Analysis

On the following pages, we offer you analyses of the most important elements in the short story "The Weeping Fig" by Judith Wright. These are elements that you could include or touch upon in your own analysis and interpreation of the story.

First, we have a look at the structure of the short story and discover that the otherwise rather normally structured story has two different timelines. We also dwell on the title: What is a weeping fig and what does it symbolise?

The main character of the short story is a man called John Condon, who we characterise thoroughly in terms of inner and outer treats as revealed by the text. We also give a general characterisation of the other members of the Condon family who are mentioned in the short story.

We also explore the setting of the short story - physical as well as social. The story takes place in rural Australia. However, the social setting is more interesting as it changes according to the two timelines in which the story takes place.

In any analysis, you should be aware of the narrator and the techniques applied to tell the story. Here, we give you a brief overview over the characteristics of the narrator of this short story and the points of view applied.

Finally, we dig into the language of the short story. The language itself is fairly straightforward and the more interesting aspects is the use of literary devices such as repetitions, metaphors, and symbolism.