to nie themes

7/27/2019 To Nie Themes

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Journey (Emotional and Physical)

• The contrast of city and country.• Tonie lives in the country, a place traditionally associated with innocence, a lack of

knowledge. In the beginning of the story, Tonie lacks an understanding of love andsexuality.

• Since the object of his affection, Claire, does not live on Cheniere Caminada, Toniemust travel to Grand Isle to be near her. After he misses the chance to take her ashis own when they are alone on his boat (4), he leaves Grand Isle, and we next seehim in New Orleans, even farther from his home.

• Only after he hears the news of Claire’s death can he return to Cheniere Caminadabecause this represents the end of his quest.

• As he tells his mother, when Claire was alive, he despaired because he had nohope, no life.

• Now that she is dead, he can hope that they will meet in Heaven where they willbe equals.

• He comes back to the country no longer as innocent as before yet more content

with his life. This contentment is most clear in his mannerisms. Before hisunderstanding, we see him characterized as ungainly, ill at ease anywhere but onwater, frozen by his inability to communicate to anyone but his mother.

• Now, we see a Tonie who is looser. For the first time, he is happy and the overallimpression of him is one of relaxation



Tonie’s journey

• The journey is important• Tonie can no longer hide behind routine as he surrounds himself with

unfamiliar places.• He only has one place to look for answers in his life: within himself• This is most striking when he tries to tell his mother what he has

learned.•

At first, he looks to the water, the place he has always felt themost comfortable, but it doesn’t not “open his thought”. • He then looks to his own hand, that which reflects who he is: rough

and almost animalistic yet open now. Only by looking at his handdoes he find the words to express how Claire’s death has changedhim.

• The open palm is in contrast to the closed fist he shows when Clairegives him her silver bracelet after their boat ride.

•His closed fist represents his closed mind – he could not understandthe conflict she caused him. Her death has resolved that conflict,and he can be content with not only who he is but his life.

• This happiness is only an illusion masking bitter disappointment onethinks.



Tonie’s Transformation

Chopin often uses images of flying creatures and the seasons to parallel Tonie’s state

At church, people are pestered by mosquitoes.

The only birds present are the ribbons on the girls’ hats which seem to flap like wings (1).

Nature is dried up and stinging, like Tonie’s conception of love and sexuality.

When he travels to Grand Isle the next day, we see a different, milder setting. Winds are now“soft velvety gusts” and the “day is bright and beautiful” (2).

Tonie sees doves flying to water oaks. Doves traditionally represent either divine guidance orphysical love. At this point in his journey, Tonie does not know if Claire is an angel or awoman, so the double meaning of the doves is appropriate. When Tonie and Claire part forthe last time in the short story, Claire fades into the mist and is like “a blotch against thefading sky” (4).

This signals an end to the beautiful weather, and indeed, when Part 4 opens a few lines later,the narrator tells us it is January. Here, Tonie is not only the farthest from home (he is in NewOrleans), but he is also the farthest from his salvation. He is frozen just as the earth is. Only

when he hears of Claire’s death is he released from the paralysis he has been in.

Why do you think Chopin uses this technique to illustrate Tonie’s mood/character?



PREJUDICE

City vs Country

English vs French

Fisherman vs lawyer’s daughter

Think back to the work we did on ‘consensus’.

What do you think Chopin was trying to illustratewith this story?

Write a short paragraph on what you think Chopinwas trying to convey!

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