Previous
Symbols
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 the pear tree with the sensation of “bliss” that she feels as she is preparing for the party that Pearl will attend. Looking at the tree through a window, Bertha feels that it is a “symbol of her own life” and that its “wide open blossoms” represent the possibility of change, which is available to her if she is able to break away from social convention and admit her attraction to, or form a romantic connection with, Pearl. The tree further represents Bertha’s internal state as its colors in the moonlight are the same colors that Bertha has chosen to wear that evening. Because the tree is outside and separated from Bertha by the window, however, it comes to reflect a desire outside the realm of domesticity and upper middle-class conventionality. Using a tree as a symbol of desire also corresponds with the Tree of Life from the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve are barred from eating the fruit from this tree and yet do so anyway—disobeying God yet gaining knowledge; Bertha, by contrast, seems to deny or repress her own knowledge of her genuine emotional state (that is, her love for Pearl). During the dinner party, Bertha and Pearl stand and look through the window at the pear tree together. To Bertha, this moment represents their unspoken connection and suggests to her that Pearl is feeling the same way that she is feeling. In this moment, to Bertha, the pear tree looks like a huge flaming candle in the light from the moon and this symbolizes the strength of Bertha’s desire.
The Pear Tree Quotes in Bliss
The Bliss quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Pear Tree. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Bliss Quotes
The windows of the drawing-room opened on to a balcony overlooking the garden. At the far end, against the wall, there was a tall, slender pear tree in fullest, richest bloom; it stood perfect, as though becalmed against the jade-green sky. Bertha couldn't help feeling, even from this distance, that it had not a single bud or a faded petal. Down below, in the garden beds, the red and yellow tulips, heavy with flowers, seemed to lean upon the dusk. A grey cat, dragging its belly, crept across the lawn, and a black one, its shadow, trailed after. The sight of them, so intent and so quick, gave Bertha a curious shiver. “What creepy things cats are!” she stammered, and she turned away from the window and began walking up and down. . . .
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
As she waits for her guests to arrive for the dinner party, Bertha looks out over her garden, which looks beautiful in the gathering dusk. Bertha’s pear tree becomes a symbol of her unfulfilled desire for Pearl Fulton, and her unexplored homosexuality more generally, throughout the course of the story. This is implied by the fact that the pear tree is described as “perfect” and the idea that it “had not a single bud or faded petal.” The pear tree is unspoiled and ideal, just as Bertha’s desire for Pearl Fulton is unspoiled because it has never been explored. However, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tene
And she seemed to see on her eyelids the lovely pear tree with its wide open blossoms as a symbol of her own life. Really—really—she had everything. She was young. Harry and she were as much in love as ever, and they got on together splendidly and were really good pals. She had an adorable baby. They didn’t have to worry, about money. . .
“I'm absurd. Absurd!” She sat up; but she felt quite dizzy, quite drunk. It must have been the spring. Yes, it was the spring. Now she was so tired she could not drag herself upstairs to dress. A white dress, a string of jade beads, green shoes and stockings. It wasn't intentional. She had thought of this scheme hours before she stood at the drawing-room window.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Bertha lies on the couch before the dinner party and is almost overcome with her feelings of excitement and “bliss.” In this state she finds it hard to get ready but is pleased when she realizes that her outfit matches the colors in her garden. Bertha views the pear tree as a “symbol of her own life” because she feels that her life is filled with opportunities that should make her very happy. She is aware of her social privilege because of her class and financial situation. However, the fact that she feels she should be happy, and repeats all Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate la
At that moment Miss Fulton “gave the sign.”
“Have you a garden?” said the cool, sleepy voice. This was so exquisite on her part that all Bertha could do was to obey. She crossed the room, pulled the curtains apart, and opened those long windows. “There!” she breathed. And the two women stood side by side looking at the slender, flowering tree. Although it was so still it seemed, like the flame of a candle, to stretch up, to point, to quiver in the bright air, to grow taller and taller as they gazed—almost to touch the rim of the round, silver moon. How long did they stand there? Both, as it were, caught in that circle of unearthly light, understanding each other perfectly, creatures of another world, and wondering what they were to do in this one with all this blissful treasure that burned in their bosoms and dropped, in silver flowers, from their hair and hands.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
After dinner Pearl asks Bertha if she has a garden. Bertha shows her the pear tree from the window and feels that she and Pearl have a significant connection as they stand at the window together. This moment represents the moment of intimacy that Bertha has been hoping for with Pearl. She believes that Pearl also wants to connect with her and that Pearl’s question about the garden is her own, symbolic way of showing Bertha this. Bertha feels strongly about this moment as it gives her the opportunity both to be alone with Pearl and to show Pearl the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qu
Miss Fulton held her hand a moment longer. “Your lovely pear tree!” she murmured. And then she was gone, with Eddie following, like the black cat following the grey cat.
“I'll shut up shop,” said Harry, extravagantly cool and collected.
“Your lovely pear tree—pear tree—pear tree!” Bertha simply ran over to the long windows.
“Oh, what is going to happen now?” she cried.
But the pear tree was as lovely as ever and as full of flower and as still.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
As Pearl Fulton is leaving, she mentions the pear tree to Bertha again. After she is gone, Bertha rushes to the window to look at the tree and wonders what is going to happen next. The fact that Pearl references the pear tree reinforces the idea that Pearl is an ambiguous character and complicates the idea that she can be completely explained away because of her affair with Harry. It is possible that Bertha’s intuition is correct, and that Pearl is attracted to Bertha and reciprocates her desire. There is also the possibility that, just as Bertha has felt desire Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos.
Get the entire Bliss LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
The Pear Tree Symbol Timeline in Bliss
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Pear Tree appears in Bliss. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Bliss
...drawing room looks out over the garden. Bertha looks out of the window at the pear tree on the lawn and admires it against the dusky, “jade-green” sky. She notices that all...
(full context)
...she is “too happy.” Closing her eyes, she seems to see a vision of the pear tree and thinks that it is a “symbol of her own life” with all its blossoms...
(full context)
...outfit matches the garden outside with the green dusk and the white petals of the pear tree under the moon.
(full context)
...seems good to her and her thoughts keep on returning to the image of the pear tree in the moonlight. She thinks about these things as she watches Pearl peel an orange...
(full context)
...takes Pearl to the window and the two women stand and look out at the pear tree under the moon. Bertha thinks the tree looks like a flame, stretching up into the...
(full context)
...and as Pearl takes leave of Bertha, she presses Bertha’s hand and says: “Your lovely pear tree .” Bertha watches them leave and thinks that Eddie and Pearl look like the grey...
(full context)
...the window. She wonders what is going to happen next and looks out at the pear tree , which is as “lovely” and “still” as ever under the moon.
(full context)
