Symbolism of Colours
Colors are very often used symbolically in literature. In this short story When The Clock Strikes, colors play a very dominant role in representing various emotions and ideas. For example, Black is used in the story to represent Death. In every instance that the color 'black' is mentioned, there is death in the place. For example, at the duke's funeral, the chariots are draped with black and are pulled by black-plumed horses. The horses that pull Ashella's chariot to the ball is also black, announcing the arrival and proximity of death. When the clock strikes the eleventh time at midnight, as Ashella disappears, the prince sees a thing in a ragged black cloak, which he recognizes as death.
Red, which is commonly used to represent anger, is the color of Ashella's hair, representing her anger against the Duke and his family. Green, the color of jealousy, is also the color of the floor of the ballroom, which spawns jealousy of the prince over Ashella dancing with other men.
White is both the color of purity and of peace. When Ashella arrives at the ball, she is seen wearing a white cloak that makes her look completely white. But she removes it to reveal an apricot colored gown embroidered with gold. The color play here is used to represent that Ashella, who had till then played innocent and pure was done with her acting and so she removes it to reveal her true colors. Here again, yellow the color of liveliness and energy is used, signifying that Ashella, who had played innocence until then was done with it, and was going to start working on her purpose energetically.
Symbolism of Time
Time is also used symbolically very often in literature. In When The Clock Strikes, the time mainly focused on is the night. Night, and especially Midnight, is represented as the reign of darkness and death. It is at night that Ashella and her mother worship Satan and also practice their dark arts. Midnight is also mentioned as the hour of death many times in the novel. The time when Ashella leaves from the tower for the ball is the tenth hour, which is the hour of the hag, according to the old clock. It is the hour of the Magician when she enters the court. It is at the end of the eleventh hour that she curses the prince to destroy and to kill him. And it is at Midnight that the prince sees the face of Death, as he takes the place of Ashella.
Quest Motif
The Quest motif is an often used motif. In When The Clock Strikes, the quest is one of revenge, where the aims of both the mother and daughter are to serve the cause of revenge against the Duke for the slaughter of their family and for usurping their throne and titles. As seen in all the stories with the quest motif, here too there is some danger, in spite of which they attain their quest. Ashella and her mother practice Black-magic, which was a very dangerous thing in their times, which was in the dark ages. The punishment for practicing Black-magic was being burnt at the stake. They both complete their quest successfully, though Ashella's mother loses her life in the process; as if she sacrificed herself for the success of the quest.
Ashes as a motif
Ashes are the residue of fire. Often they are also considered as the source of regeneration. In When The Clock Strikes, ashes play a predominating part in especially after the death of Ashella's mother. When Ashella's mother dies, Ashella rubs ashes and soot all over herself, and sits in ashes too, seemingly in regret over being involved in her mother's dark arts; while in fact only mourning and regretting her mother's death. And as a Phoenix rises out of the ashes, so does the fiery Ashella of the ball arises, most unexpectedly, though magnificently. It is at the ball too that she gives her name as Ashella, which is not actually her real name. Her energy and liveliness and determination are a match to none, and with it, she fulfills her quest successfully.
Death as a Motif
Death is the most basic motif in the short story When The Clock Strikes. Death is constantly appearing and reappearing throughout the story in various forms. Death is first mentioned to the tourists visiting the ruined ballroom while considering the weird old clock there, and the old superstition that Death would strike at the time the clock struck twelve at midnight. The final figure in the clock itself serves as a representation of Death. Then in the narrative of Ashella, death is a constant presence, either in the background or in the fore. The death of Ashella's mother, the Duke, his son the Prince, etc., are found by death though in varied forms. For Ashella's mother, death was quick and easy, through suicide. For the Duke, it was long and hard, as a punishment for the slaughter of the family of Ashella's mother and usurping the throne. With the duke's son, the prince it was sudden. And in each of their cases, it was completely unavoidable, though not wholly unexpected. And Death becomes a being with the tourists and is, in fact, the one narrating the story of Ashella. Hence, Death, due to its constant dominating presence becomes a motif in the story.
