Exploring Prose

ASSIGNMENT

YOGESHWARI SOOKHARRY

Student ID: 202001254

Tutor’s name: Suniti Nundoo-Ghoorah
Number of words: 3299
Number of Pages: 18
TABLE OF CONTENT:
1. Analysis of the opening of Anton Chekov’s ‘Misery’
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Language and Style
1.3 Setting
1.4 Themes
1.5 Character Analysis
1.6 Imagery and Symbolism
1.7 Conclusion
2. Narrative Art in ‘Desiree’s Baby’
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Style of writing
2.3 Tone and Diction
2.4 Symbolism
2.5 Elements of Surprise
2.6 Conclusion
3. Works Cited.
Answer both questions in about 1500 words each. Use the
Harvard convention to reference your work.
1. Write a detailed analysis of the opening of “Misery” by
Chekov, from “To whom shall I tell my grief?” to “Who can
tell! It must have been from fever…”
2. Analyse Chopin’s narrative Art in “Desiree’s Baby”.

1. Analysis of the opening of Anton Chekhov’s Misery

1.1 Introduction

Chekhov’s fiction departs from the formulaic, heavily plotted story to

mirror Russian life authentically, concentrating on characters in very
ordinary circumstances that often seem devoid of conflict. A realist,
Chekhov treads a fine line between detachment and a whimsical but
sympathetic concern for his subjects [1]. ‘Misery’ was written in 1886
under the original title ‘Тоска’ [2] that deals with human insensitivity to
other people’s grief. Chekhov was mostly known as the creator of
“literature of mood”, where not action but the evocation of a mood
becomes the focal point of the story. It captures the agony of an old man
who has been recently bereaved following the death of his son and his
need to speak about his grief and unburden himself. The indifferent and
unsympathetic world has no time to respond his misery. The author uses
a surfeit of stylistic devices to showcase the major themes and the
flowing pain in the extract.

1.2 Language and Style

Iona Popatov’s grief can be eased and healed through the power of
language in three of its functions: therapeutic, social and structural.
Psychiatrists know that in cases of grief, language serves a therapeutic
function, hence this extract seems to have been written in a
straightforward narrative style or fictional prose with an omniscient
narrator. The extract is taking place in third person, which means that
there is a narrator there describing the entire situation, as if he was
actually there. The narrator is describing all that is happening to Iona
Potapov in the extract. What strikes the reader is its quality of simplicity.
Chekhov has an eye for detail and he is a photographic and
cinematographic realist. It is as though he has a camera that accurately
portrays a piece of live. We can see that in the way he describes the
opening of the story with utmost detailing. ‘Misery’ is a good example
of Chekov’s typical theme and narrative structure. Chekov’s prose is
lucid, with a simple vocabulary. He uses metaphorical language to
recreate the scene- consider the description of the sledge driver, “all
white like a ghost”. This simile is apt for the snow; it also indicates the
listlessness of Iona, overpowered by grief. In addition, the use of
figurative language that is presented throughout the extract gives it an
easier approach to understand it and really feeling how Iona felt. For
instance, when the officer yells, “sledge to Vyborgskya”, reflects the
century the story was written. Furthermore, Chekov has used caesural
pause (…) four times so far in the extract. It can be because he wanted to
dramatize the story. It therefore also gave an indication of how intense
Iona’s pain is. Reading his story in prose is like reading a poem as the
style is compressed, imaginative and almost lyrical displaying strong
emotions and feelings. A Russian critic, Andrei Voznesensky writing
about Chekhov says that he is “a master of understatement, of concealed
meaning, of twilight scenes and of prose as compressed as poetry…”

1.3 Setting

The setting of the extract takes place in Russia during the cold, winter. It
emphasizes the type of situation that Iona is going through in the story.
The harshness of the winter snow is related to the lack of sorrow that is
presented the people he encounters, in that case here, the young military
man. Likewise, the author reveals a cruel atmosphere that surrounds
Iona, “Big flakes of wet snow are whirling lazily about the street laps,
which have been just lighted, and lying in a thin soft layer of roofs,
horses’ backs, shoulders and caps” (2). It is not just dusk and snow; it is
a symbol of emptiness, helplessness and apathy. It allows us to
understand how small the human being is in this cruel universe.
Chekhov pictures the big city with heartless people, where inside the
person could be alone. The setting also influences the tone and mood.
Subsequently, the atmosphere becomes dark, grim and depressing.
Since it is the also the “twilight of the evening”, It can be argued that
evenings are usually associated with dark and uninviting connotations.
We can also relate these adjectives to the first passenger, who was very
discourteous to Iona during the ride. Consequently the mood becomes
gloomy and acerbic which foreshadows the more woeful latter half of
the story.

