Ice Water, Pl -- ! by Blanche Colton Williams
Blanche Colton Williams’s study guides readers through Miss Hurst’s “Ice Water, Pl--!” as a constructed short story rather than retelling it. It traces the story’s germinal question about a mother’s submerged personal life, its New York setting, Easter-time action, initial impulse, double dramatic climax, and final recognition involving Mrs. Kaufman and Vetsburg. The analysis directs attention to Mrs. Kaufman, Ruby, Vetsburg, Leo, and background figures; it asks how traits, preparation, humor, and selective emphasis make the outcome convincing. Williams also examines scene sequence, transitions, exposition, dialogue-based revelation, pacing, and the purpose of individual scenes. She emphasizes Hurst’s economical dramatic construction and compares this scene-work with “T. B.” and “Get Ready the Wreaths.”
By Blanche Colton Williams · First published 1919 · Genre: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Non-Fiction · 802 words
First lines
STARTING POINT. According to Miss Hurst, "Ice Water, Pl -- ! " had its germinal beginnings in the self-imposed query: Given, a mother whose joys are largely the vicarious ones that come through her daughter, to what extent can her own personal life become more and more submerged?
SETTING. The locale of this story is the same as that of "T. B. " Point out evidence, explicit or implicit, of its being New York City. In general, notice that the larger setting of Miss Hurst's stories is frequently St. Louis or New York. Account for this fact. How long is the action of "Ice Water, Pl -- ! "?
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Genres
- Literary Analysis — The section studies narrative structure, scenes, characterization, setting, and climax through directed close-reading questions.
- Literary Criticism — Williams evaluates Hurst’s economy, dramatic quality, pacing, and scene construction.
- Non-Fiction — It is an instructional critical section within a study volume rather than a work of fiction.
Tags
Blanche Colton Williams · Ice Water, Pl--! · Miss Hurst · short-story criticism · plot structure · dramatic climax · characterization · Mrs. Kaufman · Ruby · Vetsburg · scene development · New York City setting
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Ice Water, Pl -- ! is listed on Textopian as an essay by Blanche Colton Williams, dated 1919 CE.
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- Work type: Essay
- Author: Blanche Colton Williams
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Non-Fiction
- Length: 802 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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