The Painted Door
“The Painted Door”
The natural landscape and the winter storm in “The Painted Door” serve as a metaphor for Ann’s sense of isolation. Sinclair Ross, the author of the short story, intelligently uses imagery to add atmosphere to the story and enhance the readers understanding of the emotions and mood of the protagonist, Ann. The isolation of the farmland is made abundantly clear as we learn the closest neighbouring farm is “five miles away,” and even then it would seem longer as the roads are “impassable.” However, Ann’s isolation is not entirely physical, she also feels very emotionally isolated from the one person who is supposed to be there with her. The emotional setting of Ann is that of the physical environment, isolated, bitter, and cold. Ann cannot seem to surpass the emotional blocks John has put up. Her words are “chilled” as she speaks to John indicating how she has turned cold and indifferent toward her husband. Ann’s geographic isolation eventually intensifies her feelings of loneliness to the point where she feels even alienated from her own husband. Although John knew the they “could expect a storm,” he left Ann alone amongst the “ever-lurking silence” to go help his father. Ann is feeling alienated from John and the storm is representing that alienation physically “isolating her [there] alone.” The earth is entirely “snowswept”. The bareness and simplicity of the surroundings, the “clear pale sun-chilled sky”, serve to “intensify a sense of isolation”. They compare to the lack of emotion John is showing towards Ann and his “simple mind”. Ann wants a more complex emotional relationship with John, to live a “dramatic” life, whereas John thinks that getting Ann material things, doing something “for her sake” will be what brings her happiness. However, Ann feels this only “deprives her of his companionship” which further adds to Ann’s sense of isolation. The storm parallels Ann and John’s broken relationship and “dry and empty” lives. The repetition
The natural landscape and the winter storm in “The Painted Door” serve as a metaphor for Ann’s sense of isolation. Sinclair Ross, the author of the short story, intelligently uses imagery to add atmosphere to the story and enhance the readers understanding of the emotions and mood of the protagonist, Ann. The isolation of the farmland is made abundantly clear as we learn the closest neighbouring farm is “five miles away,” and even then it would seem longer as the roads are “impassable.” However, Ann’s isolation is not entirely physical, she also feels very emotionally isolated from the one person who is supposed to be there with her. The emotional setting of Ann is that of the physical environment, isolated, bitter, and cold. Ann cannot seem to surpass the emotional blocks John has put up. Her words are “chilled” as she speaks to John indicating how she has turned cold and indifferent toward her husband. Ann’s geographic isolation eventually intensifies her feelings of loneliness to the point where she feels even alienated from her own husband. Although John knew the they “could expect a storm,” he left Ann alone amongst the “ever-lurking silence” to go help his father. Ann is feeling alienated from John and the storm is representing that alienation physically “isolating her [there] alone.” The earth is entirely “snowswept”. The bareness and simplicity of the surroundings, the “clear pale sun-chilled sky”, serve to “intensify a sense of isolation”. They compare to the lack of emotion John is showing towards Ann and his “simple mind”. Ann wants a more complex emotional relationship with John, to live a “dramatic” life, whereas John thinks that getting Ann material things, doing something “for her sake” will be what brings her happiness. However, Ann feels this only “deprives her of his companionship” which further adds to Ann’s sense of isolation. The storm parallels Ann and John’s broken relationship and “dry and empty” lives. The repetition