The Far and the Near

What information leads you to trust, or not trust, your initial reading of the narration in the first half of the story?

Consider the brevity of the story. How does this serve the delivery, and how might this delivery change in tone and effect if the story had more detail and length?

Examine the contrast between the engineer’s idealized perception of the women and the reality of their lives. Give evidence describing what you believe to have actually happened and what may have only been an optimistic idealization. 

Consider the lack of character names in this story. How might the story change if character names were introduced, and what effect does their absence have on the delivery?

Discuss the theme of disillusionment and the loss of innocence in the story.

Consider the tense shift from the first to second half of the story. What effect does this have in terms of evoking emotion and creating tone?

Discuss the role of communication and miscommunication between characters in the story.

Analyze the reality that the deaths the engineer experienced aboard the train were effectively counterbalanced by the image of the waving women and the house. What does this suggest about the engineer or about the power of optimism and fantasy?