Literary Elements In Rumor Godden's Fireworks For Elspeth

Rumor Godden wrote “Fireworks for Elspeth” after her experience living with nuns in a convent. The story was published in an anthology with some of her other short stories in 1968. This work was full of literary elements, including theme, conflicts, characterization and methods of characterization, imagery, point of view, and literary devices.
The major theme of “Fireworks for Elspeth was beauty of simplicity. The theme was implied, and it developed in the story through conflict and desire for greater purpose. It was first alluded to when Elspeth contemplated her efforts to enter an Order. “In ours [Elspeth’s family] you would think no one in the world had ever joined an Order before. ‘They make it seem so extraordinary,’ she had said bitterly

to Sister Monica” (Godden, “Fireworks” 497). Elspeth wants to become a nun because she is attracted to the beauty of the lifestyle. She is exasperated that no one in her family understands simplicity as she does and instead sees it as unexpected and peculiar. Elspeth’s mother in particular has difficulty accepting Elspeth’s vocation. “‘What is it that draws you, Elspeth? What is it you see?’ Elspeth took to heart and cast about for words. ‘It’s as if instead of being blown about with life, with all the days and years, you were rooted whole in a whole place’” (502). Elspeth sought to escape the unknowns of the world in favor of spiritual nourishment, tranquility, and definite truth. It was through being a nun that Elspeth could realize the fullness of her person. Her mother still did not understand. “‘But you have a place, a good home,’” (502). While it was true that Elspeth had grown up in a good home that had provided for all of her needs up through that point in her life, the time came when it could no longer support Elspeth and allow her to continue to grow. Despite her love of her family and her home, Elspeth had to move on. But Elspeth’s love only grew with her pursuit of simplicity. “Never, thought Elspeth, had she loved people so much, so compassionately, as when she gave away her possessions. She bent down and kissed her mother. ‘Remember I–I love you just as much,’ she whispered” (503). Elspeth began to become a better person before she reached the convent. Though and was leaving home, she loved her mother at the same deep level as all else. Elspeth recognized the beauty of simplicity and her desire to attain it was strong. “A longing swept over Elspeth; she felt she could not wait” (509). Elspeth’s powerful motivation was necessary for her to reach her goal and was contributory to conflict.
The major conflict in “Fireworks for Elspeth” is man versus society. This main conflict brought about a minor conflict of man versus self. The conflict of man versus society was revealed after Elspeth was upset with herself for hurting he mother. “No wonder they doubt me … this rebellious and un-pleasant girl to make a nun!” (496). “They” was an important term for those who made up society: Elspeth’s family and friends. She had grown up with these people. They knew Elspeth to be a troublemaker, not one they would expect to become a nun (498). Society’s attitudes seemed to be an opposition to Elspeth. “The giggling had been all right; it was the questions, the–feeling against her–that Elspeth could not face” (497). While there was resistance against Elspeth from the beginning, the conflict became tangible for the first time at the lunch party: “but then she saw that everything was different; different in the way their eyes looked at her; the contrast in their voices as they greeted her; they seemed to edge away, draw together against her” (508). The climax of the man versus society conflict came when Elspeth’s choice was directly challenged at the lunch party (510). “She had to stand there before them all, helpless and silent … The drawing room seemed to swim around her; those near voices faded and Mother Dorothea’s, calm, authoritative, directed her: ‘No fireworks’ (510-511). Elspeth knew that she could not use dramatic words to convince society or justify her decision; she could only demonstrate through action and her character. The conflict was resolved immediately following: “Elspeth’s hands unclenched, and as if she had broken the tension, everyone relaxed. The clock ticked, Uncle Arthur cleared his throat, Mother gave a quick little sob and dabbed her eyes. Everywhere conversation broke out” (511).
Elspeth’s difficulties with society led to man versus self, the secondary conflict. “It’s not my doubts, Reverend Mother, it’s theirs. They make me wonder if I’m selfish. Mother, what should I do?” (500). Society, by its doubts, succeeded to a degree in compromising the sanctity of simplicity for Elspeth. The man versus self conflict continued on page 506 when Elspeth said her last goodbyes to Roderick.
If – if I had known what it was like to leave Roderick, perhaps I shouldn’t have gone, thought Elspeth, but that’s disgraceful! What, mind more about a spaniel than Father, more than Mother or Aunt Bevis? … Elspeth saw that it had been dangerous to go near Roderick; she could not trust herself and tears fell on his head and ran, shining, down his black coat.
Elspeth was worried about Roderick and who would take care of him.

