Introduction
Authors and poets use different approaches to present their stories to audiences. Some authors believe that the best way of educating or warning the public is by using images and characters to describe their societies. The success of an author’s story depends on the integration of fallacy and real-life issues. Janet Frame and Nathaniel Hawthorne describe the theme of brevity using different dimensions in their stories The Bath and The Hollow of the Three Hills respectively. Frame describes the tribulations of an old widow and the courage that encourages her to live. On the other hand, Hawthorne portrays a complete opposite of Frame’s character by describing the life of an elusive woman. Both stories depict life as full of uncertainties and how people manage to solve their problems despite the challenges in society. These stories bring out two different meanings of bravery. Frame describes brevity as the act of facing challenges and having the courage to live and ignore issues that make people hopeless. Hawthorne explains how people use excuses to avoid facing the reality and escape from their problems thinking that they will solve them.
The Bath by Janet Frame
This author believes that people can live happily despite the challenges they face in society. She was brought up in a family that struggled to make ends meet and that is where her courage and creativity were developed. Her story depicts an old widow that takes care of her husband’s grave 17 years after his death. The widow is in her last years and experiences the problems that aged people suffer due to poor health. The author thrills her audiences by creating a last-minute chapter of the character’s life and then giving her life and strength to move on. The courage depicted by this old woman is a lesson to many people that think the death of a spouse marks the end of life. In addition, it paints a positive picture of old age. The widow struggles to do simple activities like bathing, preparing her meals, and traveling to take care of her husband’s grave. She does not let old age or the death of her husband stop her from enjoying life.
The Hollow of the Three Hills by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This writer exposes the weakness of people who think that they can solve their problems by hiding from them. He uses a desperate woman to paint the picture of a failure who thinks that there are shortcuts to making life better. The main focus of this author is on the roles of family in ensuring people live happily. The main character in this story ran away from her husband when their child was sick. She could not sit and wait to see her daughter die. Moreover, she broke her marriage vows and betrayed her husband. Her visit to a witch reminds her that she can never run away from her problems, no matter how fast or far she goes. She fears facing her problems and thinks that they will disappear. Her parents know that she is irresponsible and looking for excuses to frustrate other people. The author portrays her as a coward that thinks running away from her problems will solve them.
Bravery in Both Stories
Frame portrays bravery as a positive aspect that helps people to overcome their problems. Her story describes the challenges of the old lady and makes the audience kill her many times before her actual death. However, the audience is encouraged to read more and know what happens to her. The visits to her husband’s resting place encourage her to live and fight despite the old age taking a toll on her. In addition, the widow finds strength in fighting battles without assistance from friends, relatives, or neighbors. She knows her body is weak and dying, but this does not discourage her from doing what she wants to do. On the other hand, Hawthorne’s story describes the irony of life through a coward. The main character is afraid of her weaknesses and does not want to face and solve problems. She prefers watching the events in her life unfold far from the real world and thinks other people should pay for her weaknesses.
Conclusion
Janet Frame and Nathaniel Hawthorne use different approaches to describe the challenges that people experience in their lives. However, they take different dimensions when it comes to how people solve their problems. Frame advises people to be aware of their situations, face problems, and avoid depending on others for assistance. The old widow would have died if she had relied on other people to help her. On the other hand, Hawthorne ridicules people who think that problems are physical features that can be avoided once they are out of sight. His story criticizes people who ignore their family responsibilities and later blame others for failing to live responsibly. The stories illustrate the importance of brevity in managing challenges that people face.