The Hollow of the Three Hills

Stereotypical women who flees to escape come back drenched in sorrow and remorse. The old lady in the story displays the foolishness of evading just to regret afterwards. She assumed that she would be happy even after she left her husband, daughter, and her parents. What was priceless seemed like a burden that only suppressed her. After the lady evades, she suffers in such grievance that leads her to the witch and eventually, death. This repertory appears commonly in famous movies and dramas; her departure demonstrates of women's typical mistake. Washington Irving successfully writes a story with a theme of what could have been cliché and ordinary, and turns it in to a masterpiece containing numerous symbolisms. Old lady has an arrogance that makes her believe she would not be miserable without her surroundings. When the lady departs, she says "Let me flee-- let me flee and hide myself, that they may not look upon me!" Regardless of what toil she was going through to make such decision, she truly believed that it was the way for her to be happy, and make circumstances better. Anything can blind women at this point to think that matters will be solved when they leave. Instead of finding a way to get out of the situation, old lady chose to hide her self and repress all of her problems that are incomparable to the grief she experiences after she leaves. Grief and remorse hits the old lady in the way she has never expected. The freedom she felt fades away and leaves constant thoughts about her family. Her heart is broken and she is desperate to go back, but she is hesitant because she knows what wrong she had done. She cannot go back so easily because of guilt and embarrassment entangled in her conscience. Unable to fight the urge to see how her family is doing, she appoints a meeting in a hollow basin that is deeper than " a stately cedar can be seen only from the sides". The basin represents her inner conscious that holds the burden