Mental Health

Fitzgerald explores the effects of insecurity and stress on one’s life, and he explores how these mental health struggles present themselves in people. Throughout the story, Fitzgerald uses symbolism, relationships between characters, and plot events to explore these notions within the theme of mental health.

The inconsistencies within Luella’s character and her reactions to events that transpire in the story demonstrate her insecure personality. Throughout the story, Fitzgerald portrays Luella as craving independence and less responsibility towards her family. This is evident from the first section of the story, in which Luella is talking to Ede Kerr about her dissatisfaction with her roles and responsibilities as a mother and a wife. However, when her baby dies later in the story, one of Luella’s most distinct reactions is that she wonders, “What will become of me now?” (132). Luella’s desperation at the fact...