Leaves (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John Updike
- First Published: 1964
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: The 1960's
- Setting: New England
- Principal Characters: A writer, Helen
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction, Sketch
- Subjects: Memory, Nature, Authors or writers, Divorce
- Locales: New England
The Story
Gazing out the window at grape leaves, a writer reflects on their beauty, and on the relation of the recent crises of his life to nature. The effortless creativity of nature and its freedom from guilt contrasts with the artifice of his writing and with his experiences of shame and fear. As he contemplates his natural surroundings, he is beginning to sort through the memories of his divorce, trying to make sense of his feelings of pain and love. He is also contemplating his own activity as a writer, drawing the reader into the processes of capturing the images of life...
[The entire page is 1528 words long]
