Journal #4 - The Explication

In the story, “The Tenth of January” by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, the main characters play a huge role in setting the plot, themes, symbols, and conflicts of the story. In literature we can evaluate a character three ways: what the individual says, what the individual does, and what others say about the individual. The protagonist, Asenath Martyn, is described as being a cripple her entire life, having a scarred face, and very unattractive physically. When Sene was a kid she recalls a time when she went to get coffee and the children on the street yelled, “‘Humpback! Humpback!’ cried the children, —the very children who could leap and laugh”. It is described throughout the story how embarrassed Scene is about her appearance. All the other girls, especially Del Ivory, are beautiful young ladies who have no trouble finding a potential husband. A short flashback comes into Sene’s mind when she remembers a time when she was younger, playing with Del, and they were talking about their future husbands. Del responded to Sene’s thoughts of having a husband with, “‘yours!’ Del shook back her curls; ‘who do you suppose would ever marry you?’” Sadly, Asenath still agreed with Del on that matter – who would want to marry a cripple over someone like Del Ivory? This causes the main conflict throughout the story when Asenath discovers that her future husband, Richard Cross, is actually in love with Del. Scene cannot decide whether she should set Dick free so that he can marry his true love Del, or if Sene should stay with him so she does not have to be alone with her father her entire life – she turns to God for help. It is frequently said throughout the story that Asenath is religious, she feels like she has to be in order to find some good in her life. On the tenth of January, God answers Asenath’s internal conflict. After the mill had crashed and Sene awoke, her ring finger was missing. Scene began to reminisce on her life, “Life—even her life—grew sweet, now that it was slipping from her”. Sene ends up dying after her father’s hard attempt to save her. Asenath Martyn is a depiction of life itself. Even though she had every hardship thrown at her (i.e. being crippled, humpback, ugly, having no friends, no family beside Old Martyn) she still found happiness throughout her life. When Sene is in the mill about to be burned to death, she simple comforts a child and keeps her calm. Sene is a prime example of showing how good can be found in everyone’s life, even the most unfortunate.