| THEME | SETTING | PLOT AND TITLE | CHARACTER | LITERARY DEVICES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
How is the theme of mortality portrayed in this story?
-Old age and death
-The woman is old, frail and does not have the strength to get out of the bath by herself -Death of the husband shows that nothing lasts forever |
How is the setting of "The Bath" so crucial to the story?
-Chosen as she cannot get out of it and all the themes revolve around it (Fear, Mortality and Loneliness)
-The bath itself is an object of fear for the old woman |
What is the main focus of the plot?
-The struggles the woman faces which include basic tasks like bathing, looking up at the sky, as she is physically and mentally drained.
-To show problems and miseries of old age (husband's death and the bath) |
“If John were here, she thought, if we were sharing out old age, helping each other, this would never have happened.” What does this show about the old woman?
-This shows the love and loyalty of the woman for the old man
-Even after seventeen years she wishes that he was with her -She misses him and hopes he could be here to share memories |
“She longed to find a place beside the graves, in the soft grass, and fall asleep.” How does this idiom show the woman's thoughts
-It shows that the woman wanted to get away from the struggles of life
-She wanted to die peacefully along with her husband |
|
“She panicked and began to cry and strike the sides of the bath.” How does this quote show the theme of fear?
-The old woman is scared as she is frustrated of failing to get out of the bath.
-The bath itself represents fear for the old woman as all her bad thoughts and memories haunt her. |
What kind of atmosphere is created by the bath and how does it make the old woman feel?
-fear and terror
-She feels imprisoned, frustrated and scared. |
What difficulties does the old woman face and how does it make her feel?
- The nameless character finds herself becoming powerless as well as helpless in this world full of terrors and fears.
-Visiting her husband's grave every year (makes her lonely and affects her mentally) -Getting out of the bath (frustrated, scared) |
“I never look at the clouds!” What does this show about the old woman?
-This shows her negativity towards her surroundings and how she’s closed herself up in a corner, out of fear.
-She is old, and has physical problems so can’t look up at the sky |
"Clinging tightly to the slippery yellow stained rim that now seemed more like the edge of a cliff with a deep drop below into the sea..” what effect does this similie and visual imagery have on the reader
-The extent of the comparison makes the reader feel the fear of the old lady and shows the extremeness of her distress and panic
-The reader understands the problems that the lady faces in old age. - Her slow, painful movements portray her perturbed state. |
|
Which theme does the quote "No one heard her, no one in the houses or streets of Dunedin or the world knew that she was imprisoned." and how?
-"No one heard her..." shows the theme of loneliness
-Shows the loneliness as even in times of stress there is nobody to help her out. -Husband died 17 years ago -The bath is like a prison for her |
What atmosphere is created by the grave and what does it show?
-Sadness
-Shows emotions, affection and love of the old woman towards her dead husband -Taken care of the grave for 17 years |
3)What does the title of the story depict or represent and why is named the bath and not the Cemetery?
-The title is centralized around the themes of the story
-It is not named the cemetery as the bath shows the helplessness, misery, loneliness and tyranny of ageing. -The bath is where all her bad memories and thought haunt her |
She had bought the flowers to force herself to make the journey that each year became more hazardous, from the walk to the bus stop, the change of buses at the Octagon, to the bitness of the winds blowing… fall asleep” What do these actions make the reader feel about the woman?
-The usage of strong words such as ‘force’ and ‘hazardous’ makes the reader wonder what is wrong with the woman, because every year despite everything, she makes an effort of visiting her husband’s grave.
-The readers understand how the women is old, and how that is the reason the journey becomes difficult. |
"....No one in the world will hear me. No one will know I'm in the bath and cant get out" What is the literary device and what does it show?
-Anaphora
-Shows the theme of helplessness and loneliness (there is no one to help her out in times of stress and she is helpless herself) -The use of the word no creates a negative effect and shows the fear of the woman while she is stuck in the bath |
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