The following short story, “Elsewhere,” was written by Stephanie McClure and published in 2015. In this story a little girl, Zita, slips out of her house at dawn. Show how you would write a paragraph in which you make a defensible claim regarding how McClure uses literary elements and techniques to establish a setting that helps convey Zita’s complex perspective. In your paragraph, you should incorporate at least one piece of evidence from the text to support your claim.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Claim: In “Elsewhere,” Stephanie McClure uses descriptive imagery and the manipulation of time to establish a setting that reflects Zita’s complex perspective, portraying her feelings of detachment and longing for freedom.
Explanation:
In the short story “Elsewhere,” McClure crafts a setting that plays a pivotal role in revealing Zita’s emotional state. One of the primary techniques she uses is vivid imagery, which evokes a sense of isolation and contemplation. Early in the story, Zita slips out of her house at dawn, a time that is often associated with quiet solitude. McClure writes, “The house was still dark, with the pale light of early morning spilling over everything, stretching the shadows long.” The contrast between the dark house and the pale morning light reflects Zita’s internal sense of conflict—her home, a place of safety, is simultaneously a space where she feels confined and out of place. The pale light suggests a sense of transition, a moment between the night of safety and the day that promises a new experience, symbolizing Zita’s desire to break free from the constraints of her environment.
Additionally, the manipulation of time in the setting helps to highlight Zita’s emotional complexity. The early morning, a time when most people are still asleep, emphasizes Zita’s sense of being awake to something others are unaware of. The stillness of the world around her contrasts with her internal restlessness and longing for something more. McClure’s careful use of time shows that Zita’s journey is not only physical but also emotional, as she seeks something beyond the boundaries of her home, something that is not yet fully understood but deeply felt.
In conclusion, McClure uses setting to deepen the reader’s understanding of Zita’s psychological state, where the imagery of the early morning and the manipulation of time mirror her sense of detachment and yearning for freedom.
