Student Question

List 14 events from the story "The Leap."

Quick answer:

In "The Leap," 14 significant events include the narrator's mother, Anna, losing her sight and the narrator moving home to care for her. The story's narration is the second event, followed by the recollection of the lightning strike and trapeze accident. Anna saves herself and her unborn child, who doesn't survive. The narrator recalls the unborn child and its tombstone. Anna meeting the narrator's father in the hospital, their marriage, and the birth of the narrator are next. Anna's rescue of the narrator from a house fire and the narrator's return home to care for Anna are the final events.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Note that these events are not in chronological order. The story is told by the narrator, looking back upon her life.

The first notable event is that the narrator's mother, Anna, has lost her sight. The narrator states this in the present tense. We learn (later in the story) that the narrator has moved home to care for her mother.

A second significant even is the narration itself. In other words, an important event in the story is the narrator telling the story of how she owes her existence to her mother ("three times").

The next events (recollected) are the lightning strike and the ensuing trapeze accident. Rather than reach out and save her husband, Anna saves herself and her unborn child. The baby did not survive. Anna saving her own life is an event itself.

The narrator recalls how the unborn child is "a less finished version of herself."...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

Then she recalls the child's tombstone.

The narrator recalls how her mother met her (the narrator's) father while she was in the hospital, following the trapeze accident. This man and Anna eventually married and gave birth to the narrator. Anna shared stories of her travels with him, and he taught her to read.

The next significant event is the fire (again, recalled). The narrator is upstairs in the burning house and her mother (Anna) uses her acrobatic skills to save her. This is the literal "leap" referred to by the title.

According to the narrator, the most significant events are the trapeze accident, her mother meeting her father in the hospital, and the leap that saved her during the house fire. I would add that the narrator's move home (to care for her mother) is a metaphorical leap itself. Since her mother made so many leaps to save her, she returned the favor. These are four extremely significant events. So, pick and choose which events you would like to add up to fourteen. I've listed about ten events above. Note that the narrator recalling a memory (or the memory itself) can be considered to be an event.

Approved by eNotes Editorial