Abstract The paper examines "Wakefield, 7E", the mysterious story about a man who suddenly and without an apparently good reason, leaves his family to live in an apartment across the street from them. The paper explores the events in the story and the symbolism behind the events.
From the Paper "Firstly, the very first sentence of the story is startling. The language of the sentence is simple, straightforward and free from emotion. Zauberman simply lies to his family one day and leaves without apparent motivation. When reading further through the story, clues emerge that might enlighten the reader regarding this startling action. Zauberman, who becomes Wakefield, is personified as a very nervous, socially inept type of man. In addition, he suspects his wife, Ada, of indiscretions and deceptions, but never seems to confront her about it very openly. It is as if he is not only afraid of social situations, but also of his own home situation. This is evident much later, towards the end of the story, where the narrator states: "It's Shoshana who really scares him, her straight back, her gorgeous hair.""
