustration of the extraordinary danger of Cholera, and how it can be
abused by anarchists, H.G. Wells mounts the tension throughout the narrative while warning
society of the imminent dangers of a developed weapon in the hands of a terrorist.
Ending
The ending in The Stolen Bacillus utilizes irony and humor to portray the failure of the anarchist.
The twist utilizes the tension built up throughout the narrative, and surprises the audience.
The eccentric nature of the Bacteriologist embodies the humor displayed at the end of the story.
His dress, “hatless, and in his carpet slippers”, creates a comical visual image which contrasts
with the gravity of the situation. The Bacteriologist, “running and gesticulating wildly towards
this group” creates an disorderly and reckless atmosphere, which Wells uses to evoke panic and
tension within the audience. Wells uses the commentary of the cabmen to emphasize the comical
nature of this wild goose chase, showing the rarity of such commotion. The vernacular and
colloquial language of these men and their names, such as “Old Tootles”, reflect their relatively
low social class and their comedic role in the story. H.G. Wells uses a pun, “he certainly might
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have made things look blue for this civilized city” to further create humor in the situation. He
further extends the irony that the anarchist falls victim to his own plan.
In conclusion, tension is built throughout The Stolen Bacillus, and is alleviated through the
humorous ending portrayed by the eccentric nature of the Bacteriologist, the irony, and the
commentary of the cabmen.
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Hop Frog by Edgar Allan Poe
Key Quotes
“large, corpulent, oily men”
“a jester to laugh with, and a dwarf to laugh at”
“he possessed a triplicate treasure in one person”
“Hop-Frog could only get along by a sort of interjectional gait-something between a leap and a
wriggle-a movement that afforded illimitable amusement”
“At such exercises he certainly much more resembled a squirrel, or a small monkey, than a frog.”
“sent as presents to the King”
“The king grew purple with rage.”
“It was interrupted by a low, but harsh and protracted grating sound which seemed to come at
once from every corner of the room.”
“ferocious-looking creatures to be beasts of some kind in reality”
“If I can only get a good look at them, I can soon tell who they are.”
“As for myself, I am simply Hop-Frog, the jester-and this is my last jest.”
“fiery revenge”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Contrast of character, Tension
Contrast of character
The character of Hop Frog in Edgar Allen Poe’s short story is treated as inferior, thus spiting him
to transform from a subservient “vagabond” into a vengeful character. Although Hop Frog’s
position as a “triplicate treasure”, a jester, dwarf and cripple, gave him slight value, he is
represented as inferior and used as an object of humor. Hop Frog was a “jester to laugh with, and
a dwarf to laugh at”, the ministers found his crippled movement an “illimitable amusement”.
This cruelty analogizes the indifference experienced by the lowest echelons of society at the time.
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His inability to walk like other men establishes him as an outsider of society, with a sense of
inferiority. Edgar Allan Poe expresses his resemblance to a “squirrel” or “monkey”, more than a
frog. Poe compares Hop Frog’s physique to that of animals, further emphasizing his non-human
traits. Hop Frog’s portrayal as a “vagabond” is further enforced as he was “sent as presents to the
King”. This objectifies Hop Frog and expresses that he is a possession of the King.
The King in Edgar Allen Poe’s Hop Frog characterize the traits of greed and gluttony. In the
outset of the story, he and his ministers are described as “large, corpulent, oily men”. The
congeries of adjectives creates a semantic field of repulsiveness. His large size is contrasted to
the dwarf size of Hop Frog, thus creating an effect of superiority. The choice of diction “oily”
connotes filth, and “corpulent” connotes gluttony. When Hop Frog refuses to drink the goblet of
wine, he grows “purple with rage”. Poe uses hyperbole to emphasize his violent temper. The
color purple has connotations of poison, and expresses his malevolent nature. Hop Frog dresses
them in orangutan costumes, “ferocious-looking creatures to be beasts of some kind in reality”.
While in the story they were dressing up as beasts, it is ironic as the King and his ministers truly
embody the inhumane and cruel disposition linked to beasts.
Edgar Allan Poe contrasts the characters Hop Frog and the King to express the social disparity
present at the time. He polarizes their social positions through both physical and mental
descriptions.
Tension
Tension is integral in the development of the narrative of Edgar Allan Poe’s Hop Frog. The
sense of tension evoked in the reader foreshadows and eventually reveals Hop Frog’s revenge.
With Poe’s extensive use of horror and macabre, and his proficiency in the dark romanticism
genre, he extensively explores Hop Frog’s torment in the story. After the King knocked
Trippetta away for defending Hop Frog, he produced a “low, but harsh and protracted grating
sound which seemed to come at once from every corner of the room.” The mistreatment of
Trippetta enrages Hop Frog, the “protracted grating sound” suggests his frustration. The
hyperbole “come at once…” enforces the extent to which Hop Frog is angry, foreshadowing the
instigation of his revenge.
Hop Frog’s vengeful trick on the King is vindicated by the King’s monstrous and sinful
personality. Hop Frog dresses them in orangutan costumes, “ferocious-looking creatures to be
beasts of some kind in reality”. While in the story they were dressing up as beasts, it is ironic as
the King and his ministers truly embody the inhumane and cruel disposition linked to beasts. The
irony is further extended as the King believes he is playing the trick, but in reality, Hop Frog is
enacting his “fiery revenge”. Poe uses fire imagery to connote a cleansing of the King’s sins.
