The Pear Tree
The pear tree in “Bliss” symbolizes Bertha’s attraction to Pearl Fulton, a friend she has invited to her dinner party. The tree also represents hidden desire more generally throughout the story. Bertha associates…
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Moonlight
Moonlight represents transformation and illusion in the story. Bertha sees the moon rising when she is looking out at the pear tree before the dinner party and associates this with the transformative potential of the…
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Cats
The appearance of cats in the story imbue Bertha’s joy with a sense of foreboding and symbolize the harmful nature of dishonesty—both to others, and to oneself. While looking out over her garden at the…
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