1.4 Themes

In this extract, the primary theme is without doubt ‘Misery’. In the one
word ‘misery’, the title accurately summarizes the mood the extract
carries. It tells us about the self-centred, unresponsive and feeling nature
of human beings in this world. The title ‘Misery’ portrays the
overwhelming grief of Iona Potapov, the old sledge driver over the loss
of his son. This extract thus describes the old man’s grief and hence
becomes misery. The story has a sub-title, “To Whom Shall I tell My
Grief?” which transmit perfectly to the situation of Iona. The death of
his son has rendered him alone and thus he has nobody to share his grief
with. Like so, loneliness becomes a theme in this extract that dominates
the majority of it. The themes of misery, loneliness and the other themes
that follow thereafter are all interlinked together. Loneliness is also
shown as a symbolism. The setting is described as snowy and cold that
paired with Iona, described as a “… bent as double as the human body
can be bent”, besides commenting on his physicality. The theme of
‘Misery’ is the harshness and its unwillingness to help one another.
Towards the end of the extract, we have the theme of disease and death
which further links to the theme of unfulfilled expectations, which bring
us to the ironicality of life. It shows how life can be unpredictable and
that how ironic it is for the old father to still be alive and that the son is
dead. Still, he believes in the philosophy that death is inevitable and it is
“God’s will”.

1.5 Character Analysis

When it comes to the characters in the extract, we have Iona and the
army officer. He is a contrast to Iona in every aspect. Iona is old and
weary; the officer is young and full of life. Iona is lost in grief, and the
officer jokes in a light hearted mood. Iona desperately seeks the officer’s
attention, the officer sits with his eyes shut and his ears closed
“disinclined to listen”. Chekhov using the stream of consciousness
technique presents the continuous flow of grief in Iona without resorting
to graphic description. Iona’s misery is intense. It can swamp the whole
world and yet its immensity is not seen. It is within him and no one can
even fathom the depths of its intensity. Iona longs for people to whom
he can unburden himself. What we also get to see in the extract is the
dynamic between the officer and Iona. While Iona longs to talk to him
about him about his son’s death and finally does so, the officer is in a
rush and therefore his attitude towards Iona is not very pleasant, telling
Iona does he not “know how to drive”. Nonetheless he shows a hint of
concern when he asks Iona how his son died. That showed that the
officer might actually not be hypocritical like the other humans. Iona can
further be compared to Uncle Vanya from Chekov’s another short story
of the same name. Both are around the same age, sincere and
hardworking. Yet, it is difficult for them to retain humanity and hope.
Though the mare is not a human, we get to know her by her
anthropomorphisation. The mare is given human characteristics to seem
more relatable to the readers. Hence, the mare symbolises what humans
cannot give Iona: attention, love and reflection. The mare willingly gives
these affection to Iona, again showing the sad state of humanity.

1.6 Imagery and Symbolism

Symbolism and imagery go almost hand in hand in this particular

extract. There is indeed some imagery related to his loneliness that is the
use of his son’s death. The mare is also symbolical in sharing Iona’s
loneliness, reinforcing the fact that he has nobody to talk to and
considering that the mare would not understand his grief. The use of his
son’s death is a part of what seems to be pain or depression due to the
fact that he lost his son. By this, it can also be perceived Iona shared a
very strong bond with his son and lost his confidant. This also serves as
a symbol of his dreams being broken and expectations remaining
unfulfilled. We are further introduced to Pathetic fallacy through the
description of the weather being snowy, dark and morose and how it
mirrors the depressing mind-set that Iona is in. The imagery of the
landscape thus evokes emotions. The evening sky is symbolical in the
sense that it complements the desperate mood of Iona. Furthermore, we
also sense the motif of communication and miscommunication when
Iona tries to interact with the officer but due to pain, he cannot speak and
lets out only a ‘sniff’. To add to the symbolism factor, the colour white
is exceptional in the extract. It is shown as the colour of light. In the
beginning to show the melancholy of Iona Potapov, the narrator says he
is so white that he looks a phantom. His horse also appears quite white.
The colour white is also the colour of snow which reflects the
despondency and lethargy of the season of winter and how the whole
environment and atmosphere appears to be thrown into utter despair.
The evening is setting in and everything seems so white and withered.
The street lamps’ light is also white, replacing the brighter rays. The
whole setting while laying stress on the white surroundings, project the
solitude of the poor driver.

