The Wife Of His Youth

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1898

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Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

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Symbols & Motifs

The Daguerreotype

Liza Jane presents a daguerreotype (an early form of the photograph, achieved by chemically manipulating color on a mirror-like surface) of Sam to Mr. Ryder. When Mr. Ryder later looks at his own face in a mirror, it is clear that he differs enough in appearance from the daguerreotype that he can conceal his identity if he chooses. The daguerreotype represents his past life.

Liza Jane

Liza Jane is described as having the stereotypical features of a female African American slave. Her body is broken, and her face shows the marks of her hard life both during and after slavery. Liza Jane’s body represents the material impact of slavery on African Americans. Her touching faith in and extended search for her lost husband represents the resilience of black love in the face of this traumatic past.

The Poetry of Tennyson

Mr. Ryder treasures his volumes of poetry written by Alfred Lord Tennyson, a Victorian poet. It is significant that these poems extol the beauty of women who are white. When Mr. Ryder searches the volumes for verses he can use to propose marriage to Mrs. Dixon, he finds none appropriate; she is a light-skinned African American woman, but racially non-white nonetheless.