Meaning And Symbols In Fanny Burney's Seasons Of Life

Seasons of Life Life is constantly changing with highs and lows. The highs could be a birthday, graduation, or even a birth. While on the other hand, the lows could be a sickness or a death. They are both very different occasions, but similarly, people bring cards for these occurrences in life. Specifically, people often receive “Get Well” cards during an illness. Each card has different sayings to accompany different circumstances. In Fanny Burney’s circumstance in the Letter of 1812, she describes a horrifying procedure to cure her breast cancer. The graphic nature of her description shows that she was embarrassed and humiliated during her painful procedure. The types of card she would have received would be very sincere and meaningful.
It begins by saying, “In nature, life is full of seasons and change.” Per, Merriam-Webster, a season is defined as, “a period of the year characterized by or associated with a particular activity or phenomenon” (“Season”). An important term in that definition is period. A period is an event that only last for a short time. Mrs. Burney’s procedure only lasted for twenty minutes, but the impact of the surgery will have a lasting mark on her life. The remaining sentences on the cover of the card states, “There are times of growth and blossoming, and times of rest and renewal. Everything has its purpose.” The terms growth and blossoming are usually used to describe spring, while rest and renewal characterize winter and fall. One season cannot survive without the other. People who are growing and active need their time of rest and renewal. People with very busy lives often are only able to rest when they are sick. It is a way for their body to tell them they need a break. The card also reinforces that everything happens for a purpose. Mrs. Burney is not going through her horrible procedure for no reason. The obvious reason is to cure her breast cancer, but perhaps it could also be to strengthen her mentally and emotionally. In a spiritual perspective, it could be God testing her faith and forcing her to rely on him. Either way, there is always a purpose for people’s illnesses. The inside of the card finishes the saying with, “And remember, too, that this is only a season… your body is doing important work, and there are better and brighter days ahead.” These lines are encouraging by reminding the sick person their body is working hard fighting off whatever illness they may have. It also emphasizes the term season once again; reminding the person that this condition will pass very