the other side of hedge
The Other Side of the Hedge
After reading the first few paragraphs, The Other Side of the Hedge, by E. M. Forster, seems to be nothing more than a story about a man walking down a long road. The narrator's decision to go through the hedge transforms the story into an allegory that is full of symbols representing Forster's view of the journey of life. The author develops the allegory through the use of several different symbols including the long road, the hedge and the water.
The allegory is about man's life journey toward the ultimate goal of heaven. When the reader interprets the story on a literal level, it seems somewhat realistic, but he quickly senses a double meaning. In the story, the narrator travels on a long, dusty road that seems to have no end. He tells about the other people of the road, discussing the possessions that they attempt to carry with them. Some of these people abandon their journey, leaving their possessions behind to gather dust.
E.M. Forester, author of a multitude of short stories, plays, films, scripts and various other pieces of literature, was born in London England in 1879. Among his considerable repertoire of works is a short story called "The Other Side the Hedge;" it is part of an anthology, including "The Celestial Omnibus," which is a story of similar metaphoric properties. Taken superficially, "The Other Side the Hedge" is a weak story about a man walking on a road, then crossing a hedge to encounter a park on the opposite side. However, the straightforward answer does not touch on the layers of metaphor and allusion Forester has built into his work. "The Other Side of the Hedge" serves as a metaphor for life, death and afterlife. Within the story, Forester has hidden many references – both religious and philosophical – to the world as an average reader would perceive it. The road becomes life itself; milestones mark passage of time and achievement while pedometers serve to measure experience.
After reading the first few paragraphs, The Other Side of the Hedge, by E. M. Forster, seems to be nothing more than a story about a man walking down a long road. The narrator's decision to go through the hedge transforms the story into an allegory that is full of symbols representing Forster's view of the journey of life. The author develops the allegory through the use of several different symbols including the long road, the hedge and the water.
The allegory is about man's life journey toward the ultimate goal of heaven. When the reader interprets the story on a literal level, it seems somewhat realistic, but he quickly senses a double meaning. In the story, the narrator travels on a long, dusty road that seems to have no end. He tells about the other people of the road, discussing the possessions that they attempt to carry with them. Some of these people abandon their journey, leaving their possessions behind to gather dust.
E.M. Forester, author of a multitude of short stories, plays, films, scripts and various other pieces of literature, was born in London England in 1879. Among his considerable repertoire of works is a short story called "The Other Side the Hedge;" it is part of an anthology, including "The Celestial Omnibus," which is a story of similar metaphoric properties. Taken superficially, "The Other Side the Hedge" is a weak story about a man walking on a road, then crossing a hedge to encounter a park on the opposite side. However, the straightforward answer does not touch on the layers of metaphor and allusion Forester has built into his work. "The Other Side of the Hedge" serves as a metaphor for life, death and afterlife. Within the story, Forester has hidden many references – both religious and philosophical – to the world as an average reader would perceive it. The road becomes life itself; milestones mark passage of time and achievement while pedometers serve to measure experience.