The Effects of Literary Devices on Short Story Endings
Literary devices naturally have certain effects on stories written. An author uses many of these devices to portray an emotion or image that sets the reader up for the whole story. All of the devices that an author uses creates and sets up the ending of the story which is always the end goal. Without these various devices, an author cannot truly write an eventful story. The three short stories --- The Appointment in Samarra by W. Somerset Maugham, The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, and The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant --- all use literary devices to depict certain emotions that ultimately lead to the shock endings portrayed in the stories.
The imagery in the stories provides details that …show more content…
In the Appointment in Samarra, the irony is revealed to the reader to be the servant getting caught by Death even after trying to run. “I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra,” says Death (1). The story reveals that Death is one step ahead all of the time except for when he is shocked by the servant being in Bagdad. In conclusion, this irony develops the story and brings about its unhappy and unexpected ending. In the Gift of the Magi, the irony is the couple buying gifts to use with the possessions they sold to buy said gifts. “And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house,” says the narrator (1). This use of irony helps the reader to see the theme the author develops all the way to the end. The reader can see the love and sacrifice put forth by the couple and the humbleness after being extremely disappointed by the way the Christmas turns out. After, the couple appreciates the other person even more due to the sentiment. In conclusion, the irony relates the story back to theme to develop the shock ending. In the Necklace, the irony is Mme. Loisel becoming humble after starting off as stuck up, greedy, and wanting to live like the rich. "I brought you another one just like it. And for the last ten years we have been paying for it. You realize it wasn 't easy for us; we had no money. . . . Well, it 's paid for at last, and I 'm glad indeed,” says Mme. Loisel (1). She despises everything about her life and ends up cherishing what she has in the end thanks to the loss of her friend’s necklace. Further irony would be the precious necklace being an imitation after all of the trouble the Loisel’s go through to buy the other, the real, necklace. In conclusion, the story reveals to the reader, through
Literary devices naturally have certain effects on stories written. An author uses many of these devices to portray an emotion or image that sets the reader up for the whole story. All of the devices that an author uses creates and sets up the ending of the story which is always the end goal. Without these various devices, an author cannot truly write an eventful story. The three short stories --- The Appointment in Samarra by W. Somerset Maugham, The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, and The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant --- all use literary devices to depict certain emotions that ultimately lead to the shock endings portrayed in the stories.
The imagery in the stories provides details that …show more content…
In the Appointment in Samarra, the irony is revealed to the reader to be the servant getting caught by Death even after trying to run. “I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra,” says Death (1). The story reveals that Death is one step ahead all of the time except for when he is shocked by the servant being in Bagdad. In conclusion, this irony develops the story and brings about its unhappy and unexpected ending. In the Gift of the Magi, the irony is the couple buying gifts to use with the possessions they sold to buy said gifts. “And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house,” says the narrator (1). This use of irony helps the reader to see the theme the author develops all the way to the end. The reader can see the love and sacrifice put forth by the couple and the humbleness after being extremely disappointed by the way the Christmas turns out. After, the couple appreciates the other person even more due to the sentiment. In conclusion, the irony relates the story back to theme to develop the shock ending. In the Necklace, the irony is Mme. Loisel becoming humble after starting off as stuck up, greedy, and wanting to live like the rich. "I brought you another one just like it. And for the last ten years we have been paying for it. You realize it wasn 't easy for us; we had no money. . . . Well, it 's paid for at last, and I 'm glad indeed,” says Mme. Loisel (1). She despises everything about her life and ends up cherishing what she has in the end thanks to the loss of her friend’s necklace. Further irony would be the precious necklace being an imitation after all of the trouble the Loisel’s go through to buy the other, the real, necklace. In conclusion, the story reveals to the reader, through