In each of the stories, the blue dress has been incorporated into the narrative. Discuss and compare how the dress has been woven into the events of the story and its significance. In the short story in the book The Blue Dress, a blue dress has been incorporated into the story in a distinctive way.
In the story “Siren,” the dress was an heirloom from a ‘siren’ named Parthenope-a Greek mythological creature-who lured men. The dress has been brought back to finish her work, by a young girl who wore it, named Alysia. Similar to “Siren,” the blue dress has been combined into the story “Knowing,” by the dress being worn by a girl before. The previous owner has an effect on the dress, by mentally touching the person wearing the dress. But in “Knowing,” the second owner finds out another story from the past about the previous owner.
Quiksand and the last cabinet/ Two stories have captured similar ideas using the blue dress, “Siren” and “Knowing”. In the story “Siren” the writer has used the blue dress as a link between reality and fantasy. He has used the Greek mythology of the “Siren” as the base of his story. A siren is one of a group of sea nymphs, who, by their sweet singing lured mariners to destruction on the rocks surrounding their island.
The blue dress is what both; Parthenope (in the past/fantasy) and Alysia (in the present/reality) wore, which is what bound them. In the past, Alfons (boy who lived there before) saw a women in a blue dress. She fascinated him by her beautiful looks. “‘Oh, Cement,’ hes aid, ‘that is twice now already I’ve seen her. She wears a blue dress.” At the end of the story you are confused because Tony says he saw Alysia on the beach in the blue dress. “‘I saw you on the beach, dancing in your blue dress and you waved to me then you ran back here, towards the cottage'”- pg.17.You wonder whether it was Parthenope on the beach or was it really Alysia.
In “Knowing”, the blue dress is crossbred in the story by representing a channel, connecting the past with the present. Nikki has visions the past owner’s life. “In a sense, when it happened, she was Nikki no longer. It was as if she had stepped outside of herself, and into another life. Rachael’s lifetime.”-pg.22.
