Sanctuary Nella Larsen Summary

The story “Sanctuary” by Nella Larsen has a very interesting chain of events that take place, all that can be evaluated in many different ways. Although the story is not very long, it has a very significant, in depth depiction of what the term “sanctuary” actually means. This story displays a literal definition of the word, as well as a spiritual awareness of the characters sanctuary within them. Through the use of symbolism and language it also provides a better understanding of each character and their thought process about actions that have occurred in the story. To begin with, from the moment the story begins there is a significant use of symbolism when it comes to describing the vague location of the story, along with the characters names and the use of their …show more content…
Immediately, one can tell the abandonment of location as a possibly dark and deserted, rather than a populated area. This can help readers understand Jim Hammer, mistakenly killing Obadiah due to the lack of awareness and population in the area. Symbolism in this story also occurs in many different ways, such as the significance of Annie Poole’s white sheets and the characters names as well. When we are first introduced to Jim Hammer, the author describes him as a big, African American man that is covered in dirt, wearing torn clothing. When he asks Annie Poole to hide him, even though she hesitates, she hides him within her “snowy sheets” or white sheets. The reason this is a sense of symbolism is because color white is a representation of cleanliness and protection, all of which Annie Poole provides for Jim Hammer through the use of those white sheets. Moving on the characters names: Jim Hammer, Annie Poole, Obadiah and Bill Lowndes. As we discussed in class, each name symbolizes the actions or personalities within the characters. Jim Hammer we see as a murderer, referring to his last name as the literal use of “Hammer” it can mean to forcefully strike or hit, which can