Summary

The story begins with the narrator describing the “winters in Central Asia” (245). She remarks that they are bleak compared to the summers, which bring disease and bugs. She contrasts this with the springtime, during which the city’s issues are obscured. The narrator then describes the city of Samarkand as having “geometric shapes” (245), and colors that resemble those of children’s crayons.

The narrator then uses more regal colors such as “jade” (245) to describe the mausoleums that house bones of old emperors, such as Tamburlaine. Diverting her attention to the townsfolk, the narrator describes the women of Samarkand, who are clad in jewelry and satin clothing. The women wear headscarves and cover their eyebrows with a thick black line. Meanwhile, the men of Samarkand are clad in sheepskin jackets and turbans.

Analysis

Carter juxtaposes the various seasons and contradicts their connotations in order to...