Loss In Gwilan's Harp And The Last Leaf
In the stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O.Henry, the characters in the tale experience a feeling of great loss at some point of the story. These tragic losses are usually the passing away of a character’s loved one. In “Gwilan’s Harp” the husband of Gwilan, Torm, passes away from a fever during the winter, but at the end of the story, Gwilan musters the courage to cherish what she has left. The life of the humble washwoman in “The Washwoman” brought great joy to the people around her, and her resilience until death inspires others to stay strong and persevere regardless of circumstances. Finally, “The Last Leaf” tells of strong friendships and gives a heart stopping ending with the death of Behrman, a man seemingly worthless throughout his life, but proves his worth at the very last moments of his life. Overall, these authors elaborate on what lessons one can learn from life through loss.
Gwilan, an extremely gifted harpist from “Gwilan’s Harp” by LeGuin, lived her life initially as a wandering musician. Subsequently,
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Feeling ill and depressed, Johnsy thinks that death would solve her pain and problems. Counting the leaves that she sees falling from a vine outside her window, Johnsy resolves that when the last leaf falls, she will fall along with it. Sue, a close friend Johnsy’s, relates Johnsy’s situation to Behrman, an old neighbor who never showed his worth in his profession as a painter. Behrman exclaims that Johnsy’s fancy is pure foolishness, and he foretells of a masterpiece that he will soon paint. In the end the leaf seemingly stays on the vine, and Johnsy repents and regains her will to live. It turns out that old Behrman painted a leaf on the vine such that it appeared that it did not fall off. Sadly, Behrman’s masterpiece saved Johnsy’s live at the cost of his
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The Washwoman's Greed
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Who Is The Narrator In The Jilting Of Granny Weatherall
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Comparing 'The Last Leaf And Gwilan's Harp'
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Characters Response To Loss In Literature
1014 Words | 5 PagesMany works of literature include themes of loss that carry the plot along or illustrate life lessons through characters' response to this loss. Characters in the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, all experience losses, reacting to them in a variety of ways. Gwilan, the main character in "Gwilan's Harp," emerges from the many unfortunate events of her life with a new positive outlook on her circumstances. The central figure of "The Washwoman" responds to losses in her life in a steadfast manner that adds intrigue to the plot. How Johnsy, one of the main characters in "The Last Leaf," reacts to loss ultimately contributes to the message of the story.
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Loss In The Last Leaf
735 Words | 3 PagesEither way, the responses of Gwilan, the washwoman, and Mr. Behrman to defeat and suffering show that they are beautiful people. In the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, the theme of loss reveals a selfless attitude in each of the key characters. Gwilan, the main character in “Gwilan’s Harp”, suffers great loss throughout her life; however in times of sadness, her resilience and perseverance shines most brightly. First Gwilan undergoes the loss of her most
The Wash Woman Analysis
384 Words | 2 PagesThe loss in Gwilan’s life nearly stifles her hope. First, in a wagon accident, her beloved harp shatters and her wrist breaks. As a result, her livelihood as a musician ends. Later in her life even after she receives new harps, she cannot play since her hands
An Unlikely Influence In The Washwoman And The Last Leaf
693 Words | 3 PagesAn Unlikely Influence In the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry death prevails as the dominant theme. Many of the characters learn what true sacrifice looks like from the actions of those around them. Upon her husband’s death, Gwilan, from “Gwilan’s Harp” discovers the heartbreak of loss, but by the story’s end, Gwilan discovers her worth. “The Washwoman” tells the tale of a hardy, but elderly washwoman, whose death greatly affects a young Jewish boy for better. Finally, “The Last Leaf” unravels the story of unlikely hero, and how he saves a young painter from her death.
Hope In The Last Leaf
657 Words | 3 PagesThe brilliant Martin Luther King Junior once claimed that “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Throughout Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry each of the characters experience a loss of hope in a different way. All three stories exemplify the truth that pushing through difficult situations is much easier with an optimistic outlook. In Gwilan’s Harp, the talented and promising musician loses faith regarding her future, but then realizes her true identity by the end. Similarly, both mother and son in the Washwoman lose hope that she will return, but soon learn to never doubt her faithfulness.
The Last Leaf Summary
791 Words | 4 PagesWhile in “The Washwoman” the author uses the loss of the main characters life to expose to the reader one of the key themes of the story. And lastly, in “The Last Leaf” the author uses the loss of Behrman’s life to help shock and surprise the audience of readers. Overall, these authors all use the process of loss to help enhance and better their stories. Out of all the short stories, Ursula K. Le Guin story, “Gwilan’s Harp” consists of the most loss.
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