The+Jilting+of+Granny+Weatherall

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"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall", written by Katherine Anne Porter, combines many Modernism techniques to make an excellent Modernism poem. The poem follows the Modernism style by setting the mood in a sad and harsh tone. This is important to Modernism because the typical Modernism poem shows hardship and difficulty experienced by the characters. It even has the conventional Modernism hero, in this case Ellen Weatherall, who lives a difficult life filled with many hardships. The Modernism hero generally is not given many physical descriptions which sets them apart from other writing eras. Porter uses many of the major influences of her life in her poem which help to make the poem original. "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall is a prime example of Modernism writing.

"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" is set in a sad setting where the reader experiences much of the same hardship as the characters. Granny Weatherall is lying in her deathbed reflecting on the major events of her life (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). The reader is able to gain a perspective on the important aspects of her life while she experiences brief memories of each event. It is typical of a Modernism poem to show more suffering and hardship as opposed to happiness and an easy lifestyle. Granny Weatherall is forced to remember many events from her long life while she is lying in her deathbed (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). From Granny Weatherall's memories, it is evident that she has had to overcome many obstacles in her life ("Katherine Anne Porter's Artistry and Vision in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," "Flowering Judas," and Pale Horse, Pale Rider"). This is important to Modernism poems because this style of writing sets them apart from other poems. Granny Weatherall relieves her most difficult moments such as being sick, raising her children, building her own fences, healing her horses when they were sick, and taking care of her house in difficult times. These difficult experiences help shape the Modernism characters, such as Ellen Weatherall, into who they are in the poem (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). The very setting is a despairing one for any poem, because the story begins with Granny Weatherall lying on her deathbed and it is quickly understood that she will soon die (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). This is intended to show that the poem is filled with a certain sorrow and that the characters will have a difficult time. Granny Weatherall must face the difficult experience of having her life flash before her eyes and reflect upon her whole life (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall).

Ellen Weatherall is an excellent example of a Modernism hero. This is because she is not given much physical description in the poem. The only thing understood is that she is old and about to die (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). This represents Modernism writing because the typical Modernism hero is not described very much by the author (What is Modernism?). Porter does not provide the reader with much of a description for Granny Weatherall, but instead allows the reader to make inferences as to her descriptions. Porter also shows that Granny Weatherall is tough, which is another important Modernism quality. Modernism writing is based off of topics such as World War One, The Great Depression, and other difficult experiences of this particular time period. Therefore, the typical Modernism hero is strong and able to endure a great amount of hardship (What is Modernism?). Granny Weatherall is a very tough and enduring character and this is very evident from the flashbacks she experiences. She survived being sick many times, raising her children, building her own fence, and being jilted at her wedding when her fiance never showed up to the wedding (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). Even while lying on her death bed, she refuses to believe that she is dying. She makes a plan for what chores she needs to complete in the next few days, along with trying to convince the doctor that she is not sick. She truly believes that she will be better in a few days and everything will get back to normal (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). This shows that she is tough and will find a way to survive hardship ("Katherine Anne Porter's Artistry and Vision in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," "Flowering Judas," and Pale Horse, Pale Rider").

Katherine Anne Porter used many of her personal experiences and influences on her life in this poem. When she was young, her mother died and her father was very neglectful towards her (Katherine Anne Porter). Her mother's death was an important impact on her life that she used to great effect in this poem (Critical Response for the Jilting of Granny Weatherall). Porter shows her situation during her mother's death, even though she was young, through Granny Weatherall's daughter (Katherine Anne Porter). the daughter is forced to watch her mother lie in her death bed virtually unable to do anything about the situation. This was Porter's way of showing how helpless she felt when her mother was dying and how she was unable to do anything about it (Katherine Anne Porter). Katherine Porter had four marriages overall in her life (Katherine Anne Porter). These marriages were an important part in her life which she showed through this poem. She portrays her marriage frustrations through Granny Weatherall's first fiance that ends up getting cold feet and leaving her at the alter ("Katherine Anne Porter's Artistry and Vision in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," "Flowering Judas," and Pale Horse, Pale Rider."). Although Granny Weatherall does not admit it, it is very clear that one of her greatest regrets in life was being left by her first fiance. Porter was also very unhappy with her marriages and she showed this in her poem. ("Katherine Anne Porter's Artistry and Vision in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," "Flowering Judas," and Pale Horse, Pale Rider."). When compared to T.S. Eliot, another Modernism writer, Porter has a very similar writing style. Porter and Eliot both focus on the hardship experienced in life. Eliot shows this in his poem, "The Journey of the Magi", where the Magi is on a perilous journey filled with many difficulties he must overcome (The Journey of the Magi). The Magi is unsure of himself during his journey but ultimately reaches the valley he is searching for and arrives safely. This poem is filled with difficulty but ends with a more positive theme of success on the part of the Magi (The Journey of the Magi). Porter shows this more positive theme buried beneath the hardship through the life of Granny Weatherall (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall). Granny Weatherall has flashbacks of memories throughout her life. Many of them are bad memories she wishes she could forget but also, many of them are happy memories. These reinforce the fact that she has lived a long and prosperous life, giving the story a positive and uplifting hidden theme (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall).

Katherin Anne Porter used many Modernism qualities in her poem to portray the life and death of Ellen Weatherall. She uses the typical Modernism setting and tone through Ellen Weatherall lying in her deathbed. She gave Granny Weatherall man common Modernism qualities such as her toughness and the hardship she has experienced. Porter also combined her life experiences with Modernism qualities such as her many failed marriages, and her father's neglect. These were also experienced by Granny Weatherall when her first fiance left her standing at the alter, and never married her. Katherine Anne Porter's poem combines many qualities of Modernism, as well as many experiences that deeply effected her life, to create a poem accurately represents Modernism style writing.

"The Journey of the Magi." //Blight.com//. Blight.com. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. . Dugan, Brenna. "What Is Modernism?" //Utoledo.edu//. The University of Toledo, 10 Apr. 2008. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. 

"Katherine Anne Porter." //American Masters//. PBS.org, 28 Sept. 2002. Web. 3 May 2010. .

"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall." //People.morrisville.edu//. People.morrisville.edu. Web. 3 May 2010. .

"Katherine Anne Porter's Artistry and Vision in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," "Flowering Judas," and Pale Horse, Pale Rider." //Yale University//. Yale.edu. Web. 04 May 2010. .