Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Dance of the Happy Shades, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Social Etiquette and Politeness
Prejudice, Otherness, and Ostracization
Societal Expectations vs. Self-Fulfillment
Death, Life, and Joy
Summary
Analysis
Miss Marsalles is hosting another music recital, which she always calls a “party.” The narrator’s mother doesn’t want to attend. She tries to lie and make up excuses not to go, but her excuses are flimsy and unconvincing. She thinks it’s inappropriate for Miss Marsalles to throw a party now that Miss Marsalles has moved into a smaller house and her older sister has become bedridden after suffering a stroke. The narrator’s mother also thinks that Miss Marsalles is too old to throw a party.
Miss Marsalles’s desire to throw another party shows she enjoys socializing and entertaining other people. However, she also lacks social awareness. Miss Marsalles doesn’t perceive the narrator’s mother’s reluctance to attend her party, and she isn’t conscious of whether the timing of her party is appropriate or not. On the other hand, the narrator’s mother cares greatly about what is and isn’t socially acceptable. In the narrator’s mother’s eyes, Miss Marsalles’s impoverishment, old age, and attachment to her older ailing sister all diminish her social value. Therefore, Miss Marsalles is less fit for hosting festivities and socializing with her community, according to the narrator’s mother. Although the narrator’s mother wants to be polite, she is unkind to Miss Marsalles. She lies, and she insinuates that Miss Marsalles shouldn’t participate in society as she used to because her circumstances are deteriorating.
Themes
Miss Marsalles is hurt by the narrator’s mother’s suggestion that she shouldn’t have her annual June party. She doesn’t understand how the party could ever be too troublesome. This summer party is the only entertainment she ever gives. In a conversation over the telephone with the narrator’s mother, Miss Marsalles says she would be just as disappointed as the children if she didn’t hold her party as usual. The narrator’s mother makes a face of pity, because she thinks Miss Marsalles is the only person who would be disappointed not to have the party, but she doesn’t say this aloud. Instead, she promises to attend.
Miss Marsalles views her parties only positively, demonstrating her cheerful outlook. At the same time, how she regards her parties also indicates her lack of social awareness. Miss Marsalles can’t comprehend the narrator’s mother’s perspective that the parties might not be so fun for other people. Miss Marsalles is preoccupied with continuing her traditions. She wants to hold her annual party just as she has always done in the past, regardless of her circumstances or what other people think. The narrator’s mother isn’t empathetic to Miss Marsalles. She promises to attend the party but only out of obligation to the rules of social etiquette—not because she understands what Miss Marsalles’s parties mean to her. Moreover, the narrator’s mother pities Miss Marsalles. This pity is condescending because the narrator’s mother thinks Miss Marsalles is socially inferior to her.
Themes
The narrator’s mother calls her friend Marg French on the phone. Both women are former students of Miss Marsalles, a music teacher, and now they take their own daughters to lessons with Miss Marsalles. The narrator’s mother and Marg complain about having to attend yet another party and agree to go together to make the experience more tolerable. They recall the last two parties, which were messy and cramped. Two years ago, it rained, and the guests were crammed in a small living room. One year ago, a child’s nose bled. They admit that not all of the chaos was Miss Marsalles’s fault, but they despair that the parties are so much more disorderly than they used to be.
The pact that the narrator’s mother forms with her friend to attend this year’s June recital together indicates that the narrator’s mother finds being in Miss Marsalles’s presence displeasing and even intolerable. But the narrator’s mother’s complaints about Miss Marsalles’s parties are largely petty and superficial. Her concerns about social etiquette lead her to negatively judge her former music teacher and dread Miss Marsalles’s recitals instead of being able to appreciate them for what they are. Just as she can’t bear the deterioration of the quality of Miss Marsalles’s parties, the narrator’s mother seems unable to bear the second-hand embarrassment she feels about Miss Marsalles’s social decline.
