• Esther – A young girl (Our tragic heroine)
• Armenian Man – ‘Bad boy’ (Stranger to Esther’s family)
• The Bucket – His ‘vessel’ containing a ‘Gift’ for Esther
• The Puppet – His ‘gift’/The baby
• The Church/Congregation – Esther’s traditional family/community
• “The puppet held high” – Visibly pregnant & unashamed
• Storm – untenable situation (within the family)/the world apart from her loving family
• “Her feet began to lift” – Turns to drugs (She gets high)
• (Instrumental interlude) – Time spent escaping through drugs
• “Tumble earthward” – comes down to reality (now destitute)
• Evil Men – Evil People (truly wicked or maybe she’s paranoid. Either way, no one to turn to)
• Morning – Cleared Mind
• “Wandered through the streets” – debates which way to go (back home?)
• Chilly Lake – Hard feelings/Cold treatment/Judgment
• The Town – Home/Family
• Joggers – “The Healthy” (family, faculty, medical or social workers) who ‘know better’
• “To Swim” – To face (and try to accept) the cold judgment of others
With all the metaphors introduced, the tragic conclusion of this tale comes into painful focus in the last two stanzas as Esther decides to rid herself of the child at the will of her family, only to be faced with feelings of guilt small at first, nagging, relentless, and ultimately inescapable.
The stigma attached to her from those on the outside combined with inner thoughts about the child (she would never come to know) prove to be more than Esther can bear. Somewhere out there is a man who shamelessly ruined a girl. Pitiable Esther takes her own life.
Cast of characters:
• Esther – A young girl (Our tragic heroine)
• Armenian Man – ‘Bad boy’ (Stranger to Esther’s family) • The Bucket – His ‘vessel’ containing a ‘Gift’ for Esther
• The Puppet – His ‘gift’/The baby
• The Church/Congregation – Esther’s traditional family/community • “The puppet held high” – Visibly pregnant & unashamed • Storm – untenable situation (within the family)/the world apart from her loving family • “Her feet began to lift” – Turns to drugs (She gets high) • (Instrumental interlude) – Time spent escaping through drugs • “Tumble earthward” – comes down to reality (now destitute) • Evil Men – Evil People (truly wicked or maybe she’s paranoid. Either way, no one to turn to) • Morning – Cleared Mind • “Wandered through the streets” – debates which way to go (back home?) • Chilly Lake – Hard feelings/Cold treatment/Judgment • The Town – Home/Family • Joggers – “The Healthy” (family, faculty, medical or social workers) who ‘know better’ • “To Swim” – To face (and try to accept) the cold judgment of others
With all the metaphors introduced, the tragic conclusion of this tale comes into painful focus in the last two stanzas as Esther decides to rid herself of the child at the will of her family, only to be faced with feelings of guilt small at first, nagging, relentless, and ultimately inescapable.
The stigma attached to her from those on the outside combined with inner thoughts about the child (she would never come to know) prove to be more than Esther can bear. Somewhere out there is a man who shamelessly ruined a girl. Pitiable Esther takes her own life.