“The Farmer's Children” is a horrible tale. Their stepmother told two children, Cato and Emerson, to go to the barn and protect their farm equipment. Because the children were poorly dressed and the weather was extremely cold, the boys froze to death. The author, Elizabeth Bishop, used a wide range of literary techniques (foreshadowing, symbolism, and allusion) to get her message across. Bishop wrote this story to convey that lonely abandonment is a deep pit to fall into. The consequences will have to be paid; Cato and Emerson died because they were not treated. Foreshadowing was a technique used by the author. When Bishop mentioned the children's father and that Judd, a man hired by the family, was away "on business" (Bishop, page 287), their activity was suspicious. Instead of looking for ways to increase security in the barn like they were supposed to, they took overnight trips to town and drank. Cato and Emerson's father could have used this time elsewhere. He should have spent more time with his sons than having fun. Later, the stepmother told the boys to go to the barn. The boys didn't have any proper clothes, but their stepmother said, "Well, Judd has his blankets over there." » (Bishop, page 289) This is when readers are aware of what is really happening; Judd isn't at the barn, he's outside with the boys' father. The boys must take the place of the adults in the barn and watch out for burglars. Another piece of evidence indicated that "the two boys sat on one side, the two older girls on the other and Gracie Bell on her mother's lap at the end." » (Bishop, page 288) From this excerpt, the reader knows that there is a division in the family. The sons were not mixed with their brothers-in-law and sisters. Their stepmother did not...... middle of paper ...... stepmother and stepsisters, then her thoughts returned to her father; he loved her very much. (Bishop, page 293) The mother-in-law did not exuberate or extend her love to Cato and Emerson. She seemed not to care about the two boys. Cato and Emerson died in this empty barn because of their loneliness. You might think the mother deserved to die, but that's Bishop's writing technique. She used allusions to make readers believe that the boys would survive the cold, just as Hansel and Gretel escaped, but the plot twist gave flavor to the story. The symbolism helped readers grasp a clear picture. Foreshadowing helped readers by providing information and allowed them to come to their own conclusion. Ordinary people would think that the antagonist always ends up dead in these stories, but they are wrong. The innocent had to suffer and die, all alone.