- Published: October 3, 2022
- Updated: October 3, 2022
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 35
‘ The Two Old Women’ The novel, ‘ Two Old Women’ is a book or a tale based on issues that affect the society in many ways. It sensitizes the importance of loving and care of old people in society. Additionally, it is tale based on perseverance, will and survival. Basically, the novel involves two old characters who dependently survive by themselves during winter in a completely new environment (pp. 74). It is with great and crucial importance that the author decided to use old characters in this novel. The setting of the novel is very important, in that winter is the harshest weather condition one can survive on their own and at old age. The author was looking for a very remote and intimidating environment to base the tale of two old women.
The environment was very well selected and established. It is the part of the novel that depicted difficulty in the whole book. Apart from the difficult and intimidating environment, the story of survival and perseverance would be of no logic. The timing of the novel was very crucial and the author did an exceptional job in the timing of her book. It is the olden times of the novel that gave the tale logic in terms of few and scattered communities of people. It is also in the olden days that cannibals existed and held so much significant to people (pp. 98). In the novel cannibals were a feared lot. It also with the migrations made by characters in the novel made the timing of the tale exceptional.
Apart from the setting of the novel, it is with great appreciation that I would recommend the novel to the modern society. In the novel, there was the depiction of laziness as a weakness. By strength, will and hard work that the two old women managed to survive during winter. This is a challenge to individuals who may use their weaknesses to avoid responsibility and seek attention. In my opinion, this fact created the most significant part of the novel. The choice of the vice by the author was exceptional. The author also focuses on society ties, betrayal and expectations.
In the novel, the two old women were betrayed since they could not fulfill the tribe’s expectations of fitness (pp. 76). The authors mind was relating the struggles by the old population and the society reaction to their old age. At the conclusion of the novel the author expresses the apologetic feeling of the tribe when they found out the two women were still alive. This is a depiction of regret when we do not do the right thing.
In the modern day society the novel still hold significance since we witness large numbers of old people being abandoned in homes. The book was also a relation to what was happening and what will happen in the future. In my opinion the author had realized that the old population has started being excluded from the rest of the society. The novel holds much significance to old people and also the young. Despite our weaknesses and betrayal from persons we love, survival is the only way to prove our worth in society.
Works cited
Wallis, Velma. Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival. Washington: Epicenter Press. 2004. Print.