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The Demon Lover Literary Analysis

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In the realms of the World Wars, love is simply expressed through heartfelt words dancing across the margins of decorative paper. In the short story, “The Demon Lover” by Elizabeth Bowen, the main character endures the hardships of retaining mental sanity when facing a past lover returning home years later. In the same way, the poem “Answers to Letters” by Tomas Tranströmer explains in first person point of view the overbearing weight of anxious thoughts arising from time elapsing. Using comparable symbols, “The Demon Lover” and “Answers to Letters” characters illustrate how unstable weather patterns and faltering mental stability depict their roles in society, despite the roles of “The Demon Lover” revolving around a supernatural force. Enduring the uncontrollable force above, the weather illustrates the sudden intensities of the plot in “The Demon Lover”. Mrs. Drover embodies the perfect illusion of a ‘lovesick puppy’, the weather mocking her as bright August sky. The couple utters their goodbyes in the nearby garden. The emotions run high and promises of returning leave the young soldier’s lips with such devotion. According to author Elizabeth Bowen, the clouds have a mind of their own: “It was dark; they were saying good-bye under a tree” (348). The weather is speaking beneath the words on the page, foreshadowing the turmoil that lies ahead. After years of no contact, the letter arriving at the old London home throws Mrs. Drover off-guard. The unaware and apprehensive

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