Structure

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Title

The title of the story is very relevant to the events which are presented from the mother’s perspective, yet it does not reveal much about the plot. In fact, the shoes are more important because of their symbolic value, not because of the objects they represent.

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Beginning

The beginning of the story is quite ambiguous, as we do not know whom the narrator speaks to, if that person is dead or alive or any details about the identity of the narrator:

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Middle

The middle of the story presents the context of the narrative – a mother is writing a letter to her daughter who has run away from home. The woman initially seems concerned and expresses her worries while imagining her daughter begging or becoming a prostitute to survive. Later on, the real reason why the girl left home is revealed:​

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Ending

The end of the story reinforces our initial assumptions about the mother descending into madness. She thinks that she is holding her baby daughter in her arms when, in fact, she is cradling and kissing the shoes:

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