Forgiveness (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Edna O’Brien
- First Published: 1984
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: The 1980's
- Setting: The coast of southern Italy
- Principal Characters: Eileen, Mark, Penny
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction
- Subjects: Mothers, Parents and children, 1980’s, Storms, Vacations, Italy or Italians, Generation gap, Habits
- Locales: Italy
The Story
Only a few days into her vacation at a villa on Italy's southern coast, Eileen is becoming tired of her companions—her grown son, Mark, and his girlfriend, Penny. Weary of their small “irksome” habits, she is lost without the props of her work and her own friends and she wants to go home. By the third day, she cannot even sleep but cannot decide whether or not to leave.
The next day the three companions are together on the beach. After they return to their villa, Penny cuts her bangs as Mark holds a mirror for her. Afterward, she leaves her hair cuttings...
[The entire page is 1373 words long]
