We all remember our first solo trek into the world. It might have been the first time we were allowed to go downtown with friends or even a solo plane ride to visit relatives. The journey awakens a freedom and independence in each of us that changes how we view our place in the world. In Alice Munro’s Wild Swans, Rose’s journey on the train symbolizes escape from her childhood innocence and small town life to the adult world of secrecy and anonymity. This journey is also highlighted by Flo, who serves as symbol of the small town innocence and gossip.
Through the train ride, we see Rose transition from a world where there are no secrets to a new outlook on life filled with secrecy. When Rose tells the reader about the items she is buying while
Through the train ride, we see Rose transition from a world where there are no secrets to a new outlook on life filled with secrecy. When Rose tells the reader about the items she is buying while