Loss In Gwilan's Harp And The Last Leaf

Words: 845
Pages: 4
Open Document
Even when short stories have a theme of loss some positive aspect exists. Regardless of the object, feeling, or idea lost a silver lining can sometimes emerge even if it comes from finding new meaning. After all seemed lost in “Gwilan’s Harp”, Gwilan continued living a contented life. Persevering through unspeakable hardship amidst a sea of loss, “The Washwoman” still had her work ethic. In “The Last Leaf”, the loss of one crusty character repaired the lost spirit of another young maid. No matter the situation, dealing with, and finding meaning after loss is always possible. Skillfully, the authors of the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp,” “The Washwoman,” and “The Last Leaf” convey the theme of loss through their characters.

First, “Gwilan’s Harp” detailed the multiple losses of Gwilan, a woman who played the harp famously throughout her life. Clearly, the most obvious one involved the loss of a harp passed down for generations. If this had been a normal harp, this might have only affected Gwilan minimally. However, the value of this irreplaceable harp remained priceless. Dramatically, this …show more content…
Despite the nature of short stories, the points of loss still held impressive impact. Regardless of the story or whichever example came to mind, a theme of loss always remained prominent. For example, in “Gwilan’s Harp,” even when it came from the loss of a single inanimate object, it forever changed a life. In “The Washwoman” persevering through loss and countless hardships all the time the washwoman never faltered or gave into despair. Loss happened to the son of the washwoman who never realized his self-inflicted loss. Lastly, in “The Last Leaf” the loss of one to save the life of another revealed the positive side of a loss. While the details and type of loss varied from story to story, the unchangeable fact of true loss and its different outcomes stayed
Show More

Related Documents: Loss In Gwilan's Harp And The Last Leaf

Loss In Gwilan's Harp, And The Last Leaf

exhibits loss “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. In the first story loss of Gwilan’s harp causes, not just Gwilan pain, but many people who have experienced the beautiful music made with the harp. The loss experienced in “The Washwoman” happens when the washwoman suddenly disappears. In “The Last Leaf” the readers perceive that Johnsy will be the loss, but incredibly Mr. Behrman sacrifices his life. The pain caused by the loss of a friendly…

Words 537 - Pages 3

Gwilan's Harp, The Washwoman, And The Last Leaf

In our lives loss is a constant, a force that strikes undeserving people at seemingly unpredictable times. How we deal with it can decide how successful we are in life. The main characters of Gwilan’s Harp, The Washwoman, and The Last Leaf each face loss in their respective stories, not loss of life but of spirit. When you lose the ability or the will to do what you enjoy, the effects can be soul crushing. How each character overcomes their distressing circumstances and rediscovers what they love…

Words 616 - Pages 3

Torm's Death In The Washwoman And The Last Leaf

From the stories, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, the characters experiences a pleasant gift from great loss. With each of these gifts, come the loss of a character. From “The Washwoman,” the death of the washwoman left a great impact on many of the characters. Torm’s death, in “Gwilan’s Harp,” reveals a new talent in Gwilan. Lastly, “The Last Leaf” shows that Mr. Behrman’s sacrifice restores Johnsy’s health. The authors use these…

Words 596 - Pages 3

Loss In Gwilan's Harp

In “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. Le Guin, Gwilan loses a precious possession she treasures as well as her spouse. All her loss started with the destruction of her harp. A simple thing such as a shadow spooking a horse resulted in a tragedy for Gwilan. As she and Torm got thrown from the cart, Gwilan unfortunately lost both her harp and her ability to play due to a broken wrist. Torm later caught an illness and died so Gwilan, overcome with sadness, wanted to play a lament on her harp. However because…

Words 405 - Pages 2

Loss In 'Gwilans Harp And' The Last Leaf

Loss can be a powerful thing that can control people, but also help people learn. Loss is an important theme in “Gwilans Harp,” by Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Washwoman,” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, and “The Last Leaf,” by O. Henry. It changes and affects many if not all of the characters choices. Every character reacted in a different way. They also all learned a lesson from the loss. In “The Last Leaf” many characters experienced loss. Although in different ways, these losses affected them greatly.…

Words 545 - Pages 3