Bruelty In Katharine Brush's The Birthday Party

In her short story, "The Birthday Party", Katharine Brush depicts the cruelty that many people in this world so curtly reveal. Through her use of imagery, diction, and point of view she is able to send this message across to her audience.

In order to convey her message, Brush implements the use of informal and simplistic diction. For example, she describes the couple as "unmistakably married". She continues by saying "small but glossy birthday cake" and many others. Her word choice helps describe a joyous moment. A moment where a loving wife surprises her husband with a birthday cake. However, later in the story we find that the joyous moment turns into a melancholy incident. Through her use of diction, she is able to create an image

of the story for the reader.
With her word choices, Brush is able to create a vivid image of the setting and the plot. Her detailed descriptions also help structure the setting. For instance, she describes the man with, "... a round, self-satisfied face, with glasses on it". She then describes the women as, "... fadingly pretty, in a big hat". The description of the characters allows us to imagine a normal married couple having dinner. However, as the story continues, the image takes a dark turn. As the man is serenaded with a piano and orchestra solo, and as people applaud him as he receives his birthday cake, Brush states, "... the husband was not pleased. Instead he was hotly embarrassed...I saw him say something to her under his breath-some punishing thing, quick and unkind". Here, we can imagine how angry and embarrassed the husband must have felt. He discreetly verbally punished his wife and made her cry. This image helps the reader realize how some people are not gratifying. Some people respond curtly to others efforts of showing compassion and kindness.
Lastly, Brush also uses point of view. In her story, the narrator's point of view is from the audience. The reader is able to put themselves in the shoes of the narrator. With this, the reader can feel as if they are in the restaurant witnessing the incident. Brush allows the reader the capacity to understand the situation by putting themselves there.
Katherine Brush implemented the use of diction, imagery, and point of view in order to send her message across to her readers.