The Untold Lie

A short story must have texture in order to allow the reader to capture full essence. Writer's often stratigize realism in their work so visualization and relation is in grasp by their readers. The use of heavy description and dialogue accomplishes the sense of realism. "The Untold Lie," by Sherwood Anderson, displays the art of realism. While Anderson wrote "The Untold Lie" in the early 1900s, his character Windpeter Winter shows the same charateristics as men in society today. Every man loves action, Old Windpeters death was very intense, "He got drunk one evening in town and started to drive home to Unionville along the railroad tracks... When the train struck and killed him... They said that old Windpeter stood up on the seat of his wagon, raving and swearing at the onrushing locomotive,.."(245) Anderson creates a visual of Windpeters madness, then relates the affair to the young men in town who, "...had a secret conviction that he knew what he was doing and admired his foolish courage. Most boys have seasons of wishing they could die gloriously instead of just being grocery clerks and going on with their humdrum lives."(245) Anderson's concept of realism relates to the thrive of action by men. Anderson continues with characters Ray and Hal who have a "bromance" . He sets the scene using heavy description to allow visualization, "Ray Pearson arose and stood staring. He was almost a foot shorter than Hal, and when the younger man came and put his two hands on the older man's shoulders they made a picture. There they stood in the big empty field with the quiet corn shocks standing in rows behind them and the red and yellow hills in the distance, ..."(248) The mention of the men making a picture, automatically creates an image. Then in dialogue Anderson displays Hal seeking advice from Ray, "Well, old daddy,..., come on advise me. I've got Nell in trouble.-- I know what everyone would say is the right thing to do, but what do you say? Shall I marry and settle