Themes
In recent years, the narrator has worried that there might be no one else at Miss Marsalles’s parties except for herself and her mother. This worry hasn’t come true, but it concerns her that the only regular attendees of the parties are Miss Marsalles’s old pupils and their children, who are Miss Marsalles’s only new students. Additionally, every June, there are fewer and fewer students. The narrator’s mother and Marg French fret about this dwindling number of pupils. They’re middle-class women who have moved to the suburbs, and they fear they’re falling behind current fashions. Miss Marsalles teaches piano lessons, but dancing is now considered a more favorable activity for children.
Miss Marsalles has been losing more and more students, which means that her financial situation is worsening. Having fewer people attend her parties recently also suggests that Miss Marsalles’s social circle is shrinking. Suffering impoverishment and increasing loneliness, Miss Marsalles’s life is deteriorating. Yet the narrator’s mother isn’t concerned about Miss Marsalles’s circumstances. Instead, she cares more about whether it’s still fashionable for young girls to learn to play piano. Similarly, the narrator worries about Miss Marsalles’s decreasing popularity—but not for her music teacher’s sake. Instead, the narrator fears the awkwardness of being the only girl her age at one of Miss Marsalles’s parties. The narrator and her mother are both more concerned about social propriety than having empathy for Miss Marsalles.
Themes
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Although learning piano might not be considered very important anymore, Miss Marsalles firmly believes that all children need music. The elderly music teacher is convinced that children’s hearts are pure and good, and that children naturally love good things, including music. The narrator thinks Miss Marsalles only holds these sentimental views about children because she’s a childless spinster, and she notes that most parents find Miss Marsalles’s insistence on children’s innocent goodness bewildering.
Despite her decreasing popularity, Miss Marsalles still wants to give piano lessons to children. She believes in music’s value and children’s innate goodness, and both music and children bring Miss Marsalles happiness. Because she enjoys bringing music into children’s lives, she persists in her teaching role and in her beliefs, regardless of her personal circumstances. Miss Marsalles is goodwilled, but the narrator judges her for being too sentimental. The narrator also portrays Miss Marsalles’s spinsterhood as something that discredits her and makes her inferior. In this way, the narrator others Miss Marsalles by framing her as strange and lesser because she’s an older, unmarried, and childless woman.
Themes
The narrator reflects on what Miss Marsalles’s parties used to be like, back when the narrator’s older sister Winifred took piano lessons. This was also when Miss Marsalles lived with her sister in their family home in Rosedale. The narrator thinks that, in those days, Miss Marsalles’s parties were not bad. The sandwiches were good, even if guests had to wait awkwardly for them to be prepared. The piano performances of the recital were uninteresting, with the exception of a rare disaster. Most students were too nervous or couldn’t play well, although Miss Marsalles rarely criticized them. The narrator claims Miss Marsalles is a poor teacher because she’s either too affectionate toward children or because she’s simple-minded. She gives excessive praise, so her students usually don’t improve enough to perform well.
The narrator associates the good quality of Miss Marsalles’s old parties with the fact that Miss Marsalles was younger and could still afford to live in her family home in those days. In other words, the narrator believes Miss Marsalles’s parties used to be better because Miss Marsalles was younger and wealthier, two factors that gave Miss Marsalles a slightly higher social standing at the time. For the narrator, the food at Miss Marsalles’s parties serves as a symbolic measure of Miss Marsalles’s social status. Back when the food was good, Miss Marsalles was also more respectable, and other people weren’t so embarrassed to associate with her. Thus, the narrator judges Miss Marsalles and her parties based on Miss Marsalles’s social position. Additionally, the narrator judges Miss Marsalles for her kindness, claiming that Miss Marsalles’s tenderness prevents her from being a good teacher. For the narrator, who is concerned about social status and propriety, Miss Marsalles’s kindness is a flaw.
Themes
The narrator asserts that Miss Marsalles’s parties in the old days were better because they felt solid. They were old-fashioned but had a reliable sameness that lent them their own style. Miss Marsalles and her shadowy, often-forgotten sister always looked the same at these parties. The narrator recalls Miss Marsalles’s appearance in unflattering terms, noting her “kindly and grotesque” face and her ugliness. In the narrator’s eyes, because they’re unmarried, childless, and antiquated, the Marsalles sisters are strange, childish creatures that live outside of time and normal society.
