Discuss The Ox as a short story



      In the truest sense a short story is a short prose with some characteristic features. In a short story a significant event is taken as the subject matter of the story. A small number of characters are introduced and a short story can easily by read out in a single sitting. From this point the ox never fully satisfies the requirements. Inspite of that we have to judge “The ox” as a short story.
      Bates’s ‘The ox’ is a labeled as a short story, although this is not a very short story. ‘The Ox’ is a simple narrative with a single plot that deals with the life and hardship of a rustic woman Mrs. Thurlow. The story is no doubt a tragedy—the tragedy of a poor humble ambition of a woman who saved money desperately for the future of her sons. She wanted to establish them beyond her world. But her little ambition was all sadly shut out. Her husband was involved in an act of murder and died in the police custody. Her hard-earned saving was stolen. Her sons denied to live with her. She has left alone, dejected and humiliated with her bicycle to drag on the heavy burden of her life.
      Like other short story here the narrative is simple, single and straight-forward. The situation rounds with Mrs Thurlow’s struggling and suffering. The story is simply present the suffering of Mrs Thurlow who has no hamartia. She had the best of devotion and intention, yet suffered not the least pain and frustration. The tragedy is “too deep for tears”.
      ‘The Ox’ is a well-conceived story. The emphasis is found laid more specifically on the heroine. She figures most in the story. Her patient and painstaking living is the main focus of attention. In the matter of economy of narration ‘The Ox’ is a well-written story. But the story have some sectional division. All these sections are well organized and serve to focus the interest of the story in a balanced way. The story grows smoothly, spontaneously from the exposition to the development, crisis and the final catastrophe.
      ‘The ox’, therefore, maintenance the characteristic feature of a short story and it achieves the maximum effects by means of the economy in story writing.

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