Last Bridge Burned

I denne study guide finder du hjælp til at analysere “Last Bridge Burned” af Ron Rash. Novellen har været anvendt til skriftlig eksamen i Engelsk B på STX 18. august 2020. Ud over konkret hjælp til eksamensopgaven finder du også et summary af teksten, og inspiration til at fortolke den.

Hvis du har brug for hjælp til Assignments 1-4 fra den skriftlige eksamen på STX den 18. august 2020, kan du læse vores vejledning her.

Ron Rash (f. 1953) er en amerikansk forfatter og professor. Han har vundet adskillige litterære priser. Novellen “Last Bridge Burned” blev udgivet i novellesamlingen In the Valley fra 2018.

Uddrag

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Symbols

Carlyle’s thoughts about cats and dogs (ll. 21-22) turn out to be relevant for Carlyle and the woman. Although Carlyle compares the woman to a dog, she turns out to be more like a cat, finding a way to survive and overcome her social condition. In the end, it is Carlyle who is more like the dogs, always staying where he is, as if waiting. Therefore, he remains isolated and unable, or unwilling, to overcome his social condition.

The gas station is symbolic of Carlyle’s isolation, illustrating the way he seems to have stopped trying to change his life. By contrast, the bus station could be symbolic of moving forward, as the woman takes the bus and changes her life for the better. The bus station is also a gathering place for people who have reached the bottom of society.

The song Carlyle hears on the radio two years after his meeting with the woman symbolizes how the kindness of strangers can help someone improve their lives. The song’s lyrics suggest that the woman was inspired by Carlyle’s help, and that is why she turned her life around.