The Levels of loss
Loss plays a key role in the short stories: Gwilan’s harp by Ursula K. Le Guin, the last leaf by William Sydney Porter, and in The Washwoman by Isaac Singer. However, the levels of loss differ in how much the key characters lose. In the Washwoman the Family loses a trusted servant. Were as in the last leaf Sue and Johnsie lose a close friend. Then in Gwilan’s Harp Gwilan loses her harp and her husband. Even though in each of these story the main characters lose someone or something significant they each react differently. In each of these short stories loss affects the lives of the main characters whether it be the loss of a servant, a friend, or a prized possession and husband.
In the Washwoman the family loses their trusted servant. She worked hard for them even on the coldest of winter days. On one exceptionally cold day the Washwoman arrives late so the family gives her even more clothes than usual to wash.
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First she breaks her priceless harp and her wrist in a cart accident. Then years later she starts showing signs arthritis and can no longer play the harp. Suddenly “Torm took ill. He went from a cough to a high fever to quietness. and died while Gwilan sat beside him.” Gwilan however does not let her losses define her she just takes up something else to keep her mind off it. The loss Gwillan faces shows readers not to put their faith in material things.
Even though the key characters in theses short stories experience loss they experience it on different levels. In the Washwoman the family losses a trusted and hardworking servant. Then in the last leaf Sue loses a close friend to pneumonia. And finally in Gwilan’s Harp Gwilan losses her priceless harp, her ability to play the harp, and her husband. They also deal with their loss differently. These short story show readers the levels of