Isolation In The Painted Door

“The Biggest Weakness”

The Canadian Prairies are notorious for its winter’s harsh, unforgiving climate. They represent not only humankind’s perseverance for survival, but unrelenting isolation, and the despair that can follow. In “The Painted Door” by Sinclair Ross, a discontent housewife gives into temptation after being left alone by her husband. A person will attempt to defy isolation, because when left alone, they will give in to temptatious thoughts, affecting their view on their relationships. Physical solitude will dictate if an individual choose to give into temptation, and when they do, it will change their amorous affairs forever. An individual’s independent reflection after giving into temptation will reveal their true feelings,

making them decide on what they really want, altering how they view people around them. Ross develops the idea that isolation will influence how one will act on their temptations, because seclusion reveals one’s true attractions to the point where they make decisions that transform the outcome of their lives.

When faced with isolation, Ann resists, because if she chooses to accept her emotional confinement, she will ultimately accept her temptations thoughts, altering how she sees her relationships. Ann attempts to keep herself busy, to do “something to stave off the gathering cold and loneliness.” Even though she is left alone, Ann tries to stay mentally occupied, so that she does not have to feel alone. For years she tolerates being away from her husband, but now the emotional consequences are slowly eating at her. She’s so desperate for human connection, she resorts to saying “That’s all I need, someone to talk to.” After years of discontentment and life used to being social and happy, she now resorts to relying on basic social conventions to keep her sane. When she looks at her old life juxtaposed with her current isolation, she realizes that the drastic change of lifestyle made her resent her life. She believes if she is no longer emotionally secluded, she does not have to face her temptations thoughts. Ann is so determined to ward off the inevitable temptation, she goes as far as tediously painting the door, even though its paint cannot stick in the winter. She realizes that her limit is reaching its peak, and if she does not remain to busy to fight off accepting her isolation, her temptations thoughts will come and she will have to face them, saying “I married him….I mustn’t keep on this way.” Her loyalty to John motivates her to ward off the lustful thoughts that have already sprung in her mind. Driven by guilt, she goes on to think “It was just an effort to…justify her rebellious thoughts, to prove John responsible for her unhappiness” Ann’s choice to give into her longing has made her see John in a different light. Although she has already submitted to her lust, she is still remorseful that she stooped to such a low even though her desolation pushed her. Despite her best efforts to deny it, she understands that she has been alone for too long and the thoughts she tries to keep away will come. No matter how hard she rejects it, her constant abandonment by John has made her inquisitive towards temptation. She oppresses her thoughts for years and continues to do so, because she refuses to let temptation win, although she realizes it is futile. However, she reaches her breaking point and faces the “Thoughts that outstripped her words, that left her alone again with herself and the ever-lurking silence.” She gives into her isolation, and ultimately her temptation. Her mind endured emotional seclusion to the point that she gave into her intrinsic human desires. The act of conceding to her isolation and temptatious thoughts changes Ann completely, as she realizes that she is unhappy with John and wants something more from life, that another man might be the solution to her isolation and longing. The moment she surrendered to her desirous thoughts, it transforms her outlook on her relationships, apprehending that her constant isolation has made her long for someone else. When her mental isolation pushes her to face these thoughts of attraction, she realizes her desire for Steven, which leads to inner turmoil on whether to choose to act on it.

Ann’s physical separation and isolation from John creates opportunity for her to act on her temptations.

When Steven arrives, they are isolated together in the house, which allows Ann to truly give into her attraction. However, she insists that John will return, saying “He always comes.” John’s isolation from Ann greatly influences if she chooses temptation or not. If John came back, she could not have the freedom to choose Steven, as they would no longer be isolated. She hopes John will not return home, worrying that “it really might be John at the door.” Ann actively desires the isolation with Steven, so she can give into her temptation, reassured that there will be no consequence. Initially, Ann insists that John will come back so she does not have to be alone with Steven. If she accepts that she is alone with Steven and that they are isolated together, there will be nothing stopping her from following her temptation, as she already gave into her thoughts. As the night progresses, her temptation makes her cave into choosing him. However, the final push was the reassurance that John was not coming back and it was just Ann and Steven, alone together. When she conclusively decides to act on her temptation, she sees Steven differently, realizing “his smile…there seemed a kind of warmth…instead of his smile it was she had changed.” Their isolation is the deciding factor. If they weren’t alone together, Ann’s temptation would not have taken control and would not have changed

how she thought of Steven. In the beginning of the night she saw the bad qualities in him, but as they spent more time alone, his repulsive traits transform into attractive qualities. Without the storm, Ann would not have to face Steven alone, and consequently, the temptation that grew from her isolation would not have grown to such proportions. Because John is away from Ann, which leaves her and Steven alone, it creates the chance for Ann to be reassured into accepting her temptations. Ann acknowledges that Steven is arrogant and unloving, but with her temptation so strong, and the chances of them being caught due to their isolation small, she subconsciously makes the decision to act. This isolation driven infidelity will lead Ann to making a drastic decision that will affect her marriage in a way she never imagined.

After giving into temptation, Ann’s solitary reflection makes her realize her true feelings.

After sleeping with Steven, she alone thinks about John, admitting she “In retrospect, found them to be years of worth and dignity, until crushed by it all at last.” When she looks back, she realizes that her temptation ruined her marriage with John, making her regret her decision. Influenced by temptation, her marriage, which she now thinks of in a new light, is “crushed by it all.” it is from her private thoughts, which she isolated and kept away, that she finds new desire for her marriage. She was so certain that giving into her temptation with Steven was right, but when she thinks about her choice, she realizes that she had made a horrible mistake, that the “sense of guilt that even her new-found and challenged womanhood could not entirely quell.” in her isolation, she realizes that her love for John is greater than her temptation. She recognizes while standing alone, that temptation did not solve her loneliness. Even now, she is still isolated. Blinded by her isolation, she acts on her subsequent temptation. She comes to terms with these feelings by herself, accepting that her temptation was only temporary and her choices might have lead to the destruction of her marriage. When she goes back to Steven, she thinks “It would be easier were he awake now with her, sharing her guilt….she came to understand that for him no guilt existed.” she learns that Steven will never face

consequences, that it is her alone that can atone for her unfaithful actions, that she must do it herself. She comes to terms on her own that her desire for Steven subsided and she no longer wants to act on it. Her singular passion for Steven pales in comparison to John. This changes how she views John and her marriage, and instead of following her temptation, she chooses to stay with John. In her private thoughts, she finds her true feelings on temptation and her marriage, and chooses to pursue her marriage, believing that it holds more value than to follow her temptation, which is now merely empty passion sprung from isolation. She shoulders the guilt and burden on herself, facing the consequences of her isolation driven temptation alone.

Ross develops the idea that isolation affects how an individual views their temptation, because a person’s solitude makes them face their temptations, which results in their downfall. An individual will fight isolation, in order to prevent facing their temptatious thoughts when they’re alone. An person’s physical isolation will drive their decision to act on their temptations. When one reflects on their temptation after acting on it, they will come to realizations on how they truly feel. “The Painted Door” tells the story of how acting on isolation-driven temptation can change your life forever. In those cold prairie fields, the isolation and melancholy can drive anyone to making decisions they’ll regret.