Blog #4: The Tenth of January

First of all I found this story very upsetting and depressing. The sad thing is I feel as though this story depicts life in a real more dramatic way as it deals with social injustice. I want to talk about the plot of the story, even though plot may seem boring, I found it interesting as it was a roller coaster of a story. It begins with almost a background of the main character, Asenath Martyn, and right off the bat I noticed foreshadowing in the fifth paragraph. It says, “The best thing about one’s grave is that it will be level” (Phelps 1). It foreshadows the way she dies at the end under the ruble in the fire, she is lying down, I imagine, and level with the earth. The story begins somber and dreary as the narrator explains the abuse of Asenath’s mother, but then picks up as Asenath and Richard’s love begins to form. Then right as you feel giddy and happy for Asenath you read that Richard and Asenath’s friend, Del Ivory, are in real love. Richard is merely marrying Asenath because he feels sorry for her, and thinks no one else with marry her so he should out of pity and kindness. Then Asenath sees Richard and Del in the park and over hears their conversation oh Richard is only marrying Del because he feels sorry for her, and that he truly loves Del. Asenath wishes and looks at the way Dick looks at Del and longs for him to look at her in the same way. Then time passes and instead of breaking up or leaving Dick, Asenath stay with him. Time passes and we are returned to a day in the factory where Asenath and Del work. Tragedy hits as a fire burns the building to the ground claiming the life of Asenath. I found this part very depressing and dreadful as I read this all I could was picture it as a movie as it was so dramatic and ironic. It also reminded me that beauty means many things, there are physically beautiful people and there are beautiful spirits and personalities. I found Asenath to have a beautiful personality and spirit and I wish she had lived in the end to prove a point that looks aren’t everything.