Term Paper on "Ripening of Age the Short Story"

Term Paper 24 pages (7517 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Ripening of Age

The short story, "Ripe Figs" written by Kate Chopin is a story about a young girl named Babette and her godmother, Maman-Nainaine. When reading the story, it appears that Babette is very eager to go to Bayou-Lafourche to visit her cousins. However, her godmother, Maman-Nainaine will not let her go until the figs were ripe. Babette does not understand what the figs and her cousins have in common, but she patiently and anxiously waits the ripening of the figs. She goes to check them on a daily basis and the days seem to pass by very slow. Finally, the day arrived that the figs were ripe and Babette places dozen figs on a pretty, silver platter and takes them to her godmother. When her god mother sees them, she is shocked that the figs had ripened so early, but she still keeps her promise and tells Babette to carry her love to them when she goes to Bayou-Lafourche.

This story is much more than a simple story of a young girl wanting to travel to see her cousins. It is a metaphor about a young girl going through puberty and coming of age and moving out or getting married. The story refers to ripening of the figs. This is a metaphor about the young girl growing breast. There are many references to the ripening of the figs that would represent growing breast. "It seemed to Babette a very long time to wait; for the leaves upon the trees were tender yet, and the figs were like little hard, green marbles." This sentence is explaining how Babette had to wait a very long time for her breast to grow. All young girls anxiously anticipate the arrival of her breast and this wait seems to be a very long time. "They were like little hard, green marbles." This refers to how Babette viewed her breast. She is comparing them to the size of small, hard marbles.

The story continues to develop this metaphor by explaining the concept of puberty. "But the warm rains came along and plenty of strong sunshine." This sentence can be viewed two different ways. The warm rains could be referring to the girl's menstruation cycle and the strong sunshine may refer to her maturing mentally. However; on the other hand, it may also refer to the mood swings that many young girls experience during the course of puberty. The warm rains could refer to the sadness, confusion, or frustration that Babette may feel at times and the "strong sunshine" could be referring to her happy, cheerful times. This particular sentence portrays two different metaphors and the reader is free to view it as they please.

In the end of the story, the figs finally ripe and the godmother refers to them and ripening early. "Babette approached. She bore a dainty porcelain platter, which she sat down before her godmother. It contained a dozen purple figs, fringed around with their rich, green leaves." This sentence is a clear metaphor of Babette showing her godmother than she had finally developed her breast and was now a young woman. The dainty porcelain platter refers to her young body. It was like a porcelain doll. The purple fig with rich, green leaves refer to her breast and the rest of her body. The ending of story is a metaphor of Babette becoming a woman and is now ready to move on and find a mate to marry. The godmother gives her blessing and assures her that she will also love her future husband. "you will carry my love to all of them down on Bayou-Lafourche." This shows the godmother's acceptance of Babette's coming of age and moving out to get married.

Journal #2

Love is the Heart of Life

The Story of an Hour," written by Kate Chopin is a short story about what Mrs. Mallard felt and went through after she received the news of her husband's passing. It appears that they had been married for a long time and her husband was killed while at work. "It was he who had been in the newspaper offer when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of "killed." Mr. Mallard was working at the railroad, but the story does not go into detail about how he died. It does not state rather he was working in a railroad offer, on a train, or was hit by a train. Mr. Mallard may not have even worked for the railroad. He may have just been visiting or passing by. Nevertheless, Mr. Mallard was killed in a railroad disaster.

Mrs. Mallard's friend and sister came to break the news to her. However, when Mrs. Mallard her of this news, she did not interpret it as most women would. "She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance." Mrs. Mallard began weeping before the news was complete and fell into her sister's arms. She then retreated to her room alone where her grief would take over her life.

Mrs. Mallard sits down in a chair in her room and stares out the window. This is when Mrs. Mallard really dies. From this point in the story, it describes things that Mrs. Mallard sees while looking out of the window. It is a metaphor about dying. The story describes something coming towards her. "There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully." This is a metaphor about death coming for her. It explains that she waited fearfully. This is because everyone has come degree of fear of death. It is the fear of the unknown. "She felt it creeping out of the sky, reaching towards her though the sounds, the scents, and the color that filled the air." This sentence could be a metaphor of heaven. Of a higher power coming for her soul. It is a higher power that is so powerful that it comes to her through all sounds, scents and air. It is colorful, so it is not an evil power.

When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: "free, free, free!." The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes." This particular sentence is difficult to understand at first, but upon carefully thought, the "free, free, free!" expression that came from her slightly parted lips could mean the freedom of the burdens of life. That a life in heaven would free her from her depression over losing her beloved husband.

The story ends with Mrs. Mallard walking out the door with her sister and her sister's husband. It was like her sister was awaiting her after she had time to mourn in her room. In the ending of the story, it appears as if she is still alive, but I do not think she is living at this point. I believe that she had died upon hearing the news of her husband's death and when she died, she met her sister and her sister's husband in heaven. I believe this because of the last sentence in the story. "When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills." This does not mean the typical type of heart disease. It is the disease of a broken heart. Upon hearing about the loss of her beloved husband, she grieved herself to death. Heat disease is used as a metaphor to describe a broken heart.

Journal #3

Lack of Information from Vague Characters

The Judgment of Solomon is a short story taken from the Hebrew Bible. It is a story about a problem and a solution. It begins by two women taking their argument over the maternal rights of their baby boys to King Solomon. One baby is dead and the other is alive. King Solomon listens to their argument and offers them a solution. Therefore, the story moves from quarreling and talk of death and dying to unity and talk of living.

After listening to the argument over the baby from the two women, King Solomon offers to slay the baby and divide its dead body between the two women. "And the king said, "Bring me a sword." And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, "Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other.." In today's society, this would be considered murder. It appears that King Solomon does not take the baby's life into consideration. However, when the women received the solution from King Solomon, the one mother (who was the baby's real mother) spoke up and told King Solomon not to kill the baby because the other mother could have him. "...for her bowels yearned upon her son." In the Hebrew psychology, the bowels played an important… READ MORE

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