Rhys’ use of symbolism creates a setting that was reflective, yet gloomy. Each object described has a symbolic purpose representing its literal counterpart. In other words, the world the writer creates in this short story seems to be alive, and each object has purpose. Thus, “She was standing by the river looking at the stepping stones and remembering each one" (Rhys, 2010). The stones represent the writer's past, as each time she steps on one, the stone brings her closer to the present; closer to her tragic reality. "The road was much wider than it used to be but the work had been done carelessly. The felled trees had not been cleared away and the bushes looked trampled. Yet it was the same road and she walked along feeling extraordinarily happy" (Rhys, 2010). The road symbolizes her journey through life. The widened road perhaps represents her growth, while the careless work done on the road seemingly represents the mistakes and regrets she had during her life's journey. “The road was much wider, but it had the same unfinished look." Rhys uses symbolism in the story's setting to show that along life's road, the girl's journey was cut short; death took away her opportunity to fulfill her …show more content…
The author's use of literary devices sets the tone for the theme of the story. The tone of the story creates a mood of irony, unresolved tension and sympathy. The writer expresses irony by describing the children's behavior whenever the girl waved to them, “she waved to them and called "Hello" but they did not answer her or turn their heads" (Rhys, 2010). The writer creates a mood of unresolved tension as expressed in her sarcastic impression of the children in the story, " Very fair children, as Europeans in the West Indies so often are: as if the white blood is asserting itself against all odds" (Rhys, 2010). The story concludes with a combination of these moods, allowing the reader to become sympathetic of the girl who has come to the realization that she is no longer amongst the living, but have become a wandering ghost, oblivious and forgotten in the world, " That was the first time she knew" (Rhys,