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Abstract：Langston Hughes’ Early Autumn is a classical work of his short stories. This article makes attempt to analyze the novel from aspects of the theme, characters and descriptions so as to manifest the author’s superb writing skills.
Key words:Langston Hughes;Early Autumn;themecharacters
Langston Hughes’ Early Autumn is a famous short story. The moving plots, vivid characters, and the author’s superb writing skills — that is the merits of this work.
Early Autumn tells a sad love story. The two protagonists Mary and Bill had been in love when they were young. They spend a happy time together, but they depart because of trifles that cause misunderstandings between them. Mary marries a man she really doesn’t love, Bill leave with bitterness. After many years, they meet again in the Washington Square. Mary, who looks old for her age, is pleasantly surprised at the meeting. She makes an effort to revive their love. While Bill, a successful lawyer now, only treats her courteously without sincerity. Finally, with Mary shrieking “Goodbye”, they depart again at an autumn dusk.
The merits of the story lie in a distinctive theme, characters with different features, and also the lively descriptions. The distinctive theme is clearly set from the beginning of the story, which ensures the story to develop in the planned way. The main protagonists are portrayed vividly with characteristics. Mary is impulsive, proud and willful, while Bill indifferent, conceited and hypocritical. Through the implicit words, the facial expressions and the unconscious motions, the protagonists’ different characters are depicted aptly. In addition, the simples plots leave abundant space for readers to imagine, especially for the miserable ending.
One of the outstanding traits in Early Autumn is the succinct language with pregnant meaning. The language seems to be plain but appropriate to reveal the characters’ complicated inner world and emotional conflicts beneath the calm surface. From the beginning of the story, Hughes applies a precise narration of the past. Although the opening paragraph is only few sentences, it reflects the two protagonists’ different features of their personality. As it is stated in the forth sentence “Impulsively, she married a man she thought she loved”, we can perceive the female protagonist’s weakness, such as impulse and pride. Obviously the weakness is an important factor of Mary’s misfortune.
When they meet in the Washington Square many years later, Mary is thrilled and in expectancy. Bill appears to be calm and polite. From their short conversation, it is clear that Bill is satisfied with his life, as he has a good job and a stable family with two kids. His word “Sure” shows definitely that he doesn’t love Mary any more and he isn’t in want of recalling the past, which may ever be miserable but meaningless now. Mary’s response is simple but implicit. She is disappointed to know Bill has got married; meanwhile she is too flurried to continue to talk.
Another case in point is the ending, which is the extremely classic part of the short story. When Mary shrieks very loudly “good-by”, it is obvious that she can hardly control herself at the moment of departure. She needs to give vent to her oppressed emotions. Missing the past love, expecting meeting again, regretting the departure, hoping to restart — all that is expressed in a short word. Using the succinct language, the author delineates the characters’ emotional conflicts beneath the calm appearance in the most vivid way.
Moreover, Hughes’ superb writing skills are embodied in the description of details. One example is the second paragraph “Yesterday, walking across Washington Square, she saw him for the first time in years”. The detail “she saw him” indicates that Mare is still immersed in memories of the past and she misses Bill. Therefore she can recognize him immediately. On the other hand, Mary’s unconscious motion reveals that she is anxious to tell Bill she still loves him as before, whereas Bill treats her as an old friend politely. One tries to restart, the other intends to break away from the past. The descriptions of facial expressions and motions explain their different feelings, which is the sharp contrast of their different attitudes towards each other.
In addition, the lively descriptions of the surroundings serve as a foil to the sad mood of the story. This is author’s another exquisite means of expression. There are several instances in this work. For example, the author describes the busy scenery of the Washington Square, which sets off Mary’s sense of loneliness, deep regrets and sorrow caused by despair. At first, she thinks it is lucky to meet him again in New York, such a large city full of so many strangers. However the reality tells her that nothing can be changed. She falls into silence. Standing there at an autumn dusk, she feels desolate and cold. The autumn’s scenery, the sunset and the fallen leaves reflects Mary’s pain in her broken heart. “The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred” means Mary’s eyes are brimming with tears of sadness when they are going to part again. The description is implicit, but so apt to express the character’s emotional struggle, the emotional undercurrents beneath the calm surface.
Overall speaking, Langston Hughes manifests his excellent writing skills in this short story. The succinct language, vivid characters and detailed descriptions, all contribute to make it a classic work.