1.7 Conclusion
All things considered, it can be said that this extract plays a big role in
establishing the major factors. Loneliness and Misery are described in
such a way that readers actually feel the pain of Iona and sympathize
with him, which is what he wanted. Chekhov knows how to write
simply about huge important things. This is what he did writing
‘Misery’. There, Chekov faces the biggest perennial problem of
mankind- inner communication, indifference for someone’s loss and
grief. The feeling of grief and melancholy stays intact while reading this
extract.

2. Narrative Art in ‘Desiree’s Baby’

2.1 Introduction

“Desiree’s Baby”, short story by Kate Chopin, published in her

collection A Night in Acadie in 1897. A widely acclaimed, frequently
anthologized story, it is set in antebellum New Orleans and deals
with slavery, the Southern social system, Creole culture, and
the ambiguity of racial identity [5]. According to Per Seyersted, “...She
undertook to give the unsparing truth about a woman's submerged life.
She was something of a pioneer in the amoral treatment of Sexuality, of
divorce, and of woman's urge for an existential authenticity”, thus
Desiree’s Baby centres on a young woman who has the unfortunate
destiny for having to deal with the deeply ingrained patriarchal society
that was rampant in the late 19th century. Therefore, the author did an
excellent job of creating “Desiree’s Baby” and achieved mastery in
using narrative techniques in narrating her story, thereby making it more
interesting and attractive to the readers.

2.2 Style of Writing

Chopin’s writing style is known as Regionalism or Local Colour. This

refers to her depiction of the people’s language, cultural customs, and
even the geographic features of a particular region. It was a popular style
during the final decade of the nineteenth century. Chopin typically
writes about the creole society of southern Louisiana at the end of the
century, depicting their cultural standards and language; this is why she
employs so many French words and French names in her works. The
creoles blended many cultures- Spanish and French, African and
Caribbean- and so they were often quite concerned with “how much” of
person’s heritage is white or black [6] , literally reminding us of Armand
and his mixed heritage. The French linguistic influences help provide a
stronger sense of time and place while also characterizing the sense of
superiority the white landowners draw from their aristocratic French
roots [7]. Equally important, Chopin applies the use of figurative
language fabulously using literary devices. For instance, irony is utilized
as we see here, “The little one awoke and in his arms and began to cry
for his Dada (line 5)”. This means that Desiree was crying for her
biographical father in the arms of her foster father. In the same way, we
experience the metaphorical element when Desiree calls Armand “in a
voice which must have stabbed him”. Similarly, we are acquainted with
the elements of allusion and alliteration in the sentence, “And the very
spirit of Satan seemed suddenly to take hold of him”. Most important
maybe is the point of view of the story is told through third person
narration, which indicates that the limited knowledge of facts but has
access to character’s thoughts. We call that an obtrusive narrator. The
events are presented from mixed perspectives: Desiree’s and Madame
Valmonde: “when the baby was about three months old, Desiree awoke
one day to the conviction that there was something in the air menacing
her peace” (Chopin).

2.3 Tone and Diction

Next, we move onto the tone and diction depicted in the story. But
before we proceed, we must acknowledge the structure of the story and
the way it has been used to enhance the aesthetic of the story. The story
is structured around the inner and outer conflicts of the characters.
Madame Valmonde had an inner conflict about whether to tell her
‘daughter’ or not about the skin colour of the baby. Desiree had an inner
conflict when she realizes that the baby is creole. Armand likewise has
an inner conflict when he realizes he is the one with creole roots.
Coming back to what we stated before, the tone of the story sets the
mood for the story ahead. The tone is at times ominous, hinting at
trouble that lies ahead, particularly as a result of the decisions Armand
Aubigny makes, which are quite rash and hasty in nature. Otherwise, the
gaiety with which Desiree expresses her love for Armand and
excitement for her new-born serves as lighter moments in the story.
Nonetheless, Armand’s rash behaviour foreshadows the consequences
that his decisions will have for Desiree in particular but most terribly
and paradoxically himself. Furthermore, Chopin made outstanding usage
of diction in this story in the sense that it can portray different points.
Many forms of diction and figurative language are used to support this
claim. The metaphor seen in “… grew to be beautiful and gentle,
affectionate and sincere, - the idol of Valmonde” recalls the biblical
idols or graven images crumbling from the pedestals where they had
been erected by their adorers. Again, the simile we encounter in “…
swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that
drives headlong over all obstacles.” convey a sense of the impending
doom, and thus perform an important function in the tragic development
of the story. Conversely, the story has a tone and compassion. Desiree
loved her child so dearly and “this was what made the gentle Desiree so
happy, for she loved desperately”. The word love is used to appeal to the
pathos to make the readers feel the love and want to achieve such love.
The love of Desiree for her child seems tangible to an extent.
2.4 Symbolism