The narrator regards the Marsalles sisters with a mix of disgust, confusion, curiosity, and fascination. The narrator’s varied feelings bias her perception of the Marsalles sisters, causing her to present them as strange, unattractive others whom she doesn’t fully understand. Because the Marsalles sisters don’t follow the social norms for women— they remain unmarried and childless into their old age—the narrator perceives them as odd beings that don’t quite belong to her world. In addition to othering the elderly sisters, the narrator also associates them with death. She thinks of Miss Marsalles’s older sister as a mere shadow, and she feels as though Miss Marsalles belongs to a distant past and exists outside of time since she never seems to change. In the narrator’s eyes, the Marsalles sisters are like ghosts who live alongside and yet apart from living people.
Themes
The narrator recalls that the room where recitals took place in the Marsalles sisters’ family home was the same room in which her mother and other older pupils had their own lessons years ago. The stiffly formal room, decorated with historical paintings and flowers selected by Miss Marsalles, was uncomfortable but also familiar because it never changed. The narrator observes that the mothers who continue to attend Miss Marsalles’s parties seem drawn to this sameness, which reminds them of their own childhoods. The mothers share amazement that the parties their daughters now attend are absurdly identical to the ones they used to attend as children, characterized by the same ceremonial atmosphere, the nervous awkwardness of the young girls, the strained politeness of bored mothers, and the persistent sentimentality of Miss Marsalles.
Miss Marsalles has maintained the same lifestyle for a remarkable length of time. She taught piano lessons in the same unchanging room in her family house for decades, and her first students still attend her annual parties as the mothers of her new students. Long after her house decorations, clothing, party rituals, and sentiments have grown outdated and unfashionable, Miss Marsalles persists in her traditions. The narrator and the mothers who know Miss Marsalles are baffled by this seemingly impossible consistency. Miss Marsalles’s inflexibility is often awkward, embarrassing, and uncomfortable for them. At the same time, however, the narrator notes that Miss Marsalles’s sameness is also compelling. The women who knew Miss Marsalles in their youths, including the narrator’s mother, are attracted to the familiarity and nostalgia associated with the elderly music teacher. As much as Miss Marsalles is a pitiable spinster who refuses to change, she is also an anchor in other people’s lives. She draws people together through her uncompromising commitment to music and festivities, which always bring her joy.
Themes
The narrator remembers another aspect of Miss Marsalles’s parties that has remained consistent over the years. Miss Marsalles always gives her students gifts—usually vintage books that are unappealing, or sometimes games with convoluted rules that aren’t fun to play. The students are always embarrassed to receive these gifts, and the mothers are embarrassed too by the knowledge that Miss Marsalles might not have been able to afford them. In the old days, both Marsalles sisters had small incomes and could afford to keep their family house. But the Marsalles sisters have moved twice into progressively smaller homes, and the mothers now assume they’re suffering financially. The narrator remarks that the mothers have stopped gossiping about the Marsalles sisters’ finances because it’s not good manners to discuss painful topics.
Miss Marsalles’s persistent tradition of giving her students gifts at her music recitals exemplifies her selfless goodwill and affection for children. Being generous toward her students in this way makes her happy. Yet Miss Marsalles lacks the social awareness to notice that her students don’t enjoy her gifts. She remains oblivious to their embarrassment, which makes the children and their mothers dread the gift-giving ceremony instead of being able to appreciate it. Nevertheless, Miss Marsalles continues to give out gifts to her pupils even when she doesn’t have the financial means to afford these gifts. Her generosity persists despite her impoverishment and the deteriorating circumstances of her life. The narrator’s mother and other women suspect Miss Marsalles is suffering financially, but they refuse to talk about Miss Marsalles’s situation out of so-called politeness. Instead of feeling empathy for Miss Marsalles’s misfortune and striving to help her, the other women ignore Miss Marsalles’s problem and treat it as a shameful, taboo subject. To them, social etiquette is more important than trying to ease Miss Marsalles’s suffering.
