Short Fiction · Theme
Nature and Desolation
How Short Fiction develops Nature and Desolation.
The Encantadas are depicted as a barren, unchanging wasteland, serving as a powerful symbol of desolation and the absence of life or hope, contrasting with the romanticized view of nature and emphasizing the harshness of the natural world.
Where it surfaces
- Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!
The bleak, misty landscape and the narrator's initial despair contrast with the life-affirming crow of the cock, highlighting nature's dual role.
- The Encantadas
The volcanic, barren landscape of the islands mirrors the desolation of human experience, with nature portrayed as both indifferent and hostile.
- Sketch First: The Isles at Large
The Encantadas are depicted as a place of extreme desolation, with no seasons, no rain, and only reptile life, emphasizing nature's most barren and unforgiving aspect.
- Sketch Second: Two Sides to a Tortoise
The tortoises are depicted as ancient, moss-covered creatures emerging from a volcanic, desolate landscape, emphasizing the harsh and primeval nature of the Encantadas.
- Sketch Third: Rock Rodondo
The rock is depicted as a solitary, desolate tower in the vast ocean, teeming with wild, untamed life, highlighting the harshness and isolation of the natural world.
- Sketch Fourth: A Pisgah View from the Rock
The stark, barren landscapes of Albemarle and Narborough, with their volcanic rock, black caves, and lack of human inhabitants, emphasize the theme of desolation.
- Sketch Fifth: The Frigate, and Ship Flyaway
The perilous encounter with Rock Rodondo and the eerie calm that nearly destroys the frigate highlight the hostile and desolate power of the natural environment.
- Sketch Sixth: Barrington Isle and the Buccaneers
The isle's tranquil, natural beauty contrasts with the violent history of its buccaneer inhabitants, highlighting the coexistence of peace and brutality.
- Sketch Eighth: Norfolk Isle and the Chola Widow
The barren, blighted landscape of the Encantadas and the harsh conditions Hunilla endures highlight the theme of nature's desolation.
- Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus
The volcanic landscape of Hood's Isle is described as blasted and desolate, mirroring Oberlus's own corrupted nature.
- Sketch Tenth: Runaways, Castaways, Solitaries, Gravestones, etc.
The harsh, barren landscape of the Enchanted Isles—scorching sun, lack of water, and tangled interiors—dominates the chapter, emphasizing the unforgiving power of nature.
- The Tartarus of Maids
The bleak, frozen landscape and the hellish hollow of the Devil's Dungeon emphasize a desolate, hostile natural environment.
