A Story About The Body Analysis

The short story, “A Story about the Body,” seems to be about how people look to other’s exterior appearances to love an individual, however that is not necessarily the case. Depending on whose lens one chooses to view the events through, there are many takes on the true meaning of the short story but personally the one take that seems true of both characters revolves around insecurities with physical bodies. “A Story about the Body” does truly give the reader much to mull over with regards to emotions and analysis of both the painter’s body and the composer’s reaction and behavior towards her body. Robert Hass transforms a simple, boy-likes-girl setting into a complex and sensitive situation in so few words. For example, the young …show more content…
She puts dead bees at the bottom of the container which resembles the inside of a person. These bees are completely dead and have been dead a while because it is said that “she must have swept the corners of her studio.” Although still dying because they are plucked from their life source, the rose petals are more alive than the bees but dying nonetheless. Therefore, the woman must feel her vitality slipping and this changes the way she views her own body. Being “almost sixty” and having a younger man court then reject her must have made the painter (or any woman) invoke resentment concerning the association of beauty and vitality. Ultimately, “A Story about the Body” shows that all individuals are inherently insecure about not only their own bodies but of the bodies of others as well. It also shows that rejection can lead hurt feelings and resentment towards the one who rejects. However, it should be noted that perhaps rejection from the young composer should not just be seen as shallowness but perhaps as a form of respect for the painter’s body. As with many stories with few words, it is left to the interpretation to the reader, however, it seems clear that the painter and the composer are insecure in some way about