What are the aspects of loss? The characters in the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, Isaac Singer’s“The Washwoman” , and “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry, all suffer great losses in different aspects. Ursula K. LeGuin characterizes Gwilan as a skillful, lighthearted harper; however she suffer a great loss later in her life. Unlike Gwilan, in the short story of Issac and O’Henry, the washwoman and Behrman both live a tragic life since the beginning of the story. The characters in three different short stories suffer losses materially, emotionally, and physically.
First, Gwilan, the main character of “Gwilan’s Harp”, suffer a loss on material. She loves and cares for her harp more than anything in her life. In the beginning, her precious harp belongs to a famous musician named Penlin. Before Penlin dies, he gives the harp to the mother of Gwilan. Later, Gwilan receives this harp from her mother. She travels around and plays the harp to the people during different ceremonies. People often likes praising Gwilan’s harp. “The sound of Gwilan’s harp was water running and
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In the short story, Behrman has a strong and healthy body in the beginning. Even though many people around him suffer pneumonia, he is still able to keep his body healthy and strong. One of his neighbors named Johnsy suffers a serious pneumonia, and she also remains a negative attitude. Johnsy hopes to die just after the last leaf on a tree in front of her window falls. after Behrman hears this situation from a friend of her, he proclaims,” This is not a place in which one so good as Ms. Johnsy shall lie sick.” Behrmen makes a decision to help Johnsy in a very special way. In a freezing, stormy night, Behrman goes into the storm and draws a leaf on the tree. As a result, Johnsy recovers quickly but the body of Behrman becomes weak. After several days of struggling, Behrman dies. Behrman suffers a physical loss in order to help another sick