THE DAY THE WORLD ALMOST CAME TO AN END by Pearl Crayton

SUMMARY

This short story was told from the perspective of an adult and chronicles the events behind a
child’s (the adult narrator) belief that the world was about to end. The story is set on a plantation
in Louisiana in 1936, where the church was the axis around which plantation life revolved.
Despite this fact, the narrator was holding on to being a sinner because she believed that she
could not ‘live upright’. One day, while she was playing, her cousin Rena informed her that the
world was coming to an end. This was based on a conversation that Rena overheard, and
misunderstood, about the eclipse. The hellfire sermons in church did not help to stem the
narrator’s mounting panic and she worried herself into a frazzle as a result. She had a
conversation with her father about this issue and he tried to quell her fears, but unfortunately, he
only managed to increase it with his statement that the world could come to an end at any time.
The narrator spent the night conjuring images of dooms day, which led to her overreaction to
hearing the rumblings of an old airplane. She ran out of her house screaming that the world was
coming to an end. Her father caught her on the road and calmed her down. She appreciated life a
lot more after that incident and lived her life to the fullest.

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SETTING

The story occurs on a plantation in Louisiana in 1936.

CHARACTERS

Daddy:
• Understanding
• Has a good relationship with his daughter

1st person narrator:

• Imaginative
• Bold
• Naive

Rena:
• Naive

THEMES

Religion:
This is the central theme in this short story. Plantation life was centered on religion to the extent
that even the narrator’s father was a deacon in the church. Religious fervor, in the form of
hellfire preaching, is also the fuel for the panic that overtakes the narrator/protagonist in this
short story.

Love & Family Relationship:

The love and trust between father and daughter is glaring. When the narrator/protagonist was
worried about the world coming to an end, the first person that she thought to consult on this
issue was her father. His response to her childish fears, in turn, highlights the easy relationship
between the two. Daddy’s care in covering his daughter after her mad dash through the turnrow
is also an indication of the love that he has for his child.

Innocence

ANALYTICAL SUMMARY

In The Day the World Almost Came to an End by Pearl Crayton we have the theme of
innocence, freedom, fear, religion, insecurity, connection and independence. Narrated in the first
person by an unnamed woman the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader
realises that Crayton may be exploring the theme of innocence. There is a sense that the narrator

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believes what Rena has told her about the world coming to an end. This along with the teachings
of her church persuade the narrator that what Rena has told her is true. This may be important as
if anything the narrator is being somewhat naïve or innocent. Though it also has to be taken into
consideration that the narrator was only twelve at the time when Rena told her that the world was
ending. It might also be a case that Crayton is suggesting that religion can have a negative
influence on a child particularly if it is taught to the individual through fear. The narrator’s
visions of hell come directly from what she has learnt in church. However her interpretation or
those of the individuals teaching the narrator may not necessarily be correct.

It is also interesting that despite the narrator’s belief that the world is going to come to an end.
She still remains adamant that she will continue to be a sinner. This too could be important as it
suggests that despite the teachings of the church the narrator is allowing herself the freedom to
be somewhat independent and to enjoy her life. She does not intend to allow the rigid rules of the
church to hinder her freedom to sin. Even though the sins that the narrator feels she has
committed are relatively innocent and may not necessarily be deemed to have broken any of the
commandments. The narrator’s father is also an important character in the story as in many ways
his actions reassure the narrator. Though at first his honesty frightens her and leads to the
narrator’s imagination running wild. If anything the narrator’s father removes any insecurity that
the narrator may have. The fact that the narrator has never seen or heard an airplane before is
also interesting as Crayton may be using the symbolism of the airplane to suggest or highlight
just how innocent the narrator really is.

It might also be important that the narrator relies on her father when it comes to finding out if the
world is going to end as in many ways the narrator has a strong connection with her father. He is
someone that she respects and knows that he will tell her the truth. This is in contrast to how the
narrator feels about her mother. She knows that her mother will not be able to give her the
reassurance she needs that the world is not coming to an end. If anything Crayton may be
exploring the deep connection that exists between a father and a daughter. A bond that is often
stronger than a mother-daughter relationship. There is a sense that not only does the narrator
respect her father and his opinion but that she also trusts him too. Something that is probably
helped by the fact that the narrator’s father is a deacon in the church. Though the narrator may
feel afraid her father has the ability to calm her anxiety. Something that her mother would not be
able to do. It might also be symbolically important that the narrator is in the dark when she hears
the airplane as Crayton could be using the darkness in the narrator’s room to heighten the
narrator’s fears. As she can’t see anything she is only left with her imagination which is directing
her to the darkest scenario possible.

The end of the story is also interesting as the narrator appears to reconnect with the world. She
sees everything around her as being beautiful. Any fear that the narrator had is gone. Thanks to
the reassurances of her father. If anything there is a sense that the narrator feels free again. That
she can continue to live her life as she sees fit without having to worry about the world coming

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to an end. The independence that the narrator showed through her ability or desire to sin has
returned and no longer is she hindered by what may happen to the world. Where previously the
narrator had concerns about the world ending now all she wants to do is to live her life as free
and independently as she can. It is also possible that Crayton is suggesting that children should
be allowed to live their lives as free as possible without the influence of negative church
teachings. Childhood only comes once and each child should be allowed to live their live as
innocent as possible. There will be time enough for growing up when a child gets older and
becomes an adult.

THEMES:
Childhood Innocence
Religion
Religious Fear
Love & Family Relationships
Childhood Experiences
Parent-Child Relationships
Man’s Interaction with the natural world (or supernatural) as opposed to man made objects.
Appearance vs Reality