The Astronomer’sWife is an original story written by Kay Boyle. Katherine Ames, the protagonist of this fictional tale, is its main character. The whole story revolves about Ames and her experiences, as well the way she interacted with husband. This essay focuses on the plot and setting of the story as well as the symbolism. It also tries to express a certain point of opinion.
The author uses a series of events to define the various themes he wants his audience to understand. Ames was described by the author as someone who holds a high position in society. Ames was willing to do what readers might consider “dirty”, in order to give her husband more time to reflect and learn. Ames’s relationship with her husband is built on the understanding that he is a man who loves to think and meditate. He also spends a lot of time looking up at the sky through his roof-top telescope. Ames took the plumber into the garden, which is a key event in the story (Gale). The character brought the plumber to an flooded room, and the plumber was suspicious of a damaged soilline. She was very innocent and showed respect for her husband.
The narration is in third person, which is a good fit for the story. Boyle writes a narrative similar to Katherine Ames. He describes her feelings in vivid detail. It becomes the focal point of the narrative after Ames realizes she has developed an opinion about her husband’s inability to support her emotional needs. Boyle’s style reflects Ames’s growing awareness of her feelings towards her husband. The narration describes the thoughts of Mrs. Ames using adjectives which reflect her mental freedom (Hall). The sentences got shorter as the narrator explained Mrs. Ames’ actions and interactions with her plumber. The character’s feeling of constraint was shown by the shortening sentences.
Authors use symbolism as a way to communicate various ideas. The sewer is used as the gateway of Mrs. Ames’s transformation. The sewer is a symbol of the differences between an astronomer, and a plumber. The plumber is a professional who must descend to earth, but the astronomer’s focus is on the stars (Bell, 127). The story is a metaphor that shows the plumber’s desire to repair things. The plumber acted with confidence in all situations and made Mrs. Ames feel more confident. Ames admired his qualities more than her husband.
This story has a family setting that involves a married woman (Mrs. Ames). The author’s main concern is to describe the everyday life of two characters. The story was inspired by a garden. This is why the plumber became the main character. Boyle’s ideas make him a thoughtful author and novelist. The Astronomer’s wife is a humorous story.
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