Characters

The main characters of the short story “Terminal” by Nadine Gordimer are the woman and her husband. The woman is terminally ill, and the story offers several clues that suggest she might have bowel cancer. The husband, who appears to be supportive and understanding, ends up betraying his wife because he is unable to let her go.

You can read a full characterization of the woman and her husband on the following pages.

Extract

Here, you can read an extract from our study guide:

The woman used to be loving and caring with her husband, as suggested by the flashbacks into the past. However, after the surgery, the two knowingly lie to each other: “They did not talk again; only of cheerful things, only of getting better” (p. 143, ll. 33-34). Nevertheless, the woman trusts her husband so much that she is convinced he will not break the promise to help her escape suffering (p. 143, ll. 26-31)...