Loss In Gwilan's Harp And The Last Leaf

Norman Cousins once said, “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” Although this statement has immense truth, any loss can bring grief and hurt to a person. Whether a loss of a loved one or a possession, losses are challenging to deal with. Three short stories in particular highlight the theme of loss and a moral lesson on overcoming it. In the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, the characters experience great loss.

In “Gwilan’s Harp” by Leguin, Gwilan, a talented harpist, experiences a life full of loss. At the beginning of the story, the author describes Gwilan’s prized harp, and the love she had for it. While traveling to a music competition, Gwilan gets in an accident and unfortunately, her harp is destroyed. The author writes, “She got the case out from under the wheel and opened it, she did not take out a harp, but a piece of wood, and another piece, and a tangle of strings.”(Leguin). This crushed her; she had lost her most prized possession, which she could not replace. Moreover, Gwilan broke her wrist and she temporarily lost the ability to play the harp. The

tragic accident changed her life forever. Clearly, the theme of loss presents itself throughout this short story.
Secondly, the short story “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer displays tragedy.

This story is about a loss of a character instead of a character’s loss. In the story, an old gentile washwoman enters the life of a Jewish family and shows perseverance through difficult times. After the washwoman drops off the load of laundry, the author writes, “She never came back” (Singer). Through the tearful eyes of a Jewish boy, the reader can see how the loss of the old washwoman affected the family. The family not only lost the dedicated service of a hard worker, but also of a loving and gentle friend. As the Jewish boy makes clear, the mother and children seem deeply hurt by the loss of their dedicated washwoman. Thus, the theme of loss presents itself in this short

story.

Lastly, the theme of loss presents itself in the “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. Johnsy, a young painter, grows ill with pneumonia. The doctor says in regards of Johnsy, “Your little lady has made up her mind that she’s not going to get well” (Henry). Because she thinks her last days draw near, Johnsy begins to count the leaves on a vine outside her window. Sadly, the young artist lost the will to live: she tells her best friend and fellow painter, Sue, that when the last leaf falls, she will die. Furthermore, at the end of the story, Old Behrman, the man who indirectly saved Johnsy’s life, dies of pneumonia. Old Behrman helps Johnsy to regain the will to live. Once again, this short story displays the theme of loss continuously.

In conclusion, the theme of loss presents itself throughout these three short stories. Each character experiences a form of loss throughout his or her life. Though some losses seem harder to deal with than others do, each tragedy affects the characters deeply. Of course, every person deals with loss differently. Looking to a Heavenly Father for guidance during a loss will help. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” No matter the loss, God always has his hands outstretched to receive his grieving child.