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anaffpereira's review
4.0
As Hawthorne mentioned, Wakefield is indeed “food for thought”, so I was only able to make some sense out of this short story after I read it twice and exchanged ideas with some colleagues.
Firstly, Hawthorne doesn’t put much in this story – we are given a direct psychological picture of Wakefield, and, through Mrs. Wakefield actions, we can guess her character. Behind that, the narration is really ambiguous – why did Wakefield left home? Why didn’t he come back? Why did he stayed twenty years away from his wife, even though he was secretly living across her street? What was Mrs. Wakefield reaction when, twenty years later, her husband barged in the house they used to share?
I think all Humans have a wish to know what will happen after our death – how will others carry on with their lives after we’re gone? The ones who loved us – will they forget us? Will they move on? Although Wakefield was not a mean man, he is said to be “selfish” and have a “cold (…) heart”, with a tendency to occupy his mind “in long and lazy musings that had no purpose”; so, if I am allowed to fill in Hawthorne’s ambiguity, this might be Wakefield’s wish – to see “how his exemplary wife will endure her widowhood”.
Even though Wakefield was planning his comeback, to witness “his wife clap her hand for joy, on beholding the middle-aged Mr. Wakefield”, he delayed it for very long. Perplexed with the changes that took place during his absence, Wakefield might have felt that he didn’t belong there anymore, that his wife wouldn’t embrace him in his very own house, and that, somehow, everyone had forgotten him and carried on with their lives, while he became a stranger to the ones he held dear.
In the end, that’s what this American classic tells us – life can - and it will – carry on without us. If we isolate ourselves, if we allow ourselves to be left behind, life will outran us, and we will end up alone and forgotten.
Firstly, Hawthorne doesn’t put much in this story – we are given a direct psychological picture of Wakefield, and, through Mrs. Wakefield actions, we can guess her character. Behind that, the narration is really ambiguous – why did Wakefield left home? Why didn’t he come back? Why did he stayed twenty years away from his wife, even though he was secretly living across her street? What was Mrs. Wakefield reaction when, twenty years later, her husband barged in the house they used to share?
I think all Humans have a wish to know what will happen after our death – how will others carry on with their lives after we’re gone? The ones who loved us – will they forget us? Will they move on? Although Wakefield was not a mean man, he is said to be “selfish” and have a “cold (…) heart”, with a tendency to occupy his mind “in long and lazy musings that had no purpose”; so, if I am allowed to fill in Hawthorne’s ambiguity, this might be Wakefield’s wish – to see “how his exemplary wife will endure her widowhood”.
Even though Wakefield was planning his comeback, to witness “his wife clap her hand for joy, on beholding the middle-aged Mr. Wakefield”, he delayed it for very long. Perplexed with the changes that took place during his absence, Wakefield might have felt that he didn’t belong there anymore, that his wife wouldn’t embrace him in his very own house, and that, somehow, everyone had forgotten him and carried on with their lives, while he became a stranger to the ones he held dear.
In the end, that’s what this American classic tells us – life can - and it will – carry on without us. If we isolate ourselves, if we allow ourselves to be left behind, life will outran us, and we will end up alone and forgotten.
bookingonsunshine's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
salam_'s review
4.0
I like this type of stories. Short, but powerful!
Hits you hard, makes you think.
Hits you hard, makes you think.
rainbow1218's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
merricatinthemoon's review
3.0
Estas últimas noches estamos leyendo relatos de misterio y terror en casa, con velas y música fantasmal de fondo y....creo que Wakefield no es el mejor relato para este tipo de veladas. Quizás es demasiado largo para eso o quizá es que no me terminó de gustar la narración...
La cosa es que, aunque se me hizo un poquito tedioso en el momento, reconozco que la historia del estúpido Wakefield se me ha quedado como un runrun dando vueltas en la cabeza. Es interesante e incluso me ha llevado a reflexionar sobre mi vida... ¿No seré yo cómo el patético wakefield prisionera de mí misma e incapaz de cruzar barreras invisibles? Vaya, vaya...
La cosa es que, aunque se me hizo un poquito tedioso en el momento, reconozco que la historia del estúpido Wakefield se me ha quedado como un runrun dando vueltas en la cabeza. Es interesante e incluso me ha llevado a reflexionar sobre mi vida... ¿No seré yo cómo el patético wakefield prisionera de mí misma e incapaz de cruzar barreras invisibles? Vaya, vaya...
laurenbdavis's review
3.0
A strange tale. I love Hawthorne and the interiority of his characters, but in this case I feel as though the story isn't finished. It might only be beginning.
So, for a snippet of something it's marvelous but, as a finished work, it's lacking.
So, for a snippet of something it's marvelous but, as a finished work, it's lacking.
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