Loss Is Interconnected With The Theme Of Change In Housekeeping By Ruthie

Theme- There are many themes applied throughout the story including loss, transience and the social construction of family. Loss is a common theme as it is reflected in the series of abandonments and tragedies that define Ruthie’s life. For example, her grandfather dies in a train accident while her grandmother dies merely of old age. Her mother commits suicide and Lucille, her sister gets adopted by Miss Royce. She loses these people in her life in several different ways, with each loss marking a new beginning in her lifestyle. Therefore, this theme of loss is interconnected with the concept of change. Metaphorically, the housekeeping by Ruthie’s grandmother signifies the futility of human efforts to deny the disruptive power of nature …show more content…
She shows them that social boundaries often change and that habits often prevent one from recognizing that ultimately, all human beings are transients. Fingerbone Lake depicts nature’s transformative power continuously throughout the story. The lake claims the lives of Ruthie’s grandfather and mother and this is where Sylvie takes Ruthie to see if she can handle the life of a transient. The lake is where they must cross to embrace change and find their freedom. The construction of a family is a theme because with each loss, Ruthie must create a new family unit with other woman and ultimately she chooses an uprooted existence over the familiarity of her own. Overall, the themes of wandering and transcendentalism are evident within the novel and Ruthie truly embraces change with each loss she encounters and is even able to adapt to new family units per …show more content…
Interestingly, the author’s point of view within this novel is very unique as she narrates as though she is within the environment, but in human form. Perhaps this metaphorically denotes that she is in the afterlife. She is able to absorb the whole environment of Fingerbone unlike a human who merely sees a geometric sheet of color as light reflects off the pupil. The mood of the novel can be said to be peaceful, relaxed, desolate, lonely and dreamy. The author often describes the world as vague and dreamlike which correlates to the narrator’s point of view. The mood portrayed by Robinson is also peaceful and tranquil as she often describes the calm environment of Fingerbone including the leaves rustling in the wind and birds chirping in the morning. The mood is also somewhat lonely as the narrator acts as though she may be inside a lucid dream or perhaps an invisible, intangible being. She often does not speak or think but rather wonders if she is dreaming or if she is in the tactile