Mother (Symbol)
The image of mother in the short story has symbolic meaning. It is connected with warmth of home, love and support. It brings in memory the best feelings from childhood and it doesn’t matter how old are you: 2 or 27, you will always remain your mother’s little boy or girl. Mrs. Durant lived for her younger son, she missed him when he was out and was glad when he finally came back. Even Mrs. Lindley, who was constantly irritated and dissatisfied, also loved her children, in her own way. For her the notion of happiness was connected with the quantity of money and she wished her daughters married rich fellows.
Money (Motif)
Money offers an opportunity to have all that is wanted and needed for a good life. The life looked the same way in Lindley family – they spent their hours, weeks and years merely haggling to make ends meet, and bitterly repressing and pruning their children into gentility, urging them to ambition, weighting them with duty. And Mary, having felt that duty, married Mr. Massy – the man, who was disgusting for everybody, but he had money, and was the main reason of her action.
Love (Motif)
In contrast to Mary, her younger sister Louisa was going to marry only a man she loved. Money didn’t matter for her. She knew that only real love can make people happy and nothing else matters. Unfortunately, her family didn’t understand her, especially her mother, who was against her marriage. But she was in love, and she knew that what she was doing was right, because her actions were in harmony with her thoughts and feelings, she didn’t cheat anyone, and she did what she wanted to do. And it was the only right decision for Louisa, even if her family didn’t share her belief.
