Happiness is an emotion that is felt by many people. People learn to obtain it through many means. In the short story “The Metaphor” by Budge Wilson, Charlotte also experienced a variety of different interactions and situations to achieve her happiness. Through the protagonist, the author, Budge Wilson suggests that self-realization is essential for happiness, self realization can result in self-growth and development of identity. Budge Wilson does this through her usage of characters and setting.
Characters are important. They assist the author in emphasizing the message of the story. In “The Metaphor” there are two contrasting characters. There is Ms. Hancock and Charlotte’s mother. The author reveal Ms. Hancock as a “flamboyant” and “overeuthusiatic” person. Charlotte’s mother was the opposite, she was displayed as someone who is “lovely, and flawless”…show more content… This influence how she develope. Budge Wilson wanted the reader to understand that this contrast of role models in the protagonist life, sets up her struggle to figuring out her identity. Without the contradicting personality of Ms. Hancock and the mother, this story would have a different affect on how Charlotte obtain her happiness by coming to terms with the realization that she was in the wrong.
Setting is the essence of a story. The author choose different setting to help aid the reader to comprehend the message of the text. In “The Metaphor” there was a few main ones, such as; her junior high school, her high school, and her home. These places have different effect on Charlotte. For instance, the junior high class was described as backward pupils, who had not embraced “sophistication, boredom, cruelty, drugs, or sex” This class meant freedom,
