In eight pages this paper examines how symbolism and theme are united by irony in this novel by Thornton Wilder. Ten sources are cited in the bibliography and footnotes along with character analysis are also included.
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old foot bridge and the untimely deaths of five people, he begins to question the meaning of life and what it all means. He makes his way into the lives
and supposed thoughts of the people who have died in an attempt to give meaning to the age old question of Why are We here? Some of the most endearing
and lasting ironies come of this introspection. Especially poignant in this time and age, with the devastation of September 11th still so freshly vivid in minds and hearts, Brother Junipers
investigation into the seeming randomness of death serves two ironic purposes: First to explain why God would allow such devastation to occur, and secondly, to determine if man is here
by accident or design. For whatever reason, five people living diverse, yet interconnected lives all chose to cross the bridge at the same time. And on that instant Brother Juniper
made the resolve to inquire into the secret lives of those five persons, that moment falling through the air, and to surprise the reason of their taking off(1Wilder, 5). Since
this is a type of investigation by the Friar, who supposedly kept a collection of papers for nearly seven years while he investigated, the novel is broken into sections, each
depicting what he discovered about each of the victims. The first of these characters is the Marquesa, who is the daughter of a wealthy merchant in the town. The Marquesa
is not a nice woman as she is depicted as spoiled, nasty, and rude. Finally, for lack of anything better to do, she marries another wealthy man in the village
and they have a daughter. The love that the Marquesa feels for her daughter is perhaps her only redeeming trait. Unfortunately, the Marquesa goes overboard and Dona Clara(the daughter) is