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Hop Frog’s final words “I am simply Hop-Frog, the jester-and this is my last jest” creates the
sense that he is freed by his revenge towards the King.
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Napoleon and the Spectre by Charlotte Bronte
Key Quotes
“This threat produced no other effect than a short, sharp laugh, and a dead silence followed.”
“hastily throwing on a robe-de-chambre which hung over the back of a chair”
“Rise, lifter of the Eagle Standard! Awake, swayer of the Lily Sceptre!”
“It was that of a tall, thin man, dressed in a blue surtout edged with gold lace. It wore a black
cravat very tightly round its neck, and confined by two little sticks placed behind each ear.”
“The countenance was livid; the tongue protruded from between the teeth, and the eyes all glazed
and bloodshot started with frightful prominence from their sockets.”
“through the half transparent folds of which a bright light might be seen burning with dazzling
lustre.”
“their faces were concealed by ghastly masks representing death's-heads.”
“‘What is all this mummery?’ cried the Emperor, making an effort to shake off the mental
shackles by which he was so unwillingly restrained”
“At the same moment an overpowering mixture of the scents of mortal corruption, blent with the
richest Eastern odours, stole through the haunted hall.”
“What! are you in this infernal place, too?”
“The Emperor immediately fell into a fit of catalepsy”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Mystery – Tension and imagery
Mystery
Mystery is developed throughout Napoleon and the Spectre by the terrifying spectre, gothic
elements, and climactic points utilized by Charlotte Bronte.
Charlotte Bronte reveals the spectre as a terrifying otherworldly creature, perhaps a part of
Napoleon’s past. It’s lack of name, only referred to as the “spectre” or “apparition” creates a
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sense of anonymity. Bronte establishes a frightening appearance, describing his countenance as
“livid”. This fury towards Napoleon possibly reveals that he is a character Napoleon betrayed in
the past. Bronte also indicates that the Spectre’s death was violent, with “his tongue protruding
from between the teeth”. This suggests he died of asphyxiation, further indicated “two little
sticks placed behind the ear”, the use of the garrote. The representation of a character from
Napoleon’s past is further extended by his military uniform, a “surtout edged with gold lace”.
Bronte contrasts this formal dress to Napoleon’s robe-de-chambre, creating a dramatic effect and
highlighting the vulnerability of the “swayer of the Lily Sceptre”. When threatened by Napoleon,
the threat produced “no other effect than a short, sharp laugh, and a dead silence followed.” The
spectre’s mocking attitude further emphasizes Napoleon’s vulnerability, and his inferiority to the
powerful spectre.
Gothic elements are used throughout Napoleon and the Spectre to illustrate a mysterious and
tense atmosphere. Bronte vividly describes the setting “through the half transparent folds of
which a bright light might be seen burning with dazzling lustre.” The use of “half transparent”
creates an effect of obscurity and secrets. The choice of diction “burning” connotes the cleansing
of sins. Bronte further uses the imagery of death when he sees he women’s “faces were
concealed by ghastly masks representing death's-heads.” The obvious use of hallucinations,
visions and omens illustrates Napoleon’s fear of death. The use of the mask to veil the identity of
the beings continue the mysterious tone set in this movie. When he talks to Marie Louise, he
describes the setting as a “infernal place”. Bronte parallels the setting with hell, instilling fear
within the avidly religious population of the 19th century.
As most short stories of the time were written periodically, Bronte creates a cliffhanger by
Napoleon falling into a “fit of catalepsy”, thus inducing mystery and tension.
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An Arrest by Ambrose Bierce
Key Quotes
“this was many years ago, when that region was wilder than it is now.”
“The night was pretty dark, with neither moon nor stars visible”
“and there before him saw, indistinctly, the figure of a man, motionless in the gloom”
“Brower nearly suffocated by the activity of his own heart”
“the hunted man saw that visible embodiment of Law lift an arm and point significantly toward
and beyond him”
“hardly daring to breathe, his head and back actually aching with a prophecy of buckshot”
“that was shown by the conditions of awful personal peril in which he had coolly killed his
brother-in-law.”
“as white as death and bearing upon his brow the livid mark of the iron bar”
Dominant Themes & Characters
Mystery and tension
Mystery and tension
Ambrose Bierce utilizes tension as an integral part of An Arrest to create an atmosphere of
mystery and an impending danger.
In An Arrest, tension is evoked through the setting of the story. Bierce uses pathetic fallacy, with
the “night was pretty dark, with neither moon nor stars visible”. The lack of light symbolizes
that there is no hope or salvation for Orrin Brower. Furthermore, the darkness obscures Orrin
Brower’s vision, creating an atmosphere of gloom. The story is set in the woods, which “was
wilder than it is now.” The archetypal setting of a mystery story of the woods allows Bierce to
create an atmosphere of tension.
Bierce uses gothic imagery to portray the jailer as a ghostly embodiment further creates tension
in the story. Orrin Brower sees him “indistinctly, the figure of a man, motionless in the gloom”.
Bierce uses caesura to separate the word “indistinctly” emphasizes the translucent appearance.
The choice of diction “gloom” extends the darkness, and also expresses Brower’s gloomy future.
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The jailer is described as the “visible embodiment of the Law”. Bierce portrays Brower’s fear of
being caught, and his guilt of killing the jailer being expressed in the form of a ghost. Bierce
further describes the jailer as “as white as death”. The color connotations of “white” are pale and
cold, aligning with the phrase “deadly white”. The use of the simile suggests that he is dead
already, and the vision is merely a ghost or an imagination.
Ernest Cheng