Themes
On the day of Miss Marsalles’s party, the narrator and her mother drive to Miss Marsalles’s house on Bala Street. The narrator’s mother swears she’ll die if it rains, but it’s a hot, rainless summer day. After getting lost, the narrator and her mother eventually find the right house, which is small and plain. Miss Marsalles stands in the narrow open doorway. Though the narrator initially thinks Miss Marsalles looks unpleasant and overly made up, she realizes upon approaching that the old woman looks the same as ever in her antique clothing—she is clearly happy and untroubled. Miss Marsalles greets the narrator as if she’s five years old. The narrator notices that Miss Marsalles looks past her and her mother as if expecting to see more people arriving behind them.
The narrator’s mother’s exaggeration that she’ll die if it rains demonstrates how strongly she dreads Miss Marsalles’s party. To the narrator’s mother, having to attend the recital is already a nuisance. The added inconvenience of bad weather would make the party absolutely intolerable. The narrator’s mother wouldn’t express her displeasure about the June party this way to Miss Marsalles, because to do so would be impolite. However, she readily complains about spending time with Miss Marsalles to her daughter. Politeness doesn’t make the narrator’s mother kind and respectful toward Miss Marsalles; rather, it only conceals the narrator’s mother’s internal distaste for Miss Marsalles. The narrator has her own biases against Miss Marsalles, which lead her at first to perceive the elderly music teacher’s appearance as disconcertingly unpleasant. But the narrator’s initial impression of Miss Marsalles doesn’t match reality. A closer look reveals that Miss Marsalles looks ordinary and cheerful, the same as always. Despite living in a much smaller house, Miss Marsalles remains persistently happy.
Themes
The narrator and her mother enter the small living room, which is decorated with familiar historical paintings and flowers. The room feels crowded, but there are less than 12 people inside. The narrator’s mother smiles and greets people, but she remarks on Marg French’s absence. Mrs. Clegg, Miss Marsalles’s neighbor, introduces herself. She was invited to the party to hear the children’s music. Although the narrator’s mother is uncomfortable, she acts pleasant and asks about Miss Marsalles’s sister. Mrs. Clegg says the older woman is upstairs and isn’t doing well. Mrs. Clegg sometimes helps look after her because she feels sorry for the Marsalles sisters, whom she views as “a couple of babies.”
At the party, the narrator’s mother smiles and acts pleasant. However, her polite exterior is fake, and it only masks her displeasure that she must endure the recital. The narrator notices that Miss Marsalles has tried to make her new living room almost identical to the living room of her former house in Rosedale, demonstrating her remarkable commitment to sameness. Still, this year’s music recital is noticeably different. The half-house on Bala Street is cramped, and there are fewer people in attendance. These facts point to the deterioration of Miss Marsalles’s circumstances, including her impoverishment and diminishing social circle. The declining health of Miss Marsalles’s older sister is another factor in the deterioration of the Marsalles sisters’ lives. Moreover, how Miss Marsalles’s sister is treated exemplifies how both sisters are othered by society. Miss Marsalles’s sister’s isolation in an upstairs room illustrates how she’s outcast from society and deemed less valuable because she’s an older, unmarried, childless woman who’s now become ill. The narrator’s mother and Mrs. Clegg don’t have sincere empathy for her. The narrator’s mother doesn’t want to talk too much about her because that would be impolite, while Mrs. Clegg is eager to gossip about her for her own entertainment. Mrs. Clegg also says she pities the Marsalles sisters. By calling them “babies,” she infantilizes them and casts them as inferior to herself. Although she claims to care for the Marsalles sisters, she doesn’t see or respect them as equals.
Themes
The narrator’s mother becomes distracted by the sight of the food set out for the party. It’s an elaborate spread, but the food was clearly brought out into the heat hours ago. Flies crawl over the sandwiches and cakes. The narrator’s mother tries to control her dismay. Smiling, Mrs. Clegg says she tried to warn Miss Marsalles against putting the food out too early, but Miss Marsalles was too eager and didn’t want to forget anything. Mrs. Clegg thinks it’s a shame, but the food isn’t inedible. The narrator’s mother adjusts her skirt and changes the subject, since it's impolite to criticize the hostess in her own living room.
