Analysis on the Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay Example
Analysis on the Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay Example

Analysis on the Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay Example

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  • Pages: 2 (528 words)
  • Published: December 2, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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"The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" is a short story that takes place on the Texas frontier. The story highlights the significance of the setting, which serves as a symbol for the transformations happening in western civilization as the East culture merges with the traditional Old West.

The story demonstrates how change is unavoidable, whether one accepts it or not. The author incorporates symbolism to depict both the traditional and contemporary sides of the West and how the characters are characterized. Part one follows the journey of protagonist Jack Potter who travels from the more developed "old" West to meet and marry a woman from the East who is also more refined. The train serves as a representation of their voyage from the East to the West. Throughout the narrative, new elements such as Jack's "new black clothes

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" and his "watch" (243) represent his transformation into a modern man, distancing himself from the ways of the old West.

The husband is given a name by Crain, but there is no mention of the wife's name. What truly matters is the depiction of a civilization moving towards the west through their marriage. The second and third sections center on the "Weary Gentleman saloon" situated in Yellow Sky (246).

The name of the saloon seems to symbolize exhausted gentlemen, possibly worn out from the ways of the old West. The arrival of the "drummer" (246), a traveling salesman from the East, represents the approach of eastern civilization to the West. The rough antagonist Scratchy then enters the story, as suggested by his name. The bartender is described as "moving like a ghost" (247), potentially reflecting the town's gradual shift

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towards a more civilized, new West. Scratchy is characterized by his maroon-colored flannel shirt, which was purchased for ornamental purposes and made primarily by Jewish women on the East Side of New York (248).

The text implies that despite his attempts at civilization, Scratchy remains connected to the old west. This is suggested by his boots, which are reminiscent of those worn by little boys during winter. Additionally, Scratchy is likened to a spectacle, as though he were a child putting on a show. In part four, Jack and his new bride are described as walking sheepishly, indicating their conscious embarrassment regarding their marriage. Scratchy is also portrayed as possessing serpent-like attributes, such as when he gazes at an apparitional snake and thrusts his venomous revolver forward.

By marrying his new bride, Jack, Scratchy is likened to a creature who has been given a peek into a new world, indicating that he can see civilization gradually taking root in the newly developed West. This realization prompts Scratchy to call off the gunfight as he acknowledges that his place in the old West is no longer tenable and he must embrace more civilized ways of life. The story employs symbolism extensively to depict how the East's civilization is encroaching and transforming the West into a more refined setting. The story's symbolism is primarily observed through its setting and Jack and his new bride's marriage.

Visuals of the characters' attire and the narrator's description in the story can indicate their character.

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