Perspectives

Literary movement

The short story “Sleeping” by Katharine Weber is a modernist work of fiction. The simplistic language which focuses on symbolism is a modernist feature which helps readers focus on the deeper meaning of the text. Similarly, the minimalism of the language illustrates the iceberg theory, coined by Ernest Hemingway. This implies that readers are allowed to interpret the meaning of the story by themselves. Modernist stories also present ordinary situations in unusual ways, which is the case in “Sleeping”. In her story, Katharine Weber begins by presenting a typical babysitting job, which turns out to be a strategy the Winters use to deal with their grief and pretend that their baby is still alive.

Works with the same theme

The short story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest ...