Death and Permanence

Death and Permanence

As humans, our existence has intrigued us since the beginning of time. Once we have passed away there is no real presence of our reality. While alive, we search for the true meaning of why we were put on this earth. In the end, everyone eventually dies. It isn't something we really look forward to. The stories "I Used to Live Here Once" by Jean Ryes and "A Father's Story" by Andre Dubus, have the literary elements symbolism and point of view. They are different but they both represent death in the sense that what us as humans and our time on earth really mean and what our presence being here will leave behind.

By using symbolism, the writer can use different words to illustrate the meaning while being to compared to a certain thing or person instead of calling it by name. According to Clugston (2010), "a symbol is a word picture that presents an object, person, or action that conveys two meanings: its own literal meaning and something it stands for as well." Permanence and presence is shared between the stories and their use of symbols. The story "I Used to Live Here Once" by Jean Ryes deals with the issue of the character as once existing. "A Father's Story" by Andre Dubus involves more understanding to identify the determination for transience a man experiences.

In Rhys story, death is not spoken of but by the use of symbols, it is represented. The response, "Hasn't it gone cold all of a sudden," signifies the chill of death (Rhys, 1987). By saying "she knew" we know that the character is aware of her death (Rhys, 1987).

The narrator shares "what I call my life," a metaphor for his existence, as the character Luke Ripley introduces himself as the person sharing his story (Dubus, n.d.). Luke confesses he is thinking of death and speaks of "the brink of something," which symbolizes the understanding of what happens after death (Dubus, n.d.). Throughout the story, the hemlock tree is mentioned. The tree can be used to represent death. Death enters the life of the character in a way that the reader doesn't expect. At first the story makes you believe that the man is considering his life and what his worth is on earth. After reading the story you then realize that Ripley thinks about his daughter drinking and driving and her accidentally killing a person.

The bits of literature are offered with no specific reference to what the narrator is saying. It is just assumed that the narrator is talking to the audience until the end of each piece. Point of view, according to Clugston (2010), refers to who tells the story - how the action is presented to the reader. In the short story entitled "I Used to Live Here Once" by Rhys, the narrator uses a third person limited absent point of view. By using this point of view it leaves doubt in what the character being there really means and how she views the truth. In "A Father's Story, the author speaks to the audience in a way that makes you think he is sharing his secrets. He indirectly shares his own thoughts with God while justifying his actions.

The theme that runs throughout the story is the life of Luke Ripley and the mark he left behind. With the exception of his friend, whom is a priest, Luke spends his time alone and also lives alone. He speaks of his age as he compares himself as being ten years younger than the priest who is "sixty-four, a big man, bald on top with grey at the sides" (Dubus, n.d.). At fifty-four years of age, Luke is still alone and often wonders if the direction he took in life was right. His path in life has leaded him to a point where he is socially isolated. He worships God and helps out people that aren't as fortunate by giving them money. He doesn't measure his self worth by the good deeds he does.

He sees them as just a check being written, "and the figures are mere numbers, and represent no sacrifice at all" (Dubus, n.d.). His life moving on is symbolized by the "English saddle that has smoothed and darkened through the years" (Dubus, n.d.). Just by his action, such as the time he spends eating and being alone, you would think he is older than he actually is. The only exception would be when his only companion, the priest, on the rare occasions when they have dinner or go hunting.

The short story by Rhys is about a woman who returns to where she was during childhood. At first, it is easy to believe that she retuned for a visit after being away for years. The woman stood at the riverbank reminiscing the "round unsteady stone, the pointed one, the flat one in the middle" and which stones were easier to cross (Rhys, 1987). She is thinking back to when there were times that life was easy but also when times were hard but persevered and made it through. In this case, she is crossing back over to where life existed as she once knew it. She is happy to walk the road as she once knew it