Sometimes life can be unkind, with all its difficult choices. We have a tendency to give up before we start. A lifetime isn’t forever, so take the first chance, and don’t wait for the second one. Sometimes there aren’t second chances. And if it turns out to be a mistake? So what! That’s life! A whole bunch of mistakes! We all make some life changing mistakes. Mistakes who can be resentful for the rest of our lives. This happened to the main character Gerard in the short story save as many as you ruin. This essay revolves a interpret analysis with focus on the mood and use of contracts throughout the story.
Gerard is on his way home, while he thinks about his past and life. He starts thinking about his footprints which gives the reader the impression that his life is unimportant and meaningless. ‘Gerard thinks of his own footprints and how soon they will disappear. He exhales into the world and his breath disappear’ [l.7]. Gerard is acknowledged in his own footsteps, which tells us that he does not think of himself as anyone who is going to make a change for anybody.
In the short story we’re constantly reminded of Gerard’s endless love for his daughter, and it is clear that she is the light of his seemingly else uninteresting life. ‘She’s wonderful, just wonderful’ [l.78], ‘I love you’ [l.165]. We as readers are never told which job or position Gerard is in, nothing about his parents or childhood so none of it must be important or interesting.
Gerard also thinks about the children who were killed in gas chambers in world war two, and how no one could predict this before it happened. It’s a symbol of how he feels about his life. He can’t predict the future and the consequences of his choices.
Suddenly, after eight years he sees Laurel again in a coffee shop, and he decides to try to get her attention. He wants to make up for the past, see her again, love her again, and be with her again. The snow is a symbol of this. Just as the snow is covering the ground, it is covering his past footprints. The snow is making all his past mistakes disappearing and making room for new footprints.
Gerard gets a second chance, and this time he takes it. Gerald took the responsibility of raising Lucy on his own. Even though he is feeling guilty loving another woman Laurel. ‘Gerard still has Laurel’s wristwatch at home in his bedside cabinet. Sometimes at night, Gerard takes it out and falls asleep as it drips from his fingers.’ Luckily he is running into Laurel on his way home. They are both glad seeing each other, and soon after their meeting they start rebuilding their relationship. Gerard has received a second chance to make up with Laurel.
The contrasts have a deep meaning throughout the story and are mostly between the characters.
Issy were used to lie all the time, but Lucy her daughter recognizes when her father is lying which is a contrasts to Issy. Gerry never loved issy, but loves Lucy more than anything. Lucy is breaking all the negativism in Gerard’s life. Lucy stands as the positivism and is a direct contrast to the negativism. There is a contrast between Issy and Laurel as well. Issy is the sexy lover, while Laurel rather appeals Gerard’s feelings
Before he meets laurel the story is filled with a depressing and sad mood. He is walking alone in the snowy streets, wondering about his meaningless existence. After Gerard meets Laurel there is a lot of love and positive feelings, which is a contrast to the depressing feelings in the start.
The author uses the environment and weather to describe the mood. ‘At the end of each block the sidewalk disappears under a pool of gray ice water.’ The mood of the story compares to Gerard’s feelings and is lightened up whenever he is around Lucy. The mood is also lightened up when he runs into Laurel. When Gerard realizes what there is about to happen his mood does not change, nor does the weather. The change of events does not have an effect on the mood of the story, which is different from other short storys. ‘The snow is blowing against the window.’ This leaves the reader to consider whether or if it really is a good thing that Laurel is back in his life?
Just like in a fairytale, Gerard has received a second chance. Gerard knows that this is a one-in-a-lifetime chance, and he is not going to blow it this time. Gerard and Laurel get together again and that is without Gerard losing Lucy.