"The Looking Glass" Close Reading Analysis
The definition of a looking glass is the opposite of what is
normal or expected. Thus, the basic premise of the short story is not what it appears
on the base level. At first glance, the text just seems to be about a woman
day dreaming about her fictitious future husband and her pursuit to save him
from typhus. However, Nellie’s descriptions throughout the short story indicates
that she herself may have been the one who is unwell. Subsequently, the descriptions
of the doctor and Nellie’s husband who were ill with typhoid, bear a striking
resemblance to the descriptions of Nellie’s appearance. Nellie is described as “exhausted”,
“pale, tense, and motionless”, and “suffering in body and soul”. Similarly, the
doctor’s described as weak “scarcely [able to] sit up”, “in a fever”, and “delirious”.
Nellie’s interactions with the doctor also indicate a woman who is crazed and
irrational. She admits to “forgetting logic, tact, and sympathy” in her pursuit
to aid her husband. This lack of rationality is compounded in the end of the short
story. Nellie appears concerned about the stability of her family were her
husband to die. However, how these fears materialize is irrational. She is
concerned about the state of her finances, the inevitability that one of her
children may die, and the burden of burying her husband, which all may be valid
concerns were there not so many other indicators of her unraveling state.
Additionally, the composition of the text alludes to this with its excessive
use of exclamation points and suspension points in Nellie’s dialogue. This
hints to the larger idea that the doctor and Nellie’s husband are hallucinations
conjured out of her unwell state. This idea is compounded on in the last few
sentences when Nellie awakens out of her delirium to find that the entire
narrative with her husband and the doctor was just a figment of her
imagination.
Emily, you provide compelling reasons to support the idea that Nellie remains in a state of delirium throughout the story. Have you considered the possibility that Nellie’s husband is the sick one? For instance, the author describes Nellie’s interaction with the doctor: “And pale, exhausted Nellie, gasping and swallowing her tears, began describing to the doctor her husband's illness, her unutterable terror.” Nellie’s actions display desperation and a haste attempt to salvage what remains of her “perfect life.” While her movements indicate possible delusions, the death of a close relative would likely result in erratic behavior for many people as they tried to get their loved one help. Perhaps the story describes how her husband’s condition sends Nellie into a tailspin of thoughts, stress, and worries because she must confront her own mortality and the what ifs of the future. Many people worry about finances and their children’s well-being when facing the prospect of making these important decisions on their own. The condition of her husband and eventually the doctor bring Nellie back to reality to recognize the difference between dreams and real life.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily! I really like your analysis of this short story. I am not sure that it would necessarily be my first thought to conclude she herself is the sick one, but I think you provide a really good argument. I think that the main point of this story was to show a difference between her initial hopes and desires between her final thoughts of marriage, so I'm not sure if whether she is sick or not is completely relevant. Maybe you could continue your ideas with how the illness would have affected her life hopes. Regardless, you have had the most unique close reading that I have read, which is really cool!
ReplyDeleteHi Emily! Great post. It made me think deeper than I had for this short story. I do agree with you that maybe Nellie herself is the sick one. The author makes it sound like she is suffering so much. The author mentions her being so exhausted, pale, and tense which make me imagine someone that is on the verge of getting sick. I feel like the definition of the looking glass backs up this point- that her dream is the opposite of what she is hoping for. I find it interesting that she as a female is expected to get married in order to be happy- at least that was her dream. But, then once she realized she was dreaming and woke up, she was relieved. I do however believe her husband was a sick man as well. I just think for her to have this big, drawn out and dramatic dream, her mind must not be all there either. Interesting post!
ReplyDeleteEmily, I loved the point you made about Nellie's symptoms being portrayed in others in her delusion. I had not noticed that when I first read it, and now that you pointed it out, it makes so much sense. I also really like how you included the definition of a looking glass and weaved that into your argument of the story not being what it seems like at first glance. That connection was not something that I thought of previously! I am glad that you touched on her mental wellbeing and explained your interpretations of her hallucinations. The fact that you said that her thoughts about finances and her children dying were irrational really allowed me to think about how her mental state is deteriorating. Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteEmily, this analysis really opens my eyes to a lot of different points, I initially hadn’t considered. I looked more into the background of this story and found out that time it was written was 1885. The story takes place in Russia where typhus was rapidly spreading around this time. The rapid spreading was connected with poverty and overcrowded housing and was present in both rural and urban areas. The possibility that Nellie had typhus dramatically increases with these statistics and it was very clever for Checkov to mix in the disease itself, with her interpretation of it. These statistics also give us some additional background about Nellie and her socioeconomic status.
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