“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” John Green wrote this quote in his book The Fault in our Stars to display the effects of loss. When people lose possessions, hope, or even life, their true character is revealed. In the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Washwoman” by Issac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, loss plays a dominant role in helping the characters find their identity, moral integrity, and hope to live. Gwilan, the main character of Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story “Gwilan’s Harp”, slowly found her identity through her loss. First, Gwilan broke her harp, her most significant and prized possession. After Gwilan’s harp broke, due to a horse carriage crash, she felt like she lost her reason
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In Poland around the 20th century lives an old washwoman, who spends her life washing the clothes of other people. Some looked down upon this tiresome job, and her own son even disowned her for it. But, the washwoman would not be dismayed even though she lost the respect of people, her moral integrity remained. Near the end of this story the very old and sick washwoman neared death, but still she returns one last load of laundry for her customers. She tells the family, “I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash,” the old woman explained. “The wash would not let me die” (Singer). The washwoman knew the importance of finishing her job. Even through her toughest time in life, the washwoman’s moral integrity of finishing what she started lived …show more content…
“The Last Leaf” by O. Henry examines the effects of lost hope. Johnsy, a character in the story, came down with a severe case of pneumonia, and was given a small chance to live. She accepted the fate that she would die, and she said that as soon as the last leaf falls off the ivy vine next door her life would end. Mr. Behrman, Johnsy’s neighbor, could not stand by and watch a poor girl lose hope so quickly. So, one evening when night had come and Johnsy could not see him, he painted on a fake ivy leaf on the vine, so there would always be one leaf alive. Johnsy began to make a surprise recovery due to the last ivy leaf, but sadly, Mr. Behrman received a deadly case of pneumonia and died two days later. But, Johnsy’s best friend, Sue, heard about Mr. Berhman’s great deed and said, “Didn’t you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it’s Behrman’s masterpiece—he painted it there the night the last leaf fell” (Henry). Johnsy’s lost hope took a deadly toll on her friend Mr. Behrman.
Gwilan lost her harp and ability to play, but she still endured and found her identity. The Washwoman lost her health, but gained moral integrity. Johnsy loses her friend, but gains the hope to live. Tragedy attacks the lives of every person, but one thing that changes is how the person reacts to the loss. Even through tragedy can destroy lives, it is of the greatest importance to learn from
In Poland around the 20th century lives an old washwoman, who spends her life washing the clothes of other people. Some looked down upon this tiresome job, and her own son even disowned her for it. But, the washwoman would not be dismayed even though she lost the respect of people, her moral integrity remained. Near the end of this story the very old and sick washwoman neared death, but still she returns one last load of laundry for her customers. She tells the family, “I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash,” the old woman explained. “The wash would not let me die” (Singer). The washwoman knew the importance of finishing her job. Even through her toughest time in life, the washwoman’s moral integrity of finishing what she started lived …show more content…
“The Last Leaf” by O. Henry examines the effects of lost hope. Johnsy, a character in the story, came down with a severe case of pneumonia, and was given a small chance to live. She accepted the fate that she would die, and she said that as soon as the last leaf falls off the ivy vine next door her life would end. Mr. Behrman, Johnsy’s neighbor, could not stand by and watch a poor girl lose hope so quickly. So, one evening when night had come and Johnsy could not see him, he painted on a fake ivy leaf on the vine, so there would always be one leaf alive. Johnsy began to make a surprise recovery due to the last ivy leaf, but sadly, Mr. Behrman received a deadly case of pneumonia and died two days later. But, Johnsy’s best friend, Sue, heard about Mr. Berhman’s great deed and said, “Didn’t you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it’s Behrman’s masterpiece—he painted it there the night the last leaf fell” (Henry). Johnsy’s lost hope took a deadly toll on her friend Mr. Behrman.
Gwilan lost her harp and ability to play, but she still endured and found her identity. The Washwoman lost her health, but gained moral integrity. Johnsy loses her friend, but gains the hope to live. Tragedy attacks the lives of every person, but one thing that changes is how the person reacts to the loss. Even through tragedy can destroy lives, it is of the greatest importance to learn from