Characters
Because there are only two active characters in the short story “Blackberries” by Ellen Hunnicutt, we will only mention them when analyzing the text. The wife mentions the characters of Albert and Mae, but they are only relevant for the way in which the wife views herself and the life she has with her husband.
Also, note that both characters are unnamed, which is a conscious decision of the author. By not offering the husband and wife any names, the author has consciously created a timeless story which can be applied to different people at different times.
The husband
The husband is one of the main characters in the short story. He is unnamed because he represents a typology and because many people could be associated with him at different times.
Outer characterization
His outer characterization depicts him as having a cap which he used to carry blackberries with.
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Inner characterization
If we consider the man is young, then his inner characterization is in accordance with his age. He is initially depicted as washing the blackberries “gently”, which indicates that the man is caring and that he appreciates the beauty of the fruits while also being aware of how feeble they are. The same care is noticed when he offers a portion of the fruits to his wife: “He divided the berries into two cups and set one cup on the blanket beside his wife.”
His inner features can be noticed through the way he eats blackberries: “He rummaged through the kitchen box and found a spoon, then began to eat his berries slowly and carefully, making them last.”
Because he does not hurry to eat the fruits, we can say that the man is patient and knows better than to rush things. At the same time, he eats the blackberries with a spoon, which shows care regarding his own self (he probably dislikes getting dirty). Then, because he eats the blackberries slowly in order to make them last indicates that, symbolically, the man wants to enjoy his youth as long as he can and that he wants to prolong these days.
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The wife
The wife is the other important character in the short story. Her outer characterization shows her to be “blond and fragile, still pretty in a certain light and with a careful arrangement of her features”. Just like in the case of her husband, no details are given regarding her age or facial features, so we can also interpret the story in two ways: with her being young and with her being old.
Inner characterization
If we consider the woman young, then her inner characterization shows that she spends her time quite relaxed, reading a book while sitting on a blanket. When she sees her husband, she introduces the issue of lacking milk. This indicates that she sees her husband as the one responsible for fixing the problem, as he is the man of the house. Then, she immediately mentions another couple, Albert and Mae: ““Albert and Mae went to New York,” she said. “It’s a tour. A theater tour.””
Her reply may indicate that she dislikes spending her summer camping in the woods and that she is a worldly and outgoing person who needs entertainment and activities suitable for her young age.
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