Characterization of Granny Weatherall from The Jilting of Granny Essay

Characterization of Granny Weatherall from The Jilting of Granny Weatherall - Essay Example she was jilted away from her desired path because of collapsing relationships, and this may be the reason why she got projected as hypercritical and callous. Granny suffers from an unvarying series of hurt which make her intensely bitter. This is the largest obstacle in Granny’s life. She longs to overcome the challenges in her life and imagines herself as a perfectionist fulfilling all her duties to please herself and her family. This makes the plot even more ironic. The reference to light and dark directs the readers to the religious symbolism used in the story which allows them to decipher Granny’s flashbacks from her present life. Religion played a strong role in Granny’s life. She staunchly believes that death is inevitable and that she should be prepared for it. She imagines herself floating as she dies and goes to heaven. She believes that if she is not directed to heaven she will feel herself descending back on earth. Whether she utters a prayer in her mind or not she is heard praying and thanking â€Å"God for all my life I thank Thee. Without Thee, my God, I could never have done it† (Porter 1965). Granny Weatherall, however, seems to be upset with God in the last hours of her life for reminding her of the dreadful past she always wanted to forget. â€Å"There was the day  .  .  . but a whirl of dark smoke rose and covered it, crept up and over into the bright field where everything was planted so carefully in orderly rows. That was hell.  .  .  . For sixty years she had prayed against remembering him and against losing her soul in the deep pit of hell.  .  .  .†Ã‚  (Porter 1965) During dark hours Granny felt her thoughts falling prey to confusion. The â€Å"jilting† becomes Granny’s own life as each time she attempts to overcome hardships another one is on her way like a bolt. The very first shock of her life was the time when she was standing in the church as a bride and her fiancà © didn’t turn up for her. This moment makes her weak but she has