LEAH - "Love"

Leah Hirneisen

English 9

Ms. Henderson

October 30, 2017

                                                            Graven in Stone

            In William Maxwell’s short story “Love,” foreshadowing is used repeatedly to warn the reader about the beautiful, young, caring teacher’s tragic death. First, the author hints to the reader that Miss Brown will pass away when he introduces her. “The name [Miss Vera Brown] might as well have been graven in stone” (Maxwell 8). This makes the reader think of a cemetery. The writer describes her name as being on a tombstone, which is unusual for a young, healthy person. This clue indicates that Miss Brown will soon die. Next, the writer indicates that Miss Brown will soon literally live with the dead when he describes the route the boys use to find her home. “At the place where the road turns off to go to the cemetery… there was a red barn” (Maxwell 9). This makes the reader think that the young healthy teacher the boys expected to find is not doing well. The writer uses the word cemetery to make the reader think about death. Very soon, Miss Brown is going to live in the cemetery rather than close to it. Finally, Maxwell foreshadows the beautiful, young teacher’s death when he describes her physical appearance when the boys visit her. “Propped up on pillows on a big double bed was our teacher, but so changed. Her arms were like sticks, and all the life in her seemed concentrated in her eyes, which had dark circles around them” (Maxwell 10). At this point, Vera Brown is so sick that she is unable to move. She is weak and is starting to look more and more like a skeleton. Miss Brown is soon going to die of tuberculosis. The author of “Love” applied hints and clues to advise the readers about the passing of the young, lovely, kind teacher Miss Vera Brown.