Many themes can be seen throughout American literature, themes in literature can be divided into two categories: what is the story about and what is the meaning of the story. While there are a large amounts of themes across American Short Stories, there a two themes that are most common than others, Death and Romance. Death is one of the most popular themes that can be found in short stories, and romance too is another popular theme that is found. The theme of death can represent authors mental states, emotions, and views on life and life tragedies through their characters and stories. Death in American Short Stories can been seen to have a much deeper meaning, it shows readers that death is seen to be always present in life. The theme of romance
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The theme of death can be found anywhere throughout American Literature. The theme of death can represent the authors mental states, emotions, and views on life and or life tragedies through their characters and stories etc. Death in american short stories are seen to have deeper meanings, and it shows readers that death is perceived to be always present in life. The theme of death started to bloom in the period of early american short stories, in Washington Irving’s story “The Devil and Tom Walker” death can be seen at the end when the main character, Tom Walker, gets his soul taken by the devil due to his greediness. While greed is actually the main theme within the story, the theme of death can be spotted for a little bit, that is when the devil has come to retrieve Tom Walker. “The black man whisked him like a child astride the horse and away he galloped in the midst of a thunderstorm.” (pg 13) The devil represents death, who came and took Tom Walker away without notice, this can interpret that death is unavoidable no matter what and that death can happen at anytime. In the romanticism period, the theme of death had flourished and was …show more content…
Mallard is so shocked she dies. The theme of death is represented in the story when Mrs. Mallard finds out her husband has died, most of the time death is thought to only bring sadness, but for Mrs. Mallard it means she finally free to be a woman. In Southern Gothic, the theme of death is hard to recognize. Southern gothic tends to lean towards more grotesque characters and situations, but the theme of death can still be spotted. In Flannery O’Connor’s story “The Lame Shall Enter First” it is being told from the point of view of a man who goes by the name, Sheppard. Sheppard doesn’t pay much attention to his son because he rather be helping and paying attention to other people. Although when Sheppard’s son commits suicide we can see that Sheppard regrets not paying attention to his son, and is deeply sadden. The theme of death can be seen in the story when Sheppard’s son dies, death has taken away the most important thing in his life and there is not way to gain that importance back. Now, Sheppard is left to suffer in his own regrets and grief. The american dream was a constant theme that appeared in the Modernist period, the theme of death can rarely be found in this
The theme of death can be found anywhere throughout American Literature. The theme of death can represent the authors mental states, emotions, and views on life and or life tragedies through their characters and stories etc. Death in american short stories are seen to have deeper meanings, and it shows readers that death is perceived to be always present in life. The theme of death started to bloom in the period of early american short stories, in Washington Irving’s story “The Devil and Tom Walker” death can be seen at the end when the main character, Tom Walker, gets his soul taken by the devil due to his greediness. While greed is actually the main theme within the story, the theme of death can be spotted for a little bit, that is when the devil has come to retrieve Tom Walker. “The black man whisked him like a child astride the horse and away he galloped in the midst of a thunderstorm.” (pg 13) The devil represents death, who came and took Tom Walker away without notice, this can interpret that death is unavoidable no matter what and that death can happen at anytime. In the romanticism period, the theme of death had flourished and was …show more content…
Mallard is so shocked she dies. The theme of death is represented in the story when Mrs. Mallard finds out her husband has died, most of the time death is thought to only bring sadness, but for Mrs. Mallard it means she finally free to be a woman. In Southern Gothic, the theme of death is hard to recognize. Southern gothic tends to lean towards more grotesque characters and situations, but the theme of death can still be spotted. In Flannery O’Connor’s story “The Lame Shall Enter First” it is being told from the point of view of a man who goes by the name, Sheppard. Sheppard doesn’t pay much attention to his son because he rather be helping and paying attention to other people. Although when Sheppard’s son commits suicide we can see that Sheppard regrets not paying attention to his son, and is deeply sadden. The theme of death can be seen in the story when Sheppard’s son dies, death has taken away the most important thing in his life and there is not way to gain that importance back. Now, Sheppard is left to suffer in his own regrets and grief. The american dream was a constant theme that appeared in the Modernist period, the theme of death can rarely be found in this