'The Washwoman' By Isaac Bashevis Singer

Life of the Lifeless Few stories create such wonderful characterizations as these stories. The “Washwoman” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, is a brilliantly written story with a wonderful characterization creating a living being out of something that clearly cannot live. Gwillans Harp by Ursula K, Le Guin has a beautiful moral with breathtaking writing that makes one think deeper about life. The “Last Leaf” is a far better story than most; it contains hopes, dreams, and surprise all combining into one great story that makes your heart transport straight into the story. In the wonderful book “The Washwoman” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, there are many wonderful writing techniques but there is one that stands above the rest. In the story an old Gentile woman takes and cleans the laundry for a Jewish family. Cleaning to the epitome of perfection she earns the Jews favor. One day the washwoman takes the clothes but doesn’t return for several weeks, and the Jewish family assumes the worst and mourns the death of a wonderful woman. Suddenly one day the washwoman knocks on the door and tells them how she almost died but the unfinished laundry refused to let her die. The story makes the laundry into a physical being that lives and helps keep the

Le Guin there is an unsuspecting character that is added into the story. In the story the main character, Gwillan, is a harpist with no player being her equal, playing a harp that was passed down from her mother. This harp is the pinnacle of craftsmanship created in every way perfect, with no other harp playing as smoothly or as easily as Gwillans harp. One day traveling down a bumpy road the carriage she is riding in ends up falling over breaking both Gwillans wrist and her harp. Once the harp shatters it is portrayed the last connection to her mother also shatters. The harp becomes the embodiment of her mother and in its shattering it also makes her feel the loss of her mother once