The elaborate party feast Miss Marsalles has prepared symbolizes her persistence and selfless goodwill. Even though she doesn’t have the same financial means as she used to have, she still wants to provide her guests with plentiful food. Even the type of food is the same as previous years: sandwiches and ice cream. Miss Marsalles is astonishingly consistent, and she has good intentions. However, her mistake of putting the food out too early has ruined her generosity, and she remains oblivious to her guests’ dismay. The spoiling food symbolizes Miss Marsalles’s decaying social value, which the women around her think is repulsive and shameful but which she hardly notices. The narrator’s mother is especially upset at Miss Marsalles’s social inferiority—symbolized by the fly-covered sandwiches—because she cares so much about social etiquette and propriety. Filled with horror, the narrator’s mother tries to conceal her feelings and refuses to speak more about the food, clearly believing it’s more polite to stay silent about Miss Marsalles’s deteriorating life. In contrast, Mrs. Clegg eagerly gossips about Miss Marsalles’s error as she takes pleasure in the drama of Miss Marsalles’s social decline.
Themes
The narrator’s mother complains that Marg French isn’t here despite her promise to come. The narrator is disgusted that she’s the oldest girl at the party, but her mother says at least she’ll get to perform last and the recital will be short. Mrs. Clegg, who smells unpleasant, gets up to check on the ice cream. The narrator’s mother converses with the other women, upset by Marg French’s absence. The women are all uneasy, and they want the recital to begin soon. They say that other people are rude not to come, but the heat must have prevented them.
The narrator’s mother’s single-minded distress that her friend hasn’t come appears overly strong. Her aversion to being in Miss Marsalles’s company is offensive, in spite of all her strained politeness. Additionally, Mrs. Clegg’s bad odor reflects her internal unpleasantness. Mrs. Clegg is insensitive and lacks respect for the Marsalles sisters, even though she pretends to be compassionate towards them. The other women at the party have unpleasant attitudes too. They accuse other people who haven’t come to the party of being rude, and they frame themselves as good and courteous people—all while they wish the recital would end soon so they can leave. Although these guests pretend to be polite, their adherence to social etiquette doesn’t stop them from being unkind.
Themes
The recital begins, and the younger children start to play. Miss Marsalles and Mrs. Clegg clap enthusiastically after each performance. The mothers hardly applaud and feel relief with every performance that ends. The narrator’s mother stares, horrified, at the food on the dining room table but doesn’t want to seem rude, so she puts on a dreamy look as she pretends to appreciate the music. Miss Marsalles keeps glancing at the door, apparently in anticipation of new arrivals. The narrator notices that Miss Marsalles has prepared gifts for more children than are currently present.
Once the performances start, Miss Marsalles happily celebrates her students’ achievements. Mrs. Clegg also enjoys the music, but the mothers don’t encourage or praise their children. They only wish for the recital to end quickly. The narrator’s mother is even less capable of enjoying the music. She’s still distracted by the spoiling food. On a symbolic level, since this food represents Miss Marsalles’s social inferiority, the narrator’s mother is distracted by her disgust of Miss Marsalles’s low social position. The narrator’s mother’s concern about social status prevents her from experiencing any joy from the children’s music. Interestingly, the narrator realizes that Miss Marsalles still seems to be waiting for new arrivals, and Miss Marsalles’s strange anticipation contributes to the growing tension in the story. The narrator strongly doubts more people will come to the recital, and through her eyes, Miss Marsalles appears more pathetic because of her hopefulness.
Themes
It’s the narrator’s turn to play the piano. In the middle of her performance, a woman and eight or ten children arrive. The children are wearing a dull uniform. The narrator wonders if they’re here by mistake. Everyone else is surprised and confused to see them too. But Miss Marsalles was expecting them and cheerfully welcomes them inside. There is noisy disorder and giggling as the children settle in. However, a harsh, conspicuous silence rises from the mothers, as if a disaster has occurred. The narrator finishes playing her piece, aware that her performance is unimpressive, and quickly returns to her seat.
