Analysis

An analysis of the short story “Terminal” by Nadine Gordimer shows that the text has a non-chronological structure. The events unfold over an undetermined period, from the woman’s colostomy surgery to the night she tries to commit suicide. Several flashbacks present the couple’s life before the woman’s illness and illustrate the nature of their relationship. 

The main characters are the woman, who is terminally ill, and her husband. While the two of them love each other and seem to be on the same page when it comes to living with a terminal illness, the husband’s betrayal shows that they sometimes have different opinions. 

The physical setting is the couple’s house and the hospital. Both places are important symbols and illustrate the differences between the two characters’ perspectives when it comes to love and a terminal illness. The social setting briefly touches upon the concept of assisted suicide.

The events are told by a third-person narrator whose perspective is limited to the woman. The insight into her thoughts and feelings helps readers understand how her illness affects her and why she tries to commit suicide.

The language helps create the sad atmosphere of the story, as words connected to the medical field show how the woman’s life is affected by her illness. Several similes and metaphors are used to illustrate the effect the illness has on the relationship between husband and wife.

A full analysis of the short story can be found on the following pages.