Collette-literary analysis

In this story we find a young couple recently married, who have not known each other that long. Colette uses the hand to symbolize masculinity and the woman as a symbol of femininity. At first the woman is over joyed; basking in the light of her new husband. “she proudly bore the weight of the mans head” She is described with words like “young, small, slim, and adolescent.” As he sleeps she falls into a submissive state “I'm so heavy...I wish I could get up and turn the light off. But he's sleeping so well....” “The arm twisted again, feebly and she arched her back to make herself lighter.” even at the expense of her own comfort, she does what she can to not wake her husband. The man and of course his hand are described as “Handsome, powerful, big, and strong”. In the story, the author gives the hand animal characteristics. She starts to see things, she had not seen about him and she goes from bliss to dismay, she states “Its as if I were laying on some animal” She has come to realize how she feels less superior than her husband. When the woman states “Its so big! Its really bigger than my whole head.” We know the man is much larger than her, definitely over powering by size and strength. The end of the story spoke the loudest to affirm this story. Even the woman has come to an understanding of her circumstances, she backs down and assumes her place as the wife of her husband. ”then she concealed her fear, bravely subdued herself, and, beginning her life of duplicity, of resignation, and of a lowly,delicate diplomacy, she leaned over and humbly kissed the monstrous hand.” I think in many ways this story affirms traditional ideas about men and woman's relationships, in the beginning people are love struck by their partner but over time every one seems to find those little quirks. Men are most times stronger and bigger in some sense than women, letting the outer view of a man also symbolize their control and authority. The woman in this story submits to how she