A+lamp+at+Noon

The point of view in "A lamp at Noon," is third person, limited omniscient because we are told the story using "she, he, they" and the narrator does not tell us where the characters are at all times. Especially not when the wife runs away.
 * Point of View: **

In this story, I think the protagonist is the wife of Paul, Ellen.
 * Protagonist: **

Ellen is a round and dynamic character.
 * What type of character is the Protagonist? **

Her husband, Paul.
 * Antagonist: **

This story takes place in the 1930's Dust Bowl, in the central area of the United states. The two characters are living in a farm that has been broken and swept away by the winds, in a dark, desolate country side. Everyone is sad, scared and worried about the future, and the health of the ones they care about.
 * Describe the setting (Time, Place, Mood and Atmosphere) **

Man vs. Man
 * Type of Conflict: **

Because of the raging dust bowl, Ellen is fighting against her husband's wishes to stay to go to the west and live with her parents. Paul wants to stay and hopes that the storm will cease enough to let him grow crops, and refuses to listen to his wife, even though she is right. This decision to not listen to her endangers their lives and the life of their child.
 * Describe the main conflict: **

When Paul is in the work shed, he suddenly becomes very aware that something is wrong. He keeps hearing Helen's voice in his ear, telling him about the storm and how they need to leave. He then runs home and realizes that his wife and child have left him and run out.
 * Describe the Climax of the Story: **

In the beginning of the story, Ellen was a passive, quiet wife, always caring for her husband, fretting over her child and worrying about their future. But as the story progresses, she expresses her need to leave, to have a better life in a safer place, even if it was against her husband`s wishes. In the end, she decides to run, leave her husband and take the child, thinking that the only way they could ever be happy again is to leave. She makes her own decisions, judgement and becomes her own person.
 * How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? **

The theme of the story is this awful dust storm that ravages the lives of our characters. Nature`s ruling above all else. This is emphasized in the tile "a Lamp at Noon" because the world outside was so bleak that it was not even bright enough for the middle of the day, and therefore they had to light a lamp at noon.
 * Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. **

The argument between Helen and Paul is worsened by the horrible storm. Helen and Paul's lives are made unbearable by the winds and dust, and they are at mercy because their dying crops and animals are affected by it as well.
 * How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? **

In a way, Helen running away is her breaking point. She feels hopeless because of the storm that has already ruined her life so much, and feels that the only way to survive is to run away.
 * How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? **


 * Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes): **

"the sunset smouldered like a distant fire."
 * Simile: **

"Wide like that they had looked out to the deepening ruin of the storm" She is saying that the storm is a deepening ruin.
 * Metaphor: **

"The sun raced like a wizened orange"
 * Personification: **

"You said tonight we'd see the storm go down. So still now, and a red sky - it means tomorrow will be fine." The sun is a symbol of the dust settling, and the storm ending. In a way, it means that things will get better for them.
 * Symbol: **


 * Foreshadowing (give both elements): **

"And always the wind, the creak of walls, the wild lip-less wailing through the loft. Until at last as he stood there, staring into the livid face before him, it seemed that this scream of wind was a cry from her parched and frantic lips. He knew it couldn't be, he knew that she was safe within the house, but still the wind persisted as a woman's cry. The cry of a woman with eyes like those that watched him through the dark. Eyes that were mad now - lips that even as they cried still pleaded, "See Paul - I stand like this all day. I just stand still - so caged! **If I could only run!**" "

This is foreshadowing that she is going to leave him and run away.

The irony is when Paul goes out of his shed to find the land barren, gray and dead. As a farmer, he should understand that the earth is dead and that nothing can be grown anymore, but he still persists with wanting to grow more and more crops.
 * Irony: **

"For soon again the first deep sense of quiet and peace was shrunken to the battered shelter of the stable. Instead of release from the assaulting wind, the walls were but a feeble stand against it. They creaked and sawed as if the fingers of a giant hand were tightening to collapse them; the empty loft sustained a pipe like cry that rose and fell but never ended."
 * Imagery: **

Responding:

1. "//A little before noon she lit the lamp. Demented wind fled keening past the house: a wail through the eaves that died every minute or two. Three days now without respite it had held. The dust was thickening to an impenetrable fog."//

The mood in the story The Lamp at Noon is dark, gloomy and almost hidden behind the dust you could say. Its like the rest of the character's worlds are blurred and unseen. But it is sad, desperate and tense within the house of Ellen and Paul.

2. The ending of this story is pessimistic. The storm is over for a while, but the lives of Ellen and Paul are about to crumble with the newly found death of their son. Their lives can never be the same, and the dust storms will come back to ultimately ruin them.

3. While Paul is in the shed working away, Ellen decides to leave her farm with her son in her arms and run away.She feels that it is the only way they will ever be safe and sound, since Paul is intent on staying at the farm. One might believe that the situation could be avoided. Paul could have decided to do away with his dreams of a great farm and left with them to California, and since Ellen was taking such care of their son, he would not have fallen ill and died because he would be moved to a safer environment.

4.The character I feel most sympathy for is Ellen. She truly believes that leaving would be the reasonable choice for their situation, but no matter how many times she tells Paul, he beats down the idea and forces her to stay. She was scared and worried for her son, her husband and herself, and knew deep down that the situation would eventually kill them.

5. The author, Sinclair Ross, is stating that the Depression had devastating effects on families and lovers. The differing opinions would tear them apart because they both strongly believed in what was right for them, even though sometimes were clearly wrong.

Character Sketch Assignment

Choose one of the two characters listed below from “The Lamp at Noon” and complete the prewriting activity before writing the character sketch. Ellen

Choose three words that describe the inner workings of Ellen.

1. Fragile

2. Family Oriented

3. Brave

Find three pieces of evidence to support your describing word choices. Include at least one quote. In the story "The lamp at noon," we find out that people can appear to have a strong front, but once that is broken, they will try to do everything possible to survive. When she runs away with her son, we realize that it was her last resort. Although she was compliant to everything Paul asked her to do, her mentality broke down and she was forced to act out of instinct. Ellen has one child who she loves immensely. All throughout the storm, she worries and frets over him, covering him with blankets and sheets to protect him from the dust. Even though she and Paul are arguing almost as soon as he comes through the door, we can assume that she loves him just as much. She will do anything for her family, even if that means sacrificing herself. //"The baby started to cry. He was lying in a homemade crib over which she had arranged a tent of muslin." "She would have liked to rock him, feel the comfort of his little body in her arms, but a fear had obsessed her that in the dust-filled air he might contact pneumonia."// And finally, Ellen is a very brave woman. She was willing to leave her secure, safe home to face the wild untamed storms for the safety of herself and her child. Although one may think that might of been reckless and idiotic, what she did was also desperate and out of self preservation. Fighting her way through the storm, she protected her child to the bitter end, and that was a great act of bravery.

1. Literary Devices

Content: 15/15


 * required elements
 * accurate interpretation
 * support as required

Completion: 5/5

2. Response Questions 5/5


 * accurate interpretation
 * convincing support
 * completion

3. Character Sketch:

prewriting activity 1.5/3

6 Point Writing Scale X 2 = 9/12

Total: 30.5/40