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Betrayal In The Painted Door

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One of the worst emotions we may go through is feeling betrayed. Sinclair Ross's short story "The Painted Door" focuses on Ann’s betrayal. When Ann's husband discovers that she has been having an affair, he returns into the storm he had just left. John intentionally kills himself as he returns to the storm, becoming the victim of his wife's treachery. John is a victim of his wife's betrayal since he returns to the storm in despair after discovering her with their neighbour. He is unable to confront his wife on her adultery and would rather kill himself to make her not feel guilty for cheating. John believes that his wife wants and deserves more than him. Whilst John was visiting his father in the storm, Ann spent her time painting. She paints the bedroom door, and once Steven …show more content…

These clues from Ross help the reader infer that John returned to the house, since he has the bedroom door’s wet paint on the palm of his hand. Getting turned around by his wife's betrayal, John resolves to re-enter the storm after discovering her in a betrayal. While Ann dozes, she feels the presence of John in the room. Her instincts are correct in feeling his presence since he has returned to the house. He stands over her and Steven but doesn’t seem angry, instead his expression is described as hopeless. When Ann awakens and realizes the gravity of her acts, she starts to feel guilty since she knows that her adultery was immoral and unfair to her hardworking husband. This feeling of guilt is evidence that she has committed an act of betrayal against her husband. John’s body was found far away from the house, near his pasture fence. Everyone theorized that John must have just missed their house since he was disoriented from the storm, but in truth John was found far from home because he didn’t want his wife to find him. Even in death John cared so much for his

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