Eng DB 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eng DB 4 - Essay Example Its’ prose possesses a lyrical quality which we generally come across only in poetry. It is a love story in which the exquisite understatement only serves to highlight the passion. On further perusal, we are immediately struck by the wealth of imagery cleverly used by the author. Undoubtedly, as Anne Beattie says, â€Å"Seconds and symbols are left to sum things up.† We are almost swamped by the tidal wave of imagery and symbolism that carries us through the story. Snow, contrary to its’ usual connotation of cold and desolation, is here used as a symbol of the love that â€Å"somebody† has for â€Å"her lover† – a love that is pure, fresh and warm [warm? snow?]. This kind of contradictory symbolism gives us the first hint of impending tragedy and somehow fixes for us the disconnect that exists right from the start in the attitude of the two lovers towards their relationship. The chipmunk is the girl – cherished in her lovers’ arms and carried to a house in the winter countryside. He is obviously older than she is and is rather bemused that this creature has come to share his world. Their house, in its’ winter isolation, appears to signify that their love needs to be insulated from the rough and tumble of everyday life if it is to survive – again an indication of the fragility of their relationship. The only intruders are transient visitors. The ‘scraping’ during the first week is symbolic of the lovers getting to know each other, discovering the layers of their past lives like â€Å"wallpaper under wallpaper.† The yellow paint signifies the beginning of their new life together, attempting to put their past behind them. Once more, that stubborn vein of cynicism that runs through the story comes into play - the grapes represent the past which refuses to go away and lurks just beneath the surface, waiting to â€Å"tenaciously push through† the fabric of their present. The fireplace is the token of the warmth of their love, which is amazing