The guilt within, manifested by society, confused Elspeth into thinking that she did not care for the people in her life. Elspeth remembered that she was leaving her loved ones and became upset. “‘Don’t you expect me to feel it?’ cried Elspeth, angrily too. ‘Do you think I’m made of stone?’” (507). Internal emotional conflict associated with leaving was difficult for Elspeth to face. Conflict was an effective mode for Godden’s characterization.
The main character of “Fireworks for Elspeth” was Elspeth. Godden used direct characterization to depict Elspeth as a headstrong, nineteen year old girl and the prettiest of her cousins (497-498). However, indirect characterization was used more often. Elspeth sought to be obedient as she worked to become a nun. On page 496, she did not want to have a lunch party, but her mother did; she said that not to have one would make the family look bad.
“Couldn’t they think it was choice?” asked Elspeth … Mother’s … hand trembled and Elspeth … was smitten. Once again she had hurt Mother–for–for nothing, thought Elspeth. When I’m so happy, why can’t I be generous? Why must I always do it? She thought in despair; do what Sister Monica so often said she must not? Trying to impose her own will, instead of

accepting?
Elspeth felt bad for upsetting her mother. She wanted to be better and for people to appreciate why she wanted to be a nun. “Now Elspeth understood. Her firmness shone but she cried, ‘If only I could explain to them, make them see. I–I’m so dumb!’” (500). Elspeth did not believe herself to be competent in helping others to likewise understand. She felt isolated from her friends and family on page 509.
She thought everyone in the room was watching her; ostensibly they were talking to one another, laughing, but they never took their eyes off her. How strange that Colin Crump should be the only one to understand her. Colin and perhaps Aunt Bevis.
An important literary element Godden added to the indirect characterization in the story was imagery.
Imagery in “Fireworks for Elspeth” contributed to both characterization and setting.

“The hand was heavy with the rings Mother always wore: diamonds, rubies, sapphires” indirectly alluded that Elspeth was from a wealthy family (496). “Colin Crump … whose eyes looked owlish still as they glowed into Elspeth’s” indirectly suggested that Colin was intelligent and wore glasses (508). “Jean looked pretty in her new suit. ‘Is it tomato color?’ asked Elspeth. ‘They call it spring red,’ said Jean. ‘It’s bright tomato,’ said Elspeth derisively and then remembered Sister Monica and said ‘It suits you’” (509). The exchange between Elspeth and Jean suggested indirectly that Elspeth was stubborn, yet was trying to remember to be

kind.
The setting was likewise expanded through imagery on page 504.
I want to see the house for the last time, thought Elspeth, the old white walls, the flagged path, the lavender bushes, the slated roof brooding among the trees … the gleam of silver and brass, the polished mahogany; the crystal vases of cut daffodils, the worn red brocade on the seats of the chairs, the Peter Rabbit frieze in the nursery.
The house and landscape gained a dynamic profile. When “Elspeth picked orange and rust primulas, dark crimson, vivid blue and magenta, and arranged them in a great bowl,” she emphasized the need for color paired with the white pudding (504). The yard was given additional detail when “she looked across the lawn, where the daffodils were bending and bobbing along the hedge by the wicket gate that led into the copse” (505). Imagery conveyed detail to “Fireworks for Elspeth”, but the point of view brought perspective.
The point of view in the story was third person limited and Elspeth was the main character. “When Elspeth woke on the last morning, she was visited by a feeling of extraordinary simplicity” (494). The reader knew solely what Elspeth was thinking and feeling, which added separateness between Elspeth and other characters. “Fireworks. That was a funny word for Reverend Mother to use, Elspeth had thought” (500). Internal conflict and desires were also perceptible. “I can’t stand any more. There were only two hours or so before the calm, the peace and sanctity would ring her around and she would be safe, attained, achieved” (507). Point of view affected the reader’s perception of the story, and literary devices were similar.
Simile was the most important literary device in “Fireworks for Elspeth” for describing people’s impressions of one another. Lady Bannerman and her son, Larry, both described Elspeth as “Hard as nails” (499, 507). They both saw Elspeth’s decision to go to a convent as selfish and insensitive because Larry had wanted to marry Elspeth. When Elspeth’s mother said that she would be alone if Elspeth’s father died and then could get ill, Elspeth said that it did not seem likely. Her mother replied that Elspeth was “like marble,” indicating her to be cold and insensitive. Simile was also used to describe the setting. The description “the birds sounded like the convent choir with children’s cherubic singing” suggested that the convent had positive associations and was on Elspeth’s mind. When Elspeth described Roderick, her black cocker spaniel, with “his moods were as dark as his coat” it was illustrated that Roderick was often grumpy and disagreeable.
“Fireworks for Elspeth” by Rumor Godden had many specific literary elements. The work included the major theme of beauty of simplicity in addition to a major conflict of man versus society, supplemented by man versus self. Characterization, with the method of indirect characterization used most regularly, was generally utilized; imagery also developed characterization as well as setting. Third person limited point of view coupled with simile made for a work both perceptive and complex.