Spring 2011 District Assessment

Author's Note: I don't like this piece and I'm not particularly proud of it. I don't think I worked very hard on it, and it had a very forced feeling, because I just wasn't very motivated. It was really just writing to meet the due date, and not real writing. I wrote about temptation which I thought was the main theme of the story, and how we must resist it to function and survive.

The Effects of Temptation


Humanity has struggled since the beginning of time against desire and temptation; urgings that tear an individual apart and isolate him from his peers. When we succumb to these temptations the repercussions can be terrible. The short story,”The Hundredth Dove” is telling that we must not give into desire, because it makes one forget what they truly hold important in life.

As one grows older and gains experience about the world, that individual crafts opinions and beliefs about life, thus finding what he truly sees as important. When one finds their niche in society, and discovers what they find relevant or which acquaintances to remain loyal to, one becomes dedicated to pursuing his interests, and keeping friends, but temptation tries to drive away from what one believes in. An older example of this is in the bible when Jesus is tempted by the devil. Christ had decided that he would follow God’s laws, and preach to others about this, so then the devil tried to seduce him with the promise of unspeakable power, riches, etc. This truly exemplifies the effects of desire. It twists what one thinks is right, and then it is up to one to decide if these feelings are true and moral, or if they would hurt one beyond repair.

In reality temptation plays such a great role in our lives, so it is natural that it plays a big part in literature. “The Hundredth Dove” exemplifies how temptation can affect us. When the fowler meets the queen for the first time, the story tries to install a large sense of temptation, because after years of working for the king alone the fowler finally wanted something for himself. This segment in the story shows how quickly temptation can strike, and leave us crippled, because when we feel the strong pull of the desire we become infatuated. However at the same time as temptation strikes in the story one sees Hugh touch his personal motto: I serve. This section really shows the dedication to the king that Hugh has, and how loyalty shapes our lives.

Later in the story when Hugh set out to catch the doves he always caught twenty regular doves, and one elegant dove, but the beautiful dove always escaped. This piece of the story is a metaphor of how Hugh’s life had been. On the social pyramid he was near the middle, and could have anything less than or equal to his social status. For example if Hugh wanted a wife, he would have to pursue a woman who was roughly the same, or below his financial and social status, because it would be unacceptable if were to court one who was of royal blood. When he catches the doves he can catch all but the one which is more beautiful than the rest. This is similar to when Hugh sees the queen, and desires her, but knows he cannot have her, because he is dedicated to the king, and of lower social class. This portion of the story shows how temptation infatuates us with things out of our reach.

While Hugh was unable to catch the queen, and the dove he most desired, later in the story he finally caught the dove, and it began to beg him to let it free, and promised riches and that the queen would be his. This is the segment of the story where the theme is cast into the spotlight. Hugh desperately wanted to free the dove, and keep it forever, but the king needed it. This pits dedication against temptation, and debates which one would win. When Hugh kills the dove after crying” I serve,” the story tells that we can’t give into temptation even if it promises riches we can’t succumb, because the gifts and success that temptation promises almost always gives way to something worse, and the initial gifts and riches are just a camouflage that the repercussions of temptation hide behind. In the end when Hugh never sees the dove again it gives the story has a convoluted ending. Because it preaches against temptation, it’s strange when Hugh never sees a dove and lives alone with a shredded spot on his tunic, which is where his motto previously was. At this portion of the story the author’s wondering what the price of loyalty is, and how the fight against temptation can tear one apart.

Throughout history temptation has been the driving motive of crime, and hate. It twists the way we think, and our sense of being right and wrong. The story “The Hundredth Dove,” debates the consequences of resisting temptation, and preaches against it. If one does give into temptation they are sure to face the dire consequence of one’s actions, because temptation is always a lie, and makes us forget what we hold dear.