Colors of Death

Sarah 

Mrs. Zurkowski/Greens

October 27, 2010

Colors of Death

In “The Masque of the Red Death” the color white is used to symbolize a stage of life.  White is the fifth room to the west in Poe’s story. The rooms in this story represent the stages of life going from east to west, just like the sun is born in the east and dies in the west.  They are separated by sharp turns so you cannot see more than one room at once, just like you cannot see your future.   White represents the ages 50-70.  Which are the ages leading up to death.  These ages almost are anticipating death’s arrival because it is coming, but they are not ages full of pain because there is still a little bit of youth left. 

White symbolizes these ages because it is plain, the fun and adventurous time of one’s life is over.  White could also mean aging in the sense that life is being drained out, just as color is drained out of white.  White also symbolizes the knowledge and wisdom gained throughout the years.  As people get older their hair starts to turn white which is another way white can be related to old age.  White is a perfect color to represent old age.  Midnight ecause midnight represents death the color white would be closer to midnight on the ‘ebony clock’.  White is in between the colors orange, the partying ages consisting of mid-life crisis, and violet, the ages next to death that consist of pain and suffering.  These ages fit around white; because, orange is to happy and carefree to fit the personality of a sixty year old, but violet is too painful and full of suffering to be within the ages of 50-70. 

White relates to my life because I know many elderly people and people in their late fifties who are in the white stage of life.  They have done so much in their life and now there is not much they can do anymore, life is drained out of them.  They already had their fun partying days and went through their mid-life crisis.  All of their vast experiences in life have left them with a certain knowledge and wisdom that people in every other stage lack.  This wisdom makes some people excited for the white stage, but what those people do not realize is how much they are going to miss the days when they had nothing but fun.  I am in no rush to grow up, but the wisdom that comes with old age will be nice.  I am sure I will look back and wish that I knew everything then that I know now.  Older people are great to go to for advice because they have been through so many life experiences and can give you great advice, plus I am sure they would love to relive memories through you.  When you are older you wish you were young and when you are young you wish you were older.  I’m in no rush to grow up.  

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