Analysis of “He” by Katherine Anne Porter

Katherine Anne Porters He In Katherine Anne Porters short story, He, Mrs. Whipple has the misfortune of a mentally retarded watchword. While struggling to feed and clothe the esurient mouths of her family, Mrs. Whipple tries to camouflage hatred toward her son by putting up a facade of love and fear for him in an attempt to look similar a better individual. Mr. Whipple and Mrs. Whipples neglect toward their son is evident right wing from the start by his lack of a name. He is only declare as He or Him.Nance explains that this, failure of the sons parents to recognize his personality, symbolized by their failure to give him a name, is the root of their mistake and suffering (Nance 19). If Mr. and Mrs. Whipple would take the time to understand their son as a person and recognize his abilities, they would be able to accept his situation more easily and Mrs. Whipple could be less implicated with what people say. The distortion of Mrs. Whipples concern for her son is counterbalan ce evident when she says, I wouldnt save whateverthing happen to Him for all the world, but it just looks like I deposet keep Him out of mischief.Hes so warm and activeHes always into everything He was like that since He could walk. Its actually funny sometimes, the way He can do anything its laughable to see Him up to His tricks. (Porter 493) The truth is that Mrs. Whipple fails to put any considerable effort into keeping Him out of trouble in the first place. Mr. and Mrs. Whipple give the boy more chores because they say that He is bigger than average, and riding habit think twice about taking some of his blankets if the other children force back cold in winter. On more than one occasion she on purpose puts Him in harms way.After receiving a permitter saying that her brother and his family is glide path for a visit, Mrs. Whipple insists on sacrificing a baby prey that would be charge a substantial amount of money by Christmas. With the mama pig being a broad fighter, Mrs. Whipple asks Adna to retrieve the piglet. After Adna refuses the challenge, Mrs. Whipple believes it would be a vast joke to make Him do it. After the boy manages to separate the pig, with the sow raging at His heels, Mrs. Whipple takes the pig from the boy without showing gratitude for the great favor He did. On another occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Whipple allow the boy to engineer a full grown motherfucker home.Both wise(p) that the bull could easily tear the boy to pieces, they still allow him to bring the puppet three miles home. She mustnt make a sound nor a act she mustnt create the bull started. The bull heaved his head aside and pierce the air at a fly. Her voice burst out of her in a shriek, and she screamed at Him to come on, for Gods sake. He didnt seem to hear her clamor, but kept on twirling His switch and gameness on, and the bull lumbered along behind him as gently as a calf. Mrs. Whipple stopped calling and ran towards the house, praying under her breath Lor d, dont let anything happen to Him.Lord, you know people will say we oughtnt to start sent Him. You know theyll say we didnt take care of Him. Oh, get Him home, safe home, safe home, and Ill look out for Him better Amen. (Porter 497) Without concern for the boys safety Mrs. Whipple cries out at the boy to hurry up knowing that her actions could startle the bull. She then runs inside, not waiting to make sure her son made it all the way safely, and prays. Her prayers to get Him home safely retain more on what people will say about her if he does not make it. This is a prime example where Mrs.Whipples sounding mask of love and concern is taken everywhere by her abhorrence toward Him because of her personality flaw (Makoid). Year after year the Whipples tally slowly dwindles. Adna and Emly move to the city for jobs, and He gets more chores placed upon his shoulders. iodin winter the boy slipped on some ice and fell over and started having convulsions. From then on He had to sta y in bed. His legs swelled up and his condition didnt improve. With the Whipples on their last legs, the doctor suggested they put the boy into the County Home. Mrs.Whipple, still worried about what people will say, refuses to see the boy go. She thinks that with Adna and Emlys help the family will be able to get back on their feet by next summer and take care of the boy. Eventually Mrs. Whipple understands what has to be done. Her neighbor and the doctor drive Mrs. Whipple and Him to the hospital. On the ride to the hospital He starts to cry. This is when Mrs. Whipple realizes that He is going away forever. His tears signify that maybe He knew that He was going away and He was finally happy riant to get away from the distortion and confusion of his parents.Mrs. Whipple understands her err, and is now truly concerned about his feelings. Mrs. Whipple and her family are poor southerners struggling to feed and clothe their children. With the access of a mentally retarded second son, situations become more intricate for the family. Mrs. Whipple tries to mask the neglect of her disabled child by showing mendacious love and concern for him. Only if she could grasp reality and accept her situation, would she be able to overcome her position and truly be happy. Instead Mrs.Whipple insists on hiding her conditions and doing whatever is possible to appear as a great family that is better off than they actually are. Works Cited Makoid, Terence. (2003, April 23). Katherine Anne Porter Analysis of Mrs. Whipple in He. Retrieved April 24, 2011, from University of North Carolina website http//www. unc. edu/home/tmakoid/english/he. html Nance, William L. Katherine Anne Porter & the art of Rejection. University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill , 1964. 18-23. Porter, Katherine A. (1927). He. In L. McDougal, American Literature (pp. 493-498). Evanston, IL McDougal.