Is “The Metaphor” by Budge Wilson an effective short story?
...hosen a problem that many school students could easily identify with – peer pressure and the need to fit in. Through choosing a problem such as this, Wilson is inviting the readers to relate with Charlotte and have a greater understanding of her feelings and thoughts. The reader would also then be more enthusiastic to read the rest of the story since it is about something that they themselves can empathize with. Charlotte’s way of handling her dilemma is typical of adolescent responses to situations which pull them backwards toward childhood loyalties and forward toward identity and acceptance in their peer group and many of the readers could understand this and gain knowledge from it. The complication in a story is what sets the scene for the eventual climax. A story must have a good complication for it to go anywhere. In “The Metaphor”, Budge Wilson chooses a complication which is frequent in adolescents and which sparks interest in the reader. Wilson’s use of a complication helps to make “The Metaphor” an effective short story. The climax is perhaps the most important component of a short story. This is the turning point that the writer has been building towards where the characters try to find a resolution for the complication earlier introduced. In “The Metaphor” the climax is unexpected – Miss Hancock’s death by a school bus and Charlottes subsequent unhappiness. After Miss Hancock’s death, Charlotte blames herself for not giving Miss Hancock the support she needed, a smile every once in a while or even friendly acknowledgment. It is here that Charlotte realizes that she does not have to succumb to peer pressure. She starts to understand just how important friendship and loyalty is in comparison to fitting in. This sort of climax would appeal to the reader because it would teach them a valuable lesson – never be afraid to be yourself. It is in the climax that the characters try to resolve the complication from earlier in the story and Budge Wilson has demonstrated this well through Charlotte and her actions when she finally realizes that she does not have to submit to peer pressure and that helps to make “The Metaphor” an effective and efficient short story. At the end of a short story, there must be a denouement and it is here that the complications and conflict from earlier are finally resolved. It is here that the final clarification of the plot is made. In “The Metaphor”, Budge Wilson ends the story with Charlotte writing metaphors about Miss Hancock. Charlotte describes Miss Hancock as a birthday cake with elaborate frosting has a strong peppermint taste and two layers – a rich and delicious chocolate and a subtle and delicate vanilla. In the last part of the story, Charlotte realizes how grateful she is for the experiences that Miss Hancock gave her and she finally understands just how important and special Miss Hancock was to her. “This extraordinary cake is filled with party favors that, if kept, will turn into "pure gold." It is in this sentence that Charlotte realizes the significance of her experiences with Miss Hancock. Miss Hancock has introduced her to the world of the metaphor, something she loves and will treasure forever. The end of the story brings a sense of satisfaction and completion to the reader. A good ending is very helpful in making the story effective and long lasting in the readers mind, and the ending of “The Metaphor” does just that. Another of the conventions of the short story is an introduction which should, as quickly as possible introduce the main characters, start the action and indicate the setting while at the same time providing enough information for the reader to understand the story. The introduction of “The Metaphor” however does not seem to comply with all these stipulations. The introduction to “The Metaphor” starts by descri...