Analysis Of The Lamp At Noon

The Lamp at Noon by Sinclair Ross explores the reaction of a man to the confines of society’s expectations and its effects on his relationship with his wife. Often times, when faced with society’s conventions, many find themselves inclined to adapt and conform, and they become so engaged with these roles that they forget all else. In the story, Paul, a farmer facing the hardships of the Dust Bowl, struggles to provide for his family and refuses to accept anyone’s charity, especially not from his wife’s family. His need to defend his manhood causes him to pull away from his wife, leaving her lonely and depressed. The way society dictates how men act can instill in them a dangerous sense of pride, creating a feeling of physical and emotional …show more content…
Men were expected to be strong, to be the breadwinner of the family. Men were supposed to be stoic and emotionally distant and were not meant to “understand the fear and weakness of a woman,” while women were required to be kind, sensitive, motherly, and caring. The range of behaviors and attitudes that were deemed appropriate and acceptable for one’s gender was short. Paul and Ellen’s roles in the story are heavily defined by these expectations as they seem to be near perfect representations of such characterizations. As this was also the time of the depression and the Dust Bowl, almost everyone was suffering. Paul, Ellen, and their baby live in a rural area, on a prairie farm. This causes them to undergo many environmental difficulties as well as the solitude they already face from being far from other people. In describing many of the physical aspects of the story’s setting, Ross employs pathetic fallacy to further illustrate the depth of Ellen’s loneliness and the disconnection Ellen and Paul experience in their relationship. As Ellen has to light the lamp “a little before noon” as she is unable to see past the “isolated acre,” one can picture the extent of the darkness, obscurity, and isolation caused by the storm as there should nearly never be a need for light during the day. Additionally, the image of the remoteness of the land is developed by the description of it being like a desert with its “thistles and tumbleweeds.” Images of darkness and blackness such as the “vast darkness” and the “dust-black sky” are repeated throughout the story adding to the feeling of seclusion and depression due to the negative connotations associated with the color, contrary to the normal green and earthy tones one would imagine while thinking of an oat granary. The dust storm itself mirrors the tension between Ellen and Paul, the dust acting as a predator, invading