True Meaning of Katherine Anne Porters Short Story He
The True Meaning of Katherine Anne Porter’s Short Story He He, one of Katherine Anne Porter’s most studied short stories, is open to a wide variety of interpretation. ... The story is about a woman who is the mother of a retarded child. Many critics have made the mistake of reading this story to that depth alone. The following text will provide evidence that will clearly illustrate the main idea of this short story to be, the relationship between a husband and wife who have an unstable, failing marriage. Debra Moddelmog, a critic of this story, is, as many others, opposed to the views that will be proved throughout this analysis. ... Proof that Porters intention was certainly not to cause her readers to question this mother’s love for her child will be given throughout this analysis. Before studying a literary analysis, one must have a general understanding of the literature on which it is based; in this case, the short story He, by Katherine Anne Porter. ... The story was an illustration of this families struggle. ... At the end of the story Mrs. ... To begin the journey on which the discovery of this stories true meaning will be unveiled, a quote from Debra Moddelmog’s analysis will be examined. ... Whipple is vain and self- Deluding and often unaware of, or incapable of admitting, her true motives. ... Whipple, we must remember that throughout the story her assertions are exaggerated contradictions of her actual feelings” (406). ... Whipple made many comments throughout the story that made it clear to the reader he didn’t care for Him at all. ... She twists the meaning of the statement to imply that Mrs. ... Whipple’s assertions were often exaggerated however they were not contradictions of her true feelings. ... At one point in the story, He was climbing a tree and the neighbors saw Him. ... One would think that the evidence already stated would be more than enough to prove that this story was only in part about Him. ... In the eyes of most, it would now be clear that this story was about the breaking down of the Whipple’s marriage however, if it is possible to still have doubts, there is certainly more evidence. As the story went on, winter came and Mrs. ... At the end of the story Mrs. ... Their relationship was just as it seemed, one of love and true concern. The main idea of this story was a marriage that was under strain because of their disabled child. ... Moddelmog and her colleagues may indeed need to take a second look into this wonderful piece of short fiction and regroup their thoughts.