Katia's "Love" Essay

                                                                Forever Beloved

In William Maxwell’s short story “Love”, the author uses foreshadowing to warn the reader about the teacher’s upcoming death. To begin with, Maxwell gives a hint of the death of Ms. Brown when the teacher writes her name on the board. “The name [ Miss Vera Brown] might as well have been graven in stone” (Maxwell 8). Here the writer compares how Vera Brown writes her name on the blackboard with a grave stone which shows the teacher will die soon. As the reader can see, in the cemetery there are tombstones with the names of all the people who died. How the author uses the name of the young woman describes how a teacher’s name is written on the board and it warns the audience that Vera Brown will be in the cemetery soon and her name will be printed on a headstone. Next, William Maxwell shows that Miss Vera Brown will pass away when the teacher opens the gift from the students. “Her [Miss Brown’s] delicate fingers seemed to take forever to remove the ribbon” (Maxwell 8). Ms. Brown was a young woman, she was 23 years old, and at this age normally she must be healthy and stronger or at least have a little energy. She was removing a ribbon from one gift, this is easy to take off, but she took a lot of time to remove it. this shows that the simple things are getting harder for her and something is wrong. Mr. Maxwell clues the reader how weak she is becoming; she is really fragile now and is dying. Lastly, the author demonstrates the fatality of the teacher when the two boys went out to the house where Vera Brown was. “The angel who watches over little boys” (Maxwell 10). Here the writer uses the word angel which for many cultures is related with heaven and the afterlife, this gives a hint that Vera Brown sadly pass away. The teacher was an amazing and good person, all the children loved her, and she loved all her students. This demonstrates that when she dies, she does not will leave alone all her precious and beloved boys and girls, she will take care of all, and will watch them but not more from this world but from the eternal rest. After seeing all this, the reader can see how Mr. Maxwell in his short story “Love” uses hints to foretell the audience about Miss Vera brown unexpected death.

Miyuki's "Love" Essay

The Path of The Soul

In William Maxwell’s short story “Love,” the author uses foreshadowing to warn the reader about the teacher’s upcoming death. Initially, the writer gives a hint that Miss Vera Brown will die when at the beginning of school year, Miss Brown writes her name on the board for the students. “The name [Miss Vera Brown] might as well have been graven in stone” (Maxwell 8). Here Maxwell illustrates that the teacher name will be sculptured on the headstone. This is kind of strange according of how young and strong the teacher is supposed to be. This gives the audience to understand that soon the teacher will be in a tomb resting in peace. Later, Mr. Maxwell gives a prediction that the mentor will pass away when two of her students are on the way to visit her. “At the place where the road turns off to go to the cemetery… there was a red barn” (Maxwell 9). Here the reader can see that the author uses the word cemetery as an act of symbolization of the shortly upcoming death of Miss Vera Brown. Including the word red means her blood as well. Also, her students would be able to see how bad her condition is, announcing her trip to heaven. Finally, Mr. William Maxwell warns of the instructor’s fatality when the students see her so different. “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, watching the teacher lay down in her bed barely moving her body makes the reader think that the teacher will be underground soon. All those marks on her face, all the suffering on her body, all the sadness and weakness on her eyes, shows that this young woman is slowly departing from earth. By reading what the author is writing, he is suggesting that the educator will soon rest in peace.

Kimia's "Love" Essay

Fluffy Flower

            In William Maxwell’s short story “Love,” the author uses foreshadowing to warn the reader about the teacher’s upcoming death. First of all, William Maxwell gives a suggestion that Miss Vera Brown is going to die when she cannot open the gift from her student. “Her [Miss Brown’s] delicate fingers seemed to take forever to remove the ribbon” (Maxwell 8). At this point writer, which “delicate finger” means Miss Vera Brown is sick and poor and she will soon be in a tomb. Also, the young woman like 21 years old does not have enough power to open a simple ribbon because the other girls like her can open the ribbon easily. She turns sick and this is not a normal action for girl same age as her. Secondly, Maxwell warns of Miss Vera Brown’s death when the students go visit her. “At the place where the road turns off to go to the cemetery there was a red barn” (Maxwell 9). The writer uses the word of “cemetery” to point to the dying of the teacher because a cemetery is a place for dead people. Also, William Maxwell uses the “road turn off” to show she was healthy then but now she is weak. Her life begins to change. Lastly, the writer foretells that Miss Vera Brown soon will go to heaven when the students see her sleep on a bed in her house. “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 circle around them” (Maxwell 10). Here the author demonstrates Miss Vera Brown is sick and maybe she cannot eat anything; that is why her arms turns thin, and she cannot move. Also under her eyes is dark and that does not have good meaning for young women. She is in her illness and she looks like she will rest in peace. Mr. William Maxwell uses hints in short story “Love” to make the reader think Miss Vera Brown will pass away. 

Celeste's "Love" Essay

A Flower Named Vera Brown

In William Maxwell’s short story “Love,” the author uses foreshadowing to warn the reader about the teacher’s upcoming death. First, the writer predicts Miss Brown’s departure when he compares her life with the life of the flowers. “She reminded me of pansies” (Maxwell 8). Mr. Maxwell uses different types of flowers to compare with Vera Brown. The writer uses different kinds such as pansies, purple asters and sweet peas. In this way, the author hints to the audience that the life of Miss Brown will be just as short as that of the flowers. Second, Maxwell gives a hint that Miss Vera Brown will die when her students give a present for her birthday. “Her [Miss Brown’s] delicate fingers seemed to take forever to remove the ribbon” (Maxwell 8). At this point the readers can see that even though the instructor is so young, she is very weak. This is surprising because at her age she should be strong and full of life. Finally, Mr. Maxwell shows the critical condition of the teacher when her fifth graders went to 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). Here the writer shows the sick appearance of Miss Brown, who is at death’s door. This warns the reader about the imminent fatality because she is so weak, she can barely eat and that is why she is so skinny. Her eyes seem like dark holes, and the light has abandoned her young face. She is not that beautiful and nice teacher anymore, because the disease seems to have eaten her from the inside. This is how Mr. William Maxwell with the help of clues and hints has predicted in his short story that Miss Vera Brown will soon rest in peace.