The Painted Door is a literary short story that describes the tension in the relationship between a farmer and his wife. This reveals their lack of commitment, resulting in an unhappy marriage. Ann, who is the protagonist of the story, strives to connect with others, instead of living alone. John is the antagonist, who is an introverted man and fails to meet his wife's emotional needs. The story revolves around Ann, who resides in a country house and stays alone, while her husband fights with the environment to visit his father. Ann seeks comfort from Steven, John's handsome friend. Additionally, Ann's infidelity is seen as the main cause of John's death. Throughout the text, the author explores two major themes; isolation versus connection, and male versus female (gender roles). A wide range of literary devices such as irony, pathetic fallacy, foreshadowing, and symbolism are used to enhance overall themes, in addition to characterization and tone. Overall, “The Painted Door” essentially revolves around the conflicts between a man and a woman and their lack of communication to resolve their differences. The theme of the text reinforces the overall concept of the story, as well as the development of the characters' personalities. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay “The Painted Door” is primarily character-driven, which essentially implies that the story places importance on characters and their personalities, rather than the characters. physical events. It is clear that Ann is the protagonist of the story and that she is selfish. She is convinced that “John is responsible for her misfortune…and his firmness rebuked her vanity.” Ann is unable to express her frustration to others and believes she is stuck in an unhealthy relationship. Ann proves to be a dynamic character, as she is an unhappy wife near the beginning of the text and a regretful widow near the end. John is seen as an unambitious, stereotypical, selfless farmer. He is the antagonist because he does not meet Ann's needs. Steven is yet another important character in the story. He is seen as a reassuring male figure for Ann; however, he is a static and flat character, as the author does not deeply emphasize his point of view. Two recurring themes present throughout the story are isolation versus connection and masculinity versus femininity. The “Painted Door” revolves around an isolated environment. Ann struggles to find comfort because the physical environment itself is set in a rural and hostile environment. For example, “the distant farms that she sees only intensify her feeling of isolation.” The landscape reflects and builds on Ann's isolation. Ann encounters loneliness on her farm and imagines attending local dances, inviting guests, and playing cards. She says: “'A few hours and they will be there'”. It is obvious that Ann desperately needs human connections with other individuals. As Ann is unable to express her feelings to others, to obtain affection and advice from an outside voice, she longs to be social. Socialization plays a vital role in an individual's physical and mental health. It provides general relief of satisfaction; However, Ann lacks social interaction, which seems to have a considerable impact on other aspects of her life as well. John is observed to prefer visiting his father rather than comforting Ann, which ends up derailing him and losing his wife forever, after her death.Conversely, as with Ann, infidelity plays a more important role than loyalty, which causes her to lose her husband for eternity. Regardless of how close or distant a couple is within a relationship, the author places importance on isolation and how an individual lives and dies alone. Isolation is considered a superior “figure” and claims to ravage relationships. “The Painted Door” makes a point of portraying the stereotypical roles of a man and a woman. The contrast between masculinity and femininity, as well as the tension of gender roles, are the main source of conflict in the text. Ann believes that she should be a grateful wife to a faithful husband who helps her meet all her physical needs. As Ann mentions: “That will mean another three kilometers if you do it. You're going to be cold and tired enough as it is. When you’re gone, I think I’ll paint the woodwork in the kitchen.” A clear connection is made, as Ann is characterized in the role of a traditional housewife, who sacrifices herself for her husband. Self-sacrifice does not create any communication of feelings between the two partners, which puts a strain on the marriage. John treats Ann as a stereotypical woman who assumes that "pretty clothes for her" will bring her happiness; however, it prevents him from seeing his wife's unhappiness, which only brings frustration and resentment into the relationship. As John says: “You won't need to go near the stable. Everything is fed and watered now to last until the night,” John is only concerned with Ann’s physical well-being. He doesn't value his emotions and feelings of isolation, which lead to disconnection. Ann opens herself to different companionship through a different female role and by being with a man with distinct masculine characteristics. With Steven, she is flirtatious, enthusiastic and lively. Ann appreciates Steven's presence and brings out his open character. It is obvious that stereotyped and strictly stereotyped roles cause conflict. In summary, the author develops stereotypical characters that reinforce the themes in the story. The author argues that for a relationship to be successful, there must be connection and a feeling of inclusion. Overwhelming gender roles deprive communication and commitment, leading to unresolved differences. Several figurative devices are used to bring more effectiveness to the tone, characters and theme of the story. Devices such as irony, pathetic fallacy, and foreshadowing seem to emphasize what the author is conveying throughout the text. The author matches Ann's internal conflicts and emotions with the storm; both grow angry. As the story emerges and the storm intensifies, Ann succumbs to infidelity and sleeps with Steven. The next morning, the storm passed. Connotatively, he compares Ann's emotions, ranging from fury and eagerness to regret and guilt. Verbal irony is used to express Ann's concerns, as she states: "Plenty to eat – plenty of wood to keep me warm – what more can a woman ask for?" Ann uses sarcasm when expressing her opinion about leaving the traditional role of wife. With this statement, she emphasizes her need for a stronger emotional attachment with her husband. The foreshadowing occurs as Ann is awakened from a dream after sleeping with Steven. Ann sees a “glimmer of light revealing John’s face. And there is not a trace of threat or anger there, but a stone-like calm and despair.” She is surprised after dreaming that John witnessed her affair; but it is only at the end that it appears..