The story “Bliss” focuses on how complex the thoughts of the protagonist are to be able to accept feelings that are not normal for society. The story focuses on Bertha’s discovery of her bisexuality and the emotions she has about it. It depicts the traditional patriarchal society of men working and women waiting for their husband to return home. The story is filled symbolicism to illustrate various instances where the Protagonist feels. The story features one symbol that is prominently displayed throughout. Bertha finds a pear in the garden. This symbol is her sexuality. Bertha constantly looks at this tree and attempts to match her feelings or life with it.
The pear tree is first and foremost bertha’s virginity. According to the tree, it “had not one bud.” It is unfertilized. Similar to Bertha, though she isn’t a virgin because she has a baby, she behaves just like the Young Bertha. She displays childish behavior in the beginning. She is childlike and wants to run, not walk. The author wrote, “She watched them, her hands at her side, as if she were a little girl watching a doll.” This sentence shows that she doesn’t know how to manage her child. Although her baby is cute and adorable, viewers aren’t able to see any maternal instincts towards her child. She doesn’t show the readers deep, maternal love. These are all examples that bertha isn’t mature. She is not a woman of 30 years. It is when she has never experienced sexual arousal that her virginal personality shines through. Her excitement over a female crush leads to an encounter that she is infatuated with. She doesn’t know what she should do. She is very literal in her expressions of her feelings with the line “all her bliss came back again, which she again didn’t understand how to express-what to do?” All this demonstrates that Bertha is a virgin. This is only one aspect Bertha’s sexuality.
The pear tree is symbolic of another aspect the protagonist’s sexuality. She is bisexual. According to the author, the tree looked almost like it touched the rim of a round, silver-colored moon. Bertha’s lady-love Pearl Fulton is the symbol of the moon. Pearl can also be seen in the story in a white dress. Young Bertha is represented by the pear-tree. Bertha believes that Pearl and she share an internal connection while looking out at the moon. While she believes Pearl touched her hand, this was only her imagination. This shows that Pearl is more than just a physical object to Bertha. Bertha cannot reach Pearl in the way that she wants. Moon is a sign that moon is feminine, since it has its 28-day period. Bertha has a symbolic disconnection with Pearl because Bertha’s symbol is the virgin pear and Pearl is the female lunar. Bertha is constantly confused about Pearl’s feelings. It doesn’t matter if she admires Pearl or falls in love with her. This shows that bisexuality was still not widely accepted and understood in 1920s America.
The story also highlights the themes of love and patriarchy. Bertha starts out as a sweet wife who calls husband to ask about his work. She takes care of him and invites him home. Bertha, a housewife and financially dependent on her husband, is financially dependent. We see that Bertha is not friendly towards Pearl. However, we learn that Bertha is having an affair with Harry towards the end. Bertha, now that she knows the truth, is terrified and insecure. Bertha is fully aware of the fact that she can’t leave her husband, as she isn’t financially independent. She will have the to deal with her false marriage. She was aware that she would have to accept it. She is responsible for her child’s care. Her husband is her sole source of food and shelter. Because of this, she can’t leave her husband. This was how women lived in those days, which are still very common today.
Women are not allowed to work in society because men want a higher place in the household. They are also afraid of the consequences. Bertha knows that her husband has betrayed her and cannot change it.
The last line in the story, “But…the pear Tree was as lovely and full of flower as ever” makes it clear that Bertha’s relationship with Harry will not change. She will behave just like her mother and show Harry that she loves him, even if it means she will become homeless. The story’s title, “Bliss”, is very appropriate. The title of the story ‘Bliss’ aims to show that a person who ignores their feelings towards Pearl is happy. The author might be suggesting that Bertha should ignore Pearl’s feelings so she can adapt to society norms. Also, Bertha shouldn’t acknowledge Harry’s affair with Pearl so she can be a part. We have the choice to either live in blissful ignorance or face the facts and alter the historical gender roles.
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