"The Accident" By Mavis Gallant

        The characters in this passage have their unique features of behaving. For example, Mr. Higgins, in this extract has a somewhat arrogant and domineering attitude that is covered by his sympathy towards Shirley. “ ‘I’m fixing something up for you, just the same,’ said Mr. Higgins hurriedly, as if he would not be interrupted by women.” (L. 18-19) This quotation expresses the willingness of Mr. Higgins to arrange something for Shirley so that she would be self-sufficient, but at the same time his natural arrogance and domineering attitude is shown as well. Mr. Higgins in some occasions is somewhat rude to Shirley possibly because he knows that he has a better financial capacity then her. This characteristic of Mr. Higgins is portrayed though the quotation, “ ‘She had that, Betty’, said Mr. Higgins smiling.” (L. 37) Mr. Higgins responded with this quotation after Mrs. Higgins suggests that Shirley needs a ‘fair – sized’ sum of money. Mrs. Higgins also has a somewhat authoritative nature because she is always the first person to suggest something to be done, for example, “ ‘Shirley must work if that’s what she wants to do,’ Mrs. Higgins said softly”. However, unlike Mr. Higgins, Mrs. Higgins seems polite and down to earth since her tone of voice was soft compared to the rash tone of Mr. Higgins. Shirley on the other hand, is submissive and silently listens to the Higgins without protesting or conversing much with them. Shirley is still feeling low about Pete’s death and feels empty in life. This is described when she says, “Peter and I had been waiting for a train’ now I had taken it without him. I was waiting again” (L. 2-3).  The train here is a form of symbolism because that is one thing that reminds Shirley of Pete even more, and makes her feel the hollowness of life in the absence of Pete in the train. Shirley is always being reminded of Pete in various instances such as the time when the conversation of the Higgins ended on the table, Shirley narrates her memories by saying, “The photograph Pete carried of his mother, that was in his wallet when he died, had been taken before her marriage”.  Shirley feels sand and furious about Pete’s death because before Pete died, he didn’t get a chance to talk to Shirley, instead talked to a policeman. Shirley’s anger is demonstrated by how she behaved during the funeral, “ ‘You don’t love with your soul,’ I had cried to the old clergyman at the funeral - an offensive remark’” (l.6-7) This quotation expresses Shirley’s anger, since she in a sense took out her frustration by crying out loud at the clergyman in an offensive manner.

        At the end of this extract Shirley responds to Mrs. Higgins’ question on the pendulum that Shirley’s mother is working on by saying, “She can use it to tell when you’re pregnant and if the baby will be a girl or a boy.” (L. 60-61) This quotation is parallel to the subject matter that arose earlier in this passage, “…his wife who had asked if there was a hope that Pete had left a child.” Although Shirley’s response to Mrs. Higgins was negative, Gallant does hint some foreshadowing of Shirley turning out to be pregnant by throwing the last paragraph about the pendulum and the baby.  The tone Gallant creates is sympathetic towards Shirley because of all that she’s been through (her poor life and the loss of her husband), but also includes a tone of hopefulness in the plot, because Mr and Mrs. Higgins show some concern to Shirley, and there’s also the possibility of Shirley carrying Pete’s baby in her womb.

        Finally, this extract portrays the varied opinions the characters have as to how life should be lived according to Shirley’s narration. The passage also reflects Shirley’s feelings towards Pete’s death. This is done through the means of symbolism, characterisation and foreshadowing.   The reflection of such literary features is