Miss Marsalles’s anticipation for more party guests turns out to be justified, as more children indeed arrive. The narrator was wrong to doubt Miss Marsalles’s hope, suggesting that not all of the narrator’s judgements about Miss Marsalles are correct or fair. When the rest of Miss Marsalles’s students arrive, they bring a youthful, innocent liveliness to the awkward party with their flurry of movement, noisiness, and giggling. Miss Marsalles invites them inside warmly. In her mind, these children belong at the recital without question. However, in sharp contrast to the children’s loud activity and Miss Marsalles’s cheerfulness, the mothers grow still and silent with pointed hostility and discomfort. The narrator doesn’t understand the mothers’ sudden antagonism. She’s confused by the situation, which suggests that the mothers’ reaction is unnatural and extreme. In this moment, the mothers seem excessively rude and offensive for disapproving of these children’s presence.
Themes
A nine- or ten-year-old boy from the group of recently arrived children gets up to perform next. Miss Marsalles smiles at him and encourages him. As he sits at the piano bench to play, the narrator notices his distinct facial features, which several of his peers share. Mrs. Clegg tells the narrator’s mother, “Sometimes that kind is quite musical.” The narrator’s mother is noticeably upset by these children and asks who they are. Mrs. Clegg explains that they’re from Greenhill School and that they’re nice but “not all there.”
The newly arrived children begin their piano performances. With her usual sentimental affection, Miss Marsalles is kind to these children. Immediately, the narrator observes the children’s physical differences, and it’s implied in the story that these newly arrived children have Down syndrome. Notably, the narrator examines the children with more curiosity than prejudiced hostility. On the other hand, the narrator’s mother exhibits clear prejudice toward the children, and Mrs. Clegg blatantly treats the newly arrived children as inferior to the others. The narrator’s mother is so offended by the children’s presence that she becomes visibly upset, revealing her intolerance of people that don’t fit into her idea of the status quo. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clegg tries to sound nice, but her attitude toward the children is also demeaning. She patronizes them and uses belittling language to refer to their disabilities. Miss Marsalles accepts the children from Greenhill School, but the women who uphold social norms shun and dehumanize these children.
Themes
The narrator’s mother and the other women seem alarmed by the presence of the children from Greenhill School. They reluctantly resign themselves to listen to more piano performances, although these are no worse than the playing of Miss Marsalles’s other pupils. The mothers don’t know where to look; they think it’s polite to avoid looking too closely at the children, but it’s also rude not to watch them play. The narrator feels trapped in a bizarre dream. The distressed mothers struggle not to feel or appear repulsed by the Greenhill School children, but they clearly are repulsed. The narrator imagines that her mother is internally protesting against having to listen to “little idiots.” The mothers applaud briskly, as if to speed along the performances so they will end sooner.
The mothers are offended by the Greenhill School children’s presence. They treat the children’s piano playing as something horrible they must endure, but this attitude is unfair. The women’s prejudice drives their intolerance of the children’s existence. Importantly, the mothers’ prejudice doesn’t exist in spite of their politeness. Rather, their hostile intolerance grows out of their convictions about politeness and upholding social norms. To the mothers, it’s polite to ignore people who are different. In other words, they believe that people who don’t fit into the status quo, such as children with Down syndrome, should be kept invisible. However, Miss Marsalles has allowed these children to be seen and included by inviting them to play piano at her recital. Miss Marsalles’s inclusion contradicts the mothers’ idea of propriety and forces the mothers to confront their disgust of people who are different from them. In response, the mothers don’t want to admit they’re upset by the mere presence of children with Down syndrome. Nevertheless, they reject the children because they don’t think such individuals belong in polite society. The mothers’ belief in the idea of “polite society” thus counteractively leads to unkindness.
Themes
Miss Marsalles announces the next performer with an air of celebration. Her name is Dolores Boyle, and she sits down on the piano bench and begins to play. The musicality of her performance is immediately evident. The music is impossibly delicate, free, and happy. All of the children fall silent, the mothers are filled with a “profound anxiety,” and the music flows through the door and windows out into the street. Miss Marsalles smiles as usual. She doesn’t react to Dolores’s beautiful playing as a great personal triumph or a shock. She celebrates Dolores’s musical skill in the same way that she celebrates all children’s musical endeavors.
