The Use of Tone, Point of View, and Imagery in Lauren Groff’s “Above and Below” Anonymous College

Lauren Groff’s short story “Above and Below” tells the story of a woman engulfed in misfortune after losing her lover, her university funds, her home, and anything included in what was previously perceived as her normal life. This powerful, short work of fiction uses tone, point of view, and imagery to convey the reality of the unnamed main character and her struggles as a homeless woman.

The New Yorker author, Lauren Groff, uses a somber and hopeless tone throughout the story that stays fairly consistent until the birth of “the girl’s” daughter. One can see this in details down to a seemingly simple scar given by a cat that betrays her at beginning of the work. The speaker describes that it “turned a lovely silver in the sun and she sometimes stroked it absently, signifier in lieu of signified, the scratch for the lost life.” Despite this heavily pessimistic tone, the main character seems to be optimistic and somewhat trouble-free as she “[moved] the little she owned to the station wagon;” these items including “her ex-boyfriend’s guitar,...camping equipment they’d bought the first year of grad school…[and] a crate of books.” The speaker describes that when she spoke, she “sang.” This does not seem to change until she is truly...