References:
［1］ Yu Jianhua. Selected Passages For Appreciation & Recitation ［M］. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 1999.
Key words:Langston Hughes;Early Autumn;themecharacters
Langston Hughes’ Early Autumn is a famous short story. The moving plots, vivid characters, and the author’s superb writing skills — that is the merits of this work.
Early Autumn tells a sad love story. The two protagonists Mary and Bill had been in love when they were young. They spend a happy time together, but they depart because of trifles that cause misunderstandings between them. Mary marries a man she really doesn’t love, Bill leave with bitterness. After many years, they meet again in the Washington Square. Mary, who looks old for her age, is pleasantly surprised at the meeting. She makes an effort to revive their love. While Bill, a successful lawyer now, only treats her courteously without sincerity. Finally, with Mary shrieking “Goodbye”, they depart again at an autumn dusk.
The merits of the story lie in a distinctive theme, characters with different features, and also the lively descriptions. The distinctive theme is clearly set from the beginning of the story, which ensures the story to develop in the planned way. The main protagonists are portrayed vividly with characteristics. Mary is impulsive, proud and willful, while Bill indifferent, conceited and hypocritical. Through the implicit words, the facial expressions and the unconscious motions, the protagonists’ different characters are depicted aptly. In addition, the simples plots leave abundant space for readers to imagine, especially for the miserable ending.
One of the outstanding traits in Early Autumn is the succinct language with pregnant meaning. The language seems to be plain but appropriate to reveal the characters’ complicated inner world and emotional conflicts beneath the calm surface. From the beginning of the story, Hughes applies a precise narration of the past. Although the opening paragraph is only few sentences, it reflects the two protagonists’ different features of their personality. As it is stated in the forth sentence “Impulsively, she married a man she thought she loved”, we can perceive the female protagonist’s weakness, such as impulse and pride. Obviously the weakness is an important factor of Mary’s misfortune.
When they meet in the Washington Square many years later, Mary is thrilled and in expectancy. Bill appears to be calm and polite. From their short conversation, it is clear that Bill is satisfied with his life, as he has a good job and a stable family with two kids. His word “Sure” shows definitely that he doesn’t love Mary any more and he isn’t in want of recalling the past, which may ever be miserable but meaningless now. Mary’s response is simple but implicit. She is disappointed to know Bill has got married; meanwhile she is too flurried to continue to talk.
Another case in point is the ending, which is the extremely classic part of the short story. When Mary shrieks very loudly “good-by”, it is obvious that she can hardly control herself at the moment of departure. She needs to give vent to her oppressed emotions. Missing the past love, expecting meeting again, regretting the departure, hoping to restart — all that is expressed in a short word. Using the succinct language, the author delineates the characters’ emotional conflicts beneath the calm appearance in the most vivid way.
Moreover, Hughes’ superb writing skills are embodied in the description of details. One example is the second paragraph “Yesterday, walking across Washington Square, she saw him for the first time in years”. The detail “she saw him” indicates that Mare is still immersed in memories of the past and she misses Bill. Therefore she can recognize him immediately. On the other hand, Mary’s unconscious motion reveals that she is anxious to tell Bill she still loves him as before, whereas Bill treats her as an old friend politely. One tries to restart, the other intends to break away from the past. The descriptions of facial expressions and motions explain their different feelings, which is the sharp contrast of their different attitudes towards each other.
In addition, the lively descriptions of the surroundings serve as a foil to the sad mood of the story. This is author’s another exquisite means of expression. There are several instances in this work. For example, the author describes the busy scenery of the Washington Square, which sets off Mary’s sense of loneliness, deep regrets and sorrow caused by despair. At first, she thinks it is lucky to meet him again in New York, such a large city full of so many strangers. However the reality tells her that nothing can be changed. She falls into silence. Standing there at an autumn dusk, she feels desolate and cold. The autumn’s scenery, the sunset and the fallen leaves reflects Mary’s pain in her broken heart. “The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred” means Mary’s eyes are brimming with tears of sadness when they are going to part again. The description is implicit, but so apt to express the character’s emotional struggle, the emotional undercurrents beneath the calm surface.
Overall speaking, Langston Hughes manifests his excellent writing skills in this short story. The succinct language, vivid characters and detailed descriptions, all contribute to make it a classic work.
References:
［1］ Yu Jianhua. Selected Passages For Appreciation & Recitation ［M］. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 1999.