There exists the opinion that happiness cannot be without melancholy. Alistair MacLeod’s short story “The Boat” and Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem “Spring” poignantly depict this idea. Despite the fact that both compositions emphasize the notion that life is often tainted with underlying negativity, the characters of the two works differ in their level of pessimism. The distinguishing factor between the character that is only partially discontent and the character that appears to be completely dissatisfied is the ability to ignore malaise, so that life is enjoyable at least in some measure.
From the onset, both literary pieces convey a depressing mood even when discussing subjects which many would consider positive. For instance, Millay’s…show more content… Beauty is not enough.” The poem highlights that even in something which may appear positive, such as spring or its beauty, there is still a lack of satisfaction. In both cases, the narrator of the poem chooses to focus on the macabre even during a time of year which is considered to be lively, ultimately leaving the reader with a sense of melancholy and gloom. The concept of underlying negativity is also prevalent in “The Boat” from the exposition. The narrator begins by explaining that “there are times . . . when [he] awake[s] at four o’clock in the morning . . . mumbling for words before [he] realize[s] that [he] [is] foolishly alone.” The narrator continues to guide the reader in his description of the morning by saying that “[in these mornings] only the grey corpses on the overflowing ashtray beside [the] bed bear witness to the extinction of the latest spark and silently await the crushing out of the most recent of their fellows.” Finally, the narrator completes his description of the morning by informing the readers that “[he] [is] afraid to be alone with death.” Clearly, the narrator associates sleep and new awakenings - elements which should be tied to happiness - with solitude. However, this example is tame when compared to others. Much of story focuses on the narrator’s difficult choice between
