Section B - Prose
Choose a short story in which the main character faces a dilemma. Outline briefly what the dilemma is and go on to discuss how the character's reaction to it gives you a deeper understanding of the text as a whole.In your answer you must refer to the text and to at least two of: theme, structure, setting, characteristion, or any other appropriate feature.
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“Misery” By Anton Chekov deals with the main character who faces a dilemma. The characters reaction gives the reader a deeper insight an understanding of the text as a whole. Through the writer use of the mains themes the short story deals with the main character Iona Pottapovs grief over his dead son. Iona who is a sledge driver tries to express and share his grief with his fares to find comfort from society. However he finds society is to busy to care or bother about his grief. Through the writers word choice and the use of main themes this is affectively conveyed.
Within the opening paragraphs we are introduced to the main characters Iona Pottapovs situation and grief that he feels for his dead son and his sorrow moves for his loss. The writer conveys this feeling by commenting “to whom shall I tell my grief”. This conveys to the reader the sorrow move of Iona at the loss of his son. It also conveys the characters sense of being alone with no person to speak to about his feelings. IT also shows Iona’s dilemma of whom he can speak to as he feels he has no one and is alone.
The writer conveys further to the reader the physical affect this loss has had on Iona Pottapov’s physical’s health. It also shows Iona’s body and mind fading at the loss of his son as he is losing the will to continue. This is shown to the reader through the writer commenting “white like a ghost”. This affectively shows the mood of Iona, it conveys his hurt and sorrow at the loss of his son. It shows Iona’s fragile mental and physical state and shows his depression of his son.
Another instance in which we see Iona’s fragile and mental state as a result of his loss of his son is when the writer comments “white and motionless too”. This conveys to the reader that Iona and his horse are covered in snow not caring that they are blending into the wilderness. This shows also these two creatures are almost at one and almost disappear from societies radar. This shows the beginning of society almost sweeping Iona under the carpet as they don’t want to be bothered by his grief.
Iona picks up his 1st faire we are able to see societies 1st reaction to Iona’s grief. As Iona to tell his faire of his son’s death “my son … er … my son died this week” he gets a cold reaction from his fare “turn round you devil”. This shows societies reaction his fare doesn’t want to know of his grief. He’s not interested in his problems. This shows to the reader societies unwillingness to appreciated and consider others feelings. As society as a whole is to busy and can not be bothered with others problems. As the short story continues we again see Iona try to share his grief society to try and gain comfort from there reaction however we again see societies negative attitude towards Iona’s grief. As Iona picks up his 2nd fare he again try’s to make conversation. “this week er my son died” this is again Iona trying to make conversation and gain comfort from society. However we see societies unwillingness to give comfort to Iona “we shall all die”. This shows Iona’s fares unwillingness to bother with his problems he believes we all die sometime so why does it matter? This shows Iona’s dilemma as he wants to share his grief but cant as a result of societies unwillingness to share Iona’s grief.
As the short story continues the writer creates a pessimistic feeling to gain sympathy for Iona from the reader. The writer comments “only wife for me now is the damp earth” this shows Iona’s loss of positive thinking. Through the writers use of descriptive language he creates a since of sorrow for Iona. Iona believes he has failed his family and his son as a result of his death. However society does not want to take any burden of Iona which only makes the suffering worse. This conveys to the reader the dilemma that faces Iona as he feels that he is unable to cope with his feelings and cannot share his burdens with anyone to ease his pain and suffering. This makes him feel unable to cope and makes him feel in adequate and feels he has failed his son.
Iona feels responsible for his sons death. He sees that he should have been taken instead of his son. He believes it to bee unjust that his son in the prime of his life has to be taken and him at the end of his life is still hear. “it’s a strange thing, death has come in at the wrong door”. This shows his felling that he is to blame. And whish’s that he had been taken in his sons place. This self pity that we feel from Iona only adds to the sympathy that the reader fells for Iona in this situation.
Just as Iona believes he is gaining sympathy and the respect of society he is again cruelly treated by his fares. “thank god they’ve arrived at last” this shows Iona’s dilemma. These people from society that he wants to explain and share his grief with are not interested. This shows again society is to wrapped up in its own world to care or worries about those on the dregs of society that need there help to help them through these times of suffering like Iona’s.
As the fares leave Iona he is again left to his own devices. He is again shunned by society and left outside like an animal until he is needed. “again he is alone again and again there is silence for him”. This again shows Iona’s sense of loneliness as a result of the death of his son. He is trying to ease the burden of his pain. But society wont let him as they are unwilling to listen to the characters dilemma. It also shows Iona has no one left he feels lonely and he is miserable as a result. This again gains sympathy for the character from the reader as a result of his predicament.
As the short story continues again we see a cry for help from Iona. He wants somebody to share his burden so he can ease the pain and the suffering that he feels for the loss of his son. “ who will listen to him?”. This shows a hint of frustration by Iona at the unwillingness of society to help him with this grief. As he is hurting and wants to halt this hurt or ease it. But as a result of societies lack of time and unwillingness to help those in need he is left as an outcast of society.
As Iona’s misery mounts he can work any longer and heads back to the yard to try and console himself and mourn for his dead son. He makes one final attempt to share his grief with society. “but my son is dead mate did you hear?”. however he doesn’t get a reaction and is even more disheartened by societies attitude towards his dilemma. He sees that no one is interested by his problems. Everyone is to busy with there own to be bothered to deal with an old mans. This gains sympathy from the reader as they see the hurt and the suffering that this is causing to Iona.
Finally as the short story finishes Iona manages to find someone willing to listen to his problems. He finds he is able to talk to his horse “you’d be sorry wouldn’t you”. This is a happier climax to the short story as Iona has found that person he craves to talk two “ tells her all about it”. This shows eventually Iona has found this being that he can relate to and who he is comfortable to talk to and how is comfortable to listen to. This gives Iona a reason to face his dilemma
In conclusion “misery” by Anton Chekov deals effectively with a characters dilemma. It deals with this dilemma and allows the reader to have a deeper understanding of this dilemma and focus and change the ways in which we work in society. It makes the reader fully aware of Iona’s situation and also gains sympathy from the reader for Iona’s situation. The text also make the reader feel guilty. It can relate to the behaviour of some of the fares and is now seeing the other side of people on the outcast of society. This makes the reader more considerate and encourages them to change there ways.
By Mark Garner
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