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.