“The Painted Door” is a literary tale that describes the tension in the relationship between a farmer and his bride. It divulges their lack of commitment, which results in an unhappy marriage. Ann, the protagonist of the story, tries to connect with others, instead of living in solitude. John is the antagonist, who is an introverted male and fails to satisfy his wife's emotional needs. The story revolves around Ann, who resides in a country house and is left alone, while her husband struggles with the environment to visit his father. Ann seeks consolation from Steven, John's handsome friend. Furthermore, Ann's infidelity is perceived as the main cause of John's death. Throughout the text, the author explores two main themes; isolation versus connection and man versus woman (gender roles). A wide range of literary devices such as irony, pathetic fallacy, foreshadowing, and symbolism are used to enhance overall themes, as well as characterization and tone. Overall, “The Painted Door” essentially represents the conflicts between a male and a female and their lack of communication to resolve their differences. The theme of the text reinforces the overall concept of the story, along with the development of the characters' personalities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay “The Painted Door” is primarily character-focused, which essentially implies that the story gives importance to the characters and their personalities, rather than the physical events. It is clear that Ann is the protagonist of the story and is selfish. She is firm in saying that “John is responsible for his unhappiness… and his firmness reproaches his vanity”. Ann is unable to express her frustration with others and believes she is trapped in an unhealthy relationship. Ann is a dynamic character, as she is an unhappy wife towards the beginning of the text and a sorry widow towards the end. John is perceived as an unambitious, stereotypical and altruistic farmer. He is the antagonist, as he does not satisfy Ann's needs. Steven is another important character in the story. He is seen as a reassuring male figure to Ann; however, he is a static and flat character, as the author does not deeply emphasize his perspective. Two recurring themes present throughout the story are isolation versus connection and masculinity versus femininity. The “Painted Door” revolves around an isolated environment. Ann struggles to seek comfort as the physical environment itself is in a harsh, rural setting. For example, “the distant farms he could see only serve to intensify his sense of isolation.” The landscape reflects and builds on Ann's isolation. Ann encounters loneliness while on her farm and imagines attending local dances, inviting guests, and playing cards. He states: “'A few hours and they will be here'”. It is evident that Ann is desperate for human connections with other individuals. Because Ann is unable to express her feelings to others, to obtain affection and advice from an outside voice, she longs to be sociable. Socialization plays a vital role in an individual's physical and mental health. Provides general relief of satisfaction; however, Ann lacks social interaction, which is believed to have a large impact on other aspects of her life as well. It is observed that John prefers visiting his father rather than comforting Ann, which ultimately leads to him losing his wife forever, after her death. On the contrary, in Ann's case, infidelity plays a more important role than loyalty, which causes her to lose her husband for eternity. Regardless of how close or distant a couple is within a relationship, the authorplaces importance on isolation and how an individual lives and dies alone. Isolation is seen as a superior “figure” and claims to devastate relationships. “The Painted Door” is passionate about portraying the stereotypical roles of a man and a woman. The contrast between masculinity and femininity and the tension of gender roles are the main source of conflict in the text. Ann believes that she should be a grateful wife to a loyal husband, who assists her with all her physical needs. As Ann mentions, “It will mean two more miles if you do it. You will be cold and tired enough as it is. When you're gone, I think I'll paint the kitchen woodwork.” A clear connection is drawn, as Ann is characterized in the role of a traditional housewife, who sacrifices herself for her husband. Self-sacrifice does not create communication of feelings between both partners, which puts a strain on the marriage. John treats Ann as a stereotypical woman who assumes that "nice clothes for her" bring her happiness; however, it prevents you from seeing your wife's unhappiness, which only brings frustration and resentment into the relationship. As John states: “You won't need to go near the barn. Now everything is fed and watered to last until night,” John is solely concerned with Ann's physical well-being. He does not attach any meaning to his emotions and sense of isolation, which leads to disconnection. Ann opens herself up to a different company through a different female role and by being with a man with distinct masculine characteristics. With Steven she is flirtatious, eager and lively. Ann appreciates Steven's presence and brings out his open nature. It is clear that rigid stereotypical gender roles develop conflicts. In summary, the author develops stereotypical characters that enhance the themes present in the story. The author argues that for a relationship to be successful, there must be a connection and a feeling of inclusiveness. Overbearing gender roles deprive communication and engagement, resulting in unresolved differences. Multiple figurative tools are used to give greater effectiveness to the tone, characters and theme of the story. Devices such as irony, pathetic fallacy, and foreshadowing are believed to give emphasis to what the author conveys in the text. The author matches Ann's internal conflicts and emotions to the storm; both were growing angry. As the story emerges further and the storm intensifies, Ann succumbs to infidelity and sleeps with Steven. The next morning the storm passed. Connotatively, he compares Ann's emotions from furious and impatient, to remorse and guilt. Verbal irony is used to express Ann's concerns, as she states, "Plenty to eat - plenty of wood to keep me warm - what more can a woman ask for?" Ann uses sarcasm when expressing her opinion about stepping away from the traditional role of wife. By using this statement, she emphasizes her need for a stronger emotional bond with her husband. Foreshadowing occurs when Ann is awakened from a dream after sleeping with Steven. Ann sees a “glimmer of light that reveals John's face. And in it there is no trace of threat or anger, but a calm and stony desperation.” She is surprised after dreaming that John witnesses her affair; but only at the end does it come to light that the series of events in Ann's dreams are true. The paint stain on John's palms confirms that he sees Ann in bed, and he immediately leaves in despair. The tone can be drawn from the story, analyzing the common mood reflected by the literary devices. “The Painted Door” is sad, lonely and includes the absence of happiness. As in the case of the pathetic mistake, time plays a crucial role in portraying the dark emotions of the characters. The choice of words from.