Literary Analysis How can one uphold honor when faced with fear, and love. Both the story In a Grove and The Moonlit Road, pose mysterious questions based on the uncertainty of truth. The two stories parallel each other in the sense that they flirt with the rashomon effect, however both interpret the effect uniquely. Both stories share the basis of of differing sides and perspectives; however In a Grove emphasizes honor and the idea of "saving face", and The Moonlit Road is centered upon the power, and different types, of love. The central message each story conveys to the reader, is that of whether or not one can trust the narrator. Neither story reveals the true culprit, nor does it sway you to believe one account more than the other. These stories are built upon a basic idea taught in Mr. Carrol's freshman English course, "interpret as you may." Does one believe the victims who speak through mediums claiming themselves as their own murderers; or rather, find the most suspect person such as Tajomaru, or the husband and claim them as guilty? In retrospect these stories are meant to stir conversation and presumptions in looking for the true ending intended by the author. …show more content…
So too in The Moonlit Road, the light's diminish is the end of the road for the late Julia Hetman. "The light seemed rather an added danger," quoted the late wife in The Moonlit Road, " for I reflected that it would shine out under the door, disclosing my presence to whatever evil thing might lurk outside." Light intensifies the Rashomon effect in the two literary works because it is used in a way to convince the reader they know what the conclusion is. In actuality the reader remains just as confused at the end as they were at the