'The Way Up to Heaven' by Roald Dahl
Title: The Way Up to Heaven
Author: Roald Dahl
Publication
Date: 1954
Rating: 3/5
Link to
The Short Story:
http://storage.cloversites.com/christianlifecollege/documents/The%20Way%20up%20to%20Heaven.pdf
Link to
Your Website/Blog: https://literaryinheaven.blogspot.com/?m=1
A Brief
Synopsis
“The Way Up to Heaven" by Roald
Dahl is a short story about Mrs. Foster, an old woman who is very afraid of
being late. Her husband, Mr. Foster, makes her late on purpose, and it causes
her anxiety. Mrs. Foster anxiously prepares for a trip to Paris to visit her
daughter and grandson. However, Mr. Foster continued to delay their departure.
On the day of Mrs. Foster's departure, Mrs. Foster realized that the elevator
in her house was stuck before she left for the airport. When they were about to
leave for her husband's airport, Mr. Foster deliberately delayed her by making
excuses to take gifts in the house. While Mrs. Foster was waiting in the car,
she heard a strange noise coming from inside her house. She hesitated to see
what happened but then decided to go and leave her husband without
investigating. Mrs. Foster enjoys her trip to Paris, and upon her return, she
finds her house very lonely and realizes that her husband is gone. It was later
concluded that her husband was trapped in the elevator of their home at the
time of her departure. After realizing what happened to her husband, Mrs.
Foster felt relieved because she was free from her husband's control.
Likes
One thing I really like about
"The Way to Heaven" is how well the characters are created. The Way
Up to Heaven is an interesting mix of sad and happy at the same time. Mrs.
Foster, the main character, is an old woman who is punctual and afraid of being
late, while her husband has the opposite attitude.
I also love Roald Dahl's writing style in this
story. The description is so clear that readers can anticipate the plot and the
ending. Roald Dahl gives a good ending where the Mrs. is free and calm by
eliminating the character of her husband, Mr. Foster, at the end of the story.
Roald Dahl's writing leaves important
events unmentioned. For example, Mrs. Foster's decision not to check the noise
in the elevator and her husband's fate at the end leave the reader wondering.
Dahl has a way of balancing a story and not rushing it. He also uses subtle
hints to make you think, and it works perfectly in this story.
Dislikes
One perhaps less interesting aspect
of "The Way Up to Heaven" is the character of Mr. Foster. Roald Dahl makes
him a bad character that will be remembered by the reader. the personality of
Mr. Foster, who deliberately lies and slows down their journey and causes his
wife to be stressed and anxious. The attitude of Mr. Foster, who has many
reasons, gives bad morals to the reader.
Roald Dahl's writing does not explain
the story in more depth; the reader is left with questions such as what is Mr.
Foster's motive for deliberately slowing down their journey?. The conflict
between them also had no solution and only ended after the death of Mr. Foster.
This leaves some readers wanting more plot in terms of emotional depth and
problem solving.
Final
Thoughts
Overall, I think "The Way Up to
Heaven" is a brilliantly written story that combines psychological
suspense and sadness in an effective way. The strength of the story lines in
the tension they face and the independence of Mrs. Foster, who ultimately takes
control of the situation, making it an unforgettable read. This story also
provides a deep moral to the reader. Although there are some unanswered
questions and the story is quite predictable, I still think it is perfectly
written and leaves a good impression on the reader.
Recommendation
I highly recommend "Road to
Heaven" to fans of suspense and mystery. It is also a good read for those
who like stories with good and satisfying endings, especially readers who like
revenge stories, especially their subtle or psychological forms, who would find
Mrs. Foster’s quiet retribution compelling.
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