Flora on the other hand knows that the act of stealing the dress is wrong, knows that she is not allowed to touch the dress, but does it anyway when she in an unguarded moment is left alone with it. In the beginning it was not her intend to steal the dress, but just touch it, wanting the glamour and confidence of her sister, whom she calls “taller, braver, cleverer” to rub off on her, but eventually she becomes braver, trying on the dress and justifying the act by comments like “…the dress was meant for her, not Rachel” and “but once it clung to her body she was unable to take it off”. Little acts of defiance are not uncommon between sisters, and both are jealous of each other, guarding their possessions with utmost care. This jealousy probably colors the sisters relationship, and there clearly is a war going on between the two, a war where the two rivals challenge and provoke each other indirectly, but a war that has been taken into the open by the acts of Flora, who with the taking of the dress directly challenges the status of her sister, provoking her and placing herself above her. SHE is now wearing the dress (pants) in the relationship, and the direct act of defiance undermines the authority of her sister Rachel, something Rachel cannot bear, but cannot do anything about, which combined with Rachel’s picture of Flora sitting in a fancy café where she should be sitting in her new dress, makes her a white-glowing ball of hate.
The very same night the two girls are at a fancy restaurant with their mother, celebrating her fortieth birthday, but the atmosphere is not cheerful and festive, but heavy with emotion and silence. Flora takes advantage of the situation, the birthday and the fancy restaurant, aware that her sister will not say anything about the dress or make a scene in a public place at that particular day. She provokes Rachel further by saying “Cheer up then. It’s a celebration” and “Can I try some asparagus, Rachel?” She takes the situation as far as she can, pretending nothing is wrong, pushing her sister further and further towards boiling-point. Their mother on the other hand not knowing what is wrong, cannot stop listening to a birthday party, where people are shouting and laughing and having a good time. She wants to turn around and have a look but feels caught up in the situation with her daughters, she feels sorry for herself, feels old and forgotten and unloved, like her life is standing still and she is left out on all the fun. She wants her daughters to make an effort for her, to show her that she is worth something and that she IS loved, but the girls are too caught up in their own business to even notice her. When Flora suddenly brings up Rachel’s mood all hell is loose ““What are you angry about”, asked Flora in a lightly whipped voice…”. Rachel answers: “You know why I’m angry”, but Flora denies all knowledge of the dress’ whereabouts, making Rachel even angrier, eventually making her decide to never see the sister again.
When back home Rachel packs her things and gets ready to leave. When her sister finds out that she is leaving she is shocked and confused, but still denies knowing anything about the dress, not yet ready to confess her sin and take the fall from power, and oblivious to the fact that this is not just about the dress anymore. It is about their life. ”“It’s only a dress”, whispered Flora, “only a scrap of material””. For Rachel this is not true. The dress is for her a symbol of her power and status and it is HERS, not Floras. Flora has crossed a line so great, that Rachel cannot forgive her, even after Floras has admitted to steal the dress, wearing it out drinking cocktails and ruining it by accident. Flora knows that she has done something wrong by taking the dress, and she knows that what she did was serious and dangerous, but not why - thus she buried the ruined dress in the garden. Flora knows inside that her actions have more meaning than just taking a dress, but does not know exactly what, and therefore just followed her instincts, which told her to get rid of the evidence and to deny everything. Now that all cards are on the table Flora feels terrible, she is scared and she knows that she has broken something that cannot be repaired. Her sister leaves with a “Happy birthday” as her last, sarcastic words to her mother, and leaves Flora alone with her mother, who is devastated and furious: “Everything is ruined. You are a thief”. The mother feels as though the last piece of normalcy and happiness has been taken from her, that her family is now completely ruined and that she will never be a part of a happy celebration like the one at the restaurant. “”I want you to dig it up and give it back”, “But it will be all dirty”, moaned Flora, “You will pay your sister back!” she snarled.” She feels as though her life is shattered in bits and pieces, and in a desperate attempt to resemble it she orders Flora to dig up the dress, to make everything go back to normal. She suddenly has someone to blame for her broken home and for all the things she did not accomplish in life, for example her dream of becoming a jewelry maker, to live a fun, vibrant life and have a husband and two sweet children and to be truly happy. Suddenly Flora and her stealing of the dress represents everything she has not accomplished in life and all the things she never will, and crying she throws Flora, who does still does not understand the reactions of her mother and sister, out of the house, and the dress, that really is not important, is forgotten.
The story is structured into four parts which you could headline 1. Rachel’s discovery, 2. Flora and the dress, 3. The denial and build-up of emotions, 4. Letting off steam. The way the story is structured gives the reader an in-depth insight in the three women’s emotional life and reason of actions, and the relationship they have with each other from each of the persons’ point of view. The chronological way that the story is structured builds up frustration and anger in almost every sentence, making the reader aware that something has to happen in the end, somehow all these emotions cannot stay bottled up forever, and it is a very effective way of writing.
The main themes of this short-story are probably jealousy, family and hierarchy. The jealousy and rivalry between two teenage sisters, and their constant pushing and testing of each other and fight for being number one in the hierarchy, the mother’s jealousy towards people having fun, living the good life that she has always wanted and never can have. The question of how much or little it takes to destroy a family and how something as simple as a dress can take on so many meanings.
The short-story “The dress” deals with just how dangerous emotions can become if not dealt with and talked about, how small things can ruin everything and push people over the edge, and how rivalry, jealousy and betrayal can break up a family, and last but not least how everything is not as it seems.