The role of descriptions of nature in revealing the message of the short story The Untold Lie by Sherwood Anderson

Abstract

The article deals with the descriptions of nature in the short story “The Untold Lie” by Sherwood Anderson and their role in revealing the story’s main idea. In the story under consideration, the descriptions of nature do not merely serve the purpose of creating a background for the events. Unveiling the emotional bond between the protagonist of the story and the landscape around him, the author shows the reader how much the character is affected by the beauty of nature. Recollections of the past evoked by a beautiful landscape around him make the protagonist think about his present life, which results in a feeling of frustration leading to an emotional outburst, a protest against life. The contrast between the beauty of nature and the ugliness of people’s lives helps the reader understand the depth of the protagonist’s despair caused by his unrealized dreams and his inability to be master of his own life.