In the same way, Kate Chopin uses symbolism to convey the themes of
racial prejudice, unequal gender roles and social hierarchy in a
patriarchal society. The stone pillar is a phallic symbol of firm, forced
male dominance in a patriarchal society. Moreover, the ‘shadow’ of the
stone pillar is also used to symbolize the uncertainty of Desiree’s origin
despite her “flawless appearance”. Furthermore, “the big stone pillar”
within their plantation symbolizes the power and affluence of the
Valmondes and her being found there symbolizes that she had landed
into a world of privilege. Similarly, a bonfire is used to symbolize the
virtual line between different races, classes and gender. Although the
fire represented the end of their marriage, Armand was indeed putting a
difference between black and white people and men and women. And in
rejecting his black son, Armand was in fact rejecting himself.
Additionally, burning Desiree’s beauty items shows that Armand viewed
her as a possession rather than a fellow person [8]. Likewise, Chopin
uses Desiree’s white clothing to symbolize the feminine element being
introduced to the society and the sun’s shining rays seem to represent the
shifting of power roles among genders. Chopin further uses the portrayal
of diverging roads as a symbol for the different paths taken. The beaten
path represents the male opinionated way of life that society is prone to
following; therefore, the deserted field signifies the progression of
feminism. Besides, the title of the story bears major symbolical aspects.
“Desiree’s Baby” as the title suggests the baby is indeed only Desiree’s
since Armand disowned him after knowing of his skin colour, therefore
showing the juxtaposition of the caring, affectionate nature of Desiree
against the rough and racist nature of Armand. The title could have been
only “Desiree” but the effect that “Desiree’s Baby” makes gives more
leverage to the theme of racism. The baby is hence a link to show the
many conflicts in the story. Last, Desiree’s death could symbolize the
fact that men have the power over women.

2.5 Elements of Surprise

Last but not the least, what is unusual in the case of “Desiree’s Baby,”
and therefore deserves close critical analysis, is the number and the
intensity of the surprises that provoke astonishment in the highly
condensed prose of a text of only 2,152 words, culminating with a
stunning final twist which catches all readers unaware. The textual
surprises in this brief narrative are located at near intervals, because its

action moves very fast. The text of “Desiree’s Baby” undermines

readers’ expectations of what the story will be like, and enhances the
effect of surprises through the following rhetorical strategies: creating
suspense through foreshadowing (metaphors and similes) devices, and
by dropping subtle hints while avoiding obvious clues, playing with
ambiguous statements and devising a dynamic system of informational
gaps; upsetting the established systems of meaning through an
exploration of the theme of “appearance vs. reality”; subverting the
conventions of traditional local-colour fiction; combining the seemingly
incompatible features of two juxtaposed frames of reference, that of the
old fairy-tale with that of the modern realist short story, and concluding
with a sudden twist or ironic reversal which paradoxically resists easy
narrative closure with the help of an unexpected open ending to the
story [9].

2.6 Conclusion

A major reason which may account for the sustained and almost
unanimous praise received by this particular short story lies in what H.
Porter Abbott claims is one of the keys to the success of all narratives of
any length: the author’s ability to build up “chains of suspense and
surprise which keep us in a fluctuating state of impatience, wonderment,
and partial gratification” (53) [9]. In short, the author, Kate Chopin did
an excellent job with the creation of “Desiree’s baby”. Chopin made
readers question the outcome of the story, even if he or she believed they
knew the answer. She is able to twist and turn her story’s content, which
at times leaves the readers stuck in deep thought and overwhelming
anticipation for what is going to occur next [10]. And that shows that
Chopin has been successful in using narrative art in “Desiree’s baby”.
3. References:

1. Mambrol N. (2019), “Analysis of Anton Chekhov’s stories”,

Literariness Web.
2. Wikipedia, (2019),“Misery (short story)”
3. Chekov, Anton (2010) “Misery. “Read Print.
4. Chopin, K, (1892), “Desiree’s Baby”, Vogue.
5. Encyclopaedia Britannica, (2015) “Desiree’s Baby”.
6. ENotes Editorial, (2015) “Why did Kate Chopin use so many French
words in ‘Desiree’s Baby’? How did she treat the characters and is
this reflected in her writing?”
7. ENotes Editorial. “Desiree’s Baby Analysis”.
8. Kimicha, J. (2019) “Desiree’s Baby”
9. Gibert, T. (2004) “Textual, Contextual, and Critical Surprises in
‘Desiree’s Baby’”

10. Amponsah Emmanuel, (2013), “Desiree’s Baby”,