Miss Marsalles harbors no prejudice toward her students who have Down syndrome. She celebrates them happily just as she does the rest of her students. When Dolores Boyle performs, she demonstrates that having Down syndrome doesn’t prevent her from being a good pianist. Dolores has impressive musicality and plays enchantingly. The music is joyful and lively, and it moves through the air as if it’s alive. The music is also powerful and transformative. Dolores’s performance makes emotion real and conveys it to the audience, so that her listeners can feel the emotion too. All the children fall silent in acknowledgement of this music’s enlivening and impactful power. But the mothers can’t accept the music’s joy or Dolores’s skill. Their prejudice stops them from fully appreciating the delight of Dolores’s performance. Thus, the narrow-minded mothers bar themselves from a meaningful experience because they’re focused on upholding the status quo. In contrast, Miss Marsalles embraces Dolores’s playing as an everyday joy. Miss Marsalles is open-minded and indiscriminately kind, so she’s able to take joy from small yet profound moments in life.
Themes
Dolores finishes her performance, and the music is gone. Her playing was extraordinary, but she herself is not. The narrator observes that the women are beginning to feel that Dolores’s performance was a trick and “not altogether in good taste.” The women believe that Dolores’s musicality is not suited to her and is even wasted on somebody like her. Miss Marsalles might accept Dolores’s talent, but other people do not. The women don’t know how to talk to—or even how to talk about—Dolores, so they comment on the music instead. They ask what the piece was called, and Miss Marsalles answers with its title, The Dance of the Happy Shades, which nobody recognizes.
Dolores is an ordinary girl, but the mothers view her presence and musical skill as affronts to politeness. The mothers’ prejudice leads them to believe that people with Down syndrome are less capable and therefore less valuable. So, the mothers think people with Down syndrome should be kept away—marginalized and invisible—from society. By displaying her talent, Dolores challenges the mothers’ prejudices. In response, they angrily conclude that Dolores’s skill goes against propriety and is socially unacceptable. In contrast, Miss Marsalles accepts Dolores happily and is thus able to enjoy the beautiful music she creates. As someone who is herself deemed socially inferior, Miss Marsalles knows what it’s like to be othered by society. Thus, she open-mindedly embraces Dolores and all her students equally. In return, Miss Marsalles experiences joy from all her students’ musical endeavors. The music that Dolores plays, called “The Dance of the Happy Shades,” symbolizes Miss Marsalles’s persistent joy. This piece of music comes from the opera Orfeo ed Euridice, in which Orpheus experiences unexpected joy when he successfully rescues his lover Euridice from the underworld. Similarly, Miss Marsalles is unexpectedly happy despite the struggles she faces, and—like a happy shade—she persists in her “dance” of teaching music to children and hosting parties. By doing so, Miss Marsalles experiences life not as a pitiable ghost but as a vibrant, fulfilled person.
Themes
The narrator and her mother return home. As they drive out of the city, the narrator knows they will never attend another one of Miss Marsalles’s parties again. But she also wonders why they’re unable to pity Miss Marsalles, as they expected to do. She concludes that it’s the Dance of the Happy Shades that makes them unable to fully pity her. The Dance of the Happy Shades is “that one communiqué from the other country where she lives.”
The events of the party spark an epiphany for the narrator. She realizes that Miss Marsalles isn’t pitiable, since she’s happy. The narrator was wrong to look down on her music teacher. Despite her hardships and the deterioration of her life circumstances, Miss Marsalles draws happiness and fulfillment from maintaining her old-fashioned traditions, socializing, and teaching music to children. Miss Marsalles may be othered by society, but she isn’t a miserable, helpless ghost. In fact, Miss Marsalles experiences more joy and vitality than the narrator’s mother because she embraces small, everyday miracles. In the end, the narrator still conceives of Miss Marsalles as living in “the other country,” belonging to a strange and far-away place rather than to the narrator’s world. But Dolores’s music and what it symbolizes—unlikely yet persistent joy—have successfully communicated to the narrator that Miss Marsalles lives a happy, meaningful, and valuable life.
Themes
