Consequences (short story)
Encyclopedia
Consequences is a short story by Willa Cather
. It was first published in McClure's
in November 1915.
. Back in his flat, Eastman needs a German language
dictionary to prepare a case. He goes down to his neighbour's to ask if he can borrow his, and there a man seems to have just left his apartment through the window. Eastman leaves unfazed, too busy with work.
On New Year's Eve
Eastman decides to stay in, and Cavenaugh comes along. They talk about suicide
, especially bachelors like them who have committed suicide. Cavenaugh explains how he first met the man who is stalking him. His car had broken down and the man was supposed to help him tow him home. The man was delirious but seemed to know everything about him, every single detail even from schooldays, any memory likely to put him down. Eastman suggests moving to Montana
for a while - that way the stalker would get bored and leave him alone.
A couple of days later, Cavenaugh tells Eastman he shall follow his counsel. However, the next day he is found to have killed himself in his apartment.
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
. It was first published in McClure's
McClure's
McClure's or McClure's Magazine was an American illustrated monthly periodical popular at the turn of the 20th century. The magazine is credited with creating muckraking journalism. Ida Tarbell's series in 1902 exposing the monopoly abuses of John D...
in November 1915.
Plot summary
Kier Cavenaugh picks up his neighbour Henry Eastman on his way back to their apartment building in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Back in his flat, Eastman needs a German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
dictionary to prepare a case. He goes down to his neighbour's to ask if he can borrow his, and there a man seems to have just left his apartment through the window. Eastman leaves unfazed, too busy with work.
On New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
Eastman decides to stay in, and Cavenaugh comes along. They talk about suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, especially bachelors like them who have committed suicide. Cavenaugh explains how he first met the man who is stalking him. His car had broken down and the man was supposed to help him tow him home. The man was delirious but seemed to know everything about him, every single detail even from schooldays, any memory likely to put him down. Eastman suggests moving to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
for a while - that way the stalker would get bored and leave him alone.
A couple of days later, Cavenaugh tells Eastman he shall follow his counsel. However, the next day he is found to have killed himself in his apartment.
Characters
- Henry Eastman, a lawyer in his forties.
- Kier Cavenaugh, Eastman's neighbour.
- Rollins, Eastman's servant.
- the stalker
- Dudley, a late friend of Eastman's.
- Rosina, Dudley's wife.
- Dr Johnson
- Wyatt, a rich bachelor who decided to spend all his money and commit suicide.
- Anna Karenina, a woman who attempted to commit suicide.
- Captain Jack Purden, a married man who decided to commit suicide.
- Charley Burke
- Brian, Cavenaugh's late twin brother. He died when he was sixteen years old.
- Harry, Cavenaugh's driver.
External links
- Full Text at the Willa Cather Archive