The story symbolizes life after death. In the beginning of the story the woman is looking at the stepping stones and remembering them as she is walking across the river. When the narrator says ‘She was standing by the river looking at the stepping stones and remembering each one” it lets you know that the young lady in the story has been there before. The narrator of the story is giving a sense of what the short story is going to be about with this statement as well. The setting shows that the women are in a country environment.
From reading this short story “Used to live here once” I gathered that the theme was about the beauty of life after death. I was felt the theme could also be the spiritual journey of a woman after death. We learn the theme of the story how the writer has written the story, and how the sentences flow. Throughout this short story Rhys is giving the reader hints that this woman maybe dead, but that isn’t confirmed until the end of the story. For example, “The only thing was that the sky had a glassy look that she didn't remember” (Clugston, 2010).
Sally was a very special girl who had lost her mother when she was young. Could Sally be writing things that she remembered about her mother or was she pretending to write to her mom? Her family
In this short story, it is through her experiences, that she realizes she is no longer living, hence the last line of the story, (Rhys, 1976) “That was the first time she knew.” Although the story may seem basic at first, the ending can be quite surprising. You will find in this story, an underlying theme as the plot thickens with symbols of life, experiences and the spiritual world. The author, Jean Rhys, begins this story as the narrator telling the story of a woman on a journey in a limited omniscient view. Clungston (2010) explains in the Journey into Literature, “A limited omniscient point of view is when the thoughts and feelings of only one of the characters are related through the narrator.” In this story, it is just that, as the narrator, who in this story describes a woman who is not given a name or any type of background, guides the reader onto a journey in which she explains the little things the woman is experiencing and remembering as she walked along on that fine blue day. The narrator continues to engage the reader on how the different things along her walk are not the same as what the woman remembers them to be.
By the end of Jean Rhys short story “I Used to Live Here Once,”’ the protagonist realizes that she is no longer alive. Her return to her old home acts not a walk down memory lane, but as a reflection of her life experience. As the speaker slowly finds her way home, the reader is left with clues that lead to the conclusion that she is not there in the flesh. Jean Rhys’ use of symbols, diction, and selection of detail unify this theme throughout the story. First, the story initiates with a journey of crossing a river on stepping stones.
Because of the family's poverty, they were forced to live in a single room that used to be a prison cell. However, despite all this the family were said to be loving and devoted to each other. Bernadette's life changed forever when Mary chose to appear to her. On February 11, 1858, she was collecting firewood with her sister and a friend, when they left her behind to cross an icy stream. Bernadette did not go initially because of her poor health, but was about to take off her stockings to follow when she heard a rustling noise and saw a beautiful young woman in a small opening above the large grotto in the Massabielle rock.
Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief is a story about a young girl named Liesel as she struggles to find friends and family in World War II. In the story Zusak uses Liesel’s feelings and bonds with her family and friends to show how forming ties with others can be a life changing event. At the beginning of the story Zusak, shows Liesel as a shy, stubborn, and timid girl, but when she opens up to Hans she starts to talk and interact with more people. “Liesel would not get out of the car,” and, “she clung to,” “she held on and refused to go inside.” When reading these lines I understood that she was not yet ready to let go of her old life. She was not ready to let go of her biological family, a brother who had just died not long ago, a mother who left for her safety and well being, and a father that she never knew.
The use of symbolism at this scene captures the tearing end of their relationship. The related text, Sky High by Hannah Robert shows the change in perspective of the author as she goes form an imaginative and curious child, to an adult with less freedom and more responsibility. It explores the transition from a child to an adult through the author reminiscing about her childhood. As she reminisces we see the perspective of herself in her backyard. The clothes line plays a significant role in her life.
Her granddaughters Silvia, Shauna, and Becca went to visit her, for she was on her deathbed. She began telling them the story of Sleeping Beauty, a story which she had told them throughout their childhood, although this time was different. She told her grandchildren that she was in fact Briar Rose. Gemma did not go into detail, but made her granddaughter Becca promise to discover everything about her
And goes on about how the mother has seen the daughter grow up and also cherishes the sweet memories that they had.The title of this poem suggests that it is dedicated to a daughter leaving home and most probably it is by a mother. However, after reading the poem for the first time, it seemed out of topic as all it talks about is a mother talking about a time when she taught her daughter to bike ride. But then after reading it more than once, I realised that it actually has a deeper meaning that shows how the daughter has grown in all the years and how sometimes she failed in life but the mother was always there to help her around. Nevertheless this poem ends in a sad tone as it refers to how mothers will always have a concern for their child no matter how old they grow.The main theme in this poem is sentimental, as the mother is sort of looking back to the times when her daughter was young and travels through time as she talks about she bidding her goodbye.The choice of the opening of the poem, “When I taught you at eight to ride a