Armstrong And Wilder: A Literary Analysis

Throughout history, human beings have always been intrigued by the cycle they are destined to follow: The Circle of Life. They question things that they cannot answer such as what comes before, what comes after, and what they will do to cope when they lose someone they love. William Armstrong and Thornton Wilder are two authors who chose to write about the thing that is often forgotten: life itself. William Armstrong’s novel Sounder consists of a mother and a boy who cope very differently with death. The boy is hopeful and optimistic, while his mother’s outlook has been shaped by the hardships she faced. She looks death straight in the eye and is not discouraged but sings out, “When life is so tiresome, there ain’t no peace like the greatest peace--the peace of the Lord’s hand holding you.” In Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, death is
Thornton Wilder used George Gibbs to symbolize the seasons of life and coming of age. At the beginning of the story, George was a teenager with miniature problems such as algebra and chores. He found a passion in baseball, and his character was altered, he was young and still not certain of who he was. His friend became the love of his life, and this love helped him make his first important decision about his future. He was set to marry Emily Webb, and Thornton Wilder reminded us that George was still young and innocent when he complained to his mom “Ma, I don’t want to grow old. Why’s everybody pushing me so?” George had grown up a content kid with a stable family and education, so when his wife died at a very young age he was deeply shaken. His adult life had only just begun, he had his own farm, a wife, a son, and another child on the way. The death of Emily served as a reminder to readers that life is fleeting, and God is the only one with knowledge of a greater