The Terror is a worthy story work in literature that emphasizes the impact of loneliness and depression on human beings. The plot of the story involves a man who narrates his life condition to his friend by writing a letter. The protagonist seems to be scared of solitude.
This article will provide the following information related to this wonderful work.
- Author
- Characters
- Summary
- Analysis
- Themes
- Moral Lessons
- Conclusion
Author
The Terror By Guy De Maupassant is an interesting story. It was written back in 1883. The setting seems to be Paris. Guy De Maupassant was a prominent author belonging to France. Some famous books are:
Characters
Monsieur Raymon
He is the main character of the story. He narrates his story to his friend by writing a letter.
Fierre Decourcelle
He was narrator bestie.
Mademoiselle Lajolle
She was the girl that tied the knot with the narrator.
The Terror Summary
I loved this short story because it focused on a serious issue which is Mental health. If we relate it to the present day, it is an alarming condition affecting many individuals. This story had such a scenario. The story starts when the narrator is writing a letter to his friend. He was telling him about his fear, solitude, and loneliness. The narrator informed him about his future wife. He informed him that he had met her many times before and liked her. She seems a gorgeous lady. The narrator was concerned more about his decision to marry early. He wanted to share this plan with his friend.
The narrator draws a highlight of past events that happened to him. This past event shattered his confidence. He feels afraid and lonely every time. That’s why he was going to marry. The narrator once left his house. He was not feeling good that day. He wanted to talk with people. He visited nearby restaurants but all the people were uninterested.
The narrator always double-locked his house before leaving. This time he had forgotten. He entered his house and found someone on the chair near the flame. The author portrayed the sitting man as unknown. The narrator only saw his back.
When the narrator tried to touch him, there was no one on the chair. This shocked him but soon he realized it was hallucinations. The problem was with his mind. He writes to his friend that from that day on, he felt the presence of such things. He feels someone around him. He never leaves his house. That is the reason he is getting married. He wants a supportive person with him in such moments.
Literary Analysis
It seems that the narrator was suffering from some sort of mental problem. He is portrayed as a man who has strong senses and faith. He never believed in superstitious things. The hallucinations dominated him. They made him psychotic which added fear into him. The major cause seems loneliness. This thing pushed the narrator to mind issues.
- What I learned after reading this literary work is that we should try to busy ourselves. Loneliness can ruin our mental health. Further, we need loved ones to share our problems.
Main Themes
The major themes are:
Loneliness
The narrator had spent most of his life in solitude. This thing added mental health issues to his personality.
Hallucinations
These are symptoms of psychosis. It’s a condition where unnatural things look natural. The narrator had this condition.
Mental health
The narrator was not mentally stable. He was suffering from fear and worry because of loneliness.
5 Moral Lessons
- After finishing this reading, I collected these key ideas or lessons.
- We should try our best to save ourselves from loneliness.
- Loneliness is the cause of mental issues in many ways.
- Try to share issues with loved ones.
- Make sure to participate in physical activities.
- Learn to tackle mental problems with self-confidence.
Conclusion: The Terror By Guy De Maupassant Summary
The Terror By Guy De Maupassant involves an unnamed character who writes a letter to his friend. The main reason was to inform him about his mental health issues that developed because of loneliness. This short reading encourages you to engage with your friends and ignore the loneliness.
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