The Lake

9/5/11

“The Lake” Reading Response

1. Describe Harold’s relationships with the women of “The Lake” (mother, Tally, Margaret).

Harold’s’ relationships with the women of “The Lake” are each spoken in a different tone of

voice in the text. Harold doesn’t describe his mother in any other detail other than in the

beginning of the story when he is describing getting out of the water, his mother is waiting for

him on the shore and again when he runs off to be alone, she is a “brown speck in the

distance.” I can’t exactly describe what Harold’s relationship is with his mother because the

text is lacking evidence.

I believe Tally was Harold’s best friend. This is conveyed in the text by how “lonely” Harold is.

As a twelve year old, Harold walks alone down the beach, “hoping for one glimpse, one sign,

one little bit of Tally to remember.” Harold also states in the narration his love for her. “I was

only twelve. But I know how much I loved her. It was that love that comes before all

significance of body and morals. It was that love that is no more bad than wind and sea and

sand lying side by side forever.” Harold loved Tally in a naturally innocent and genuine manner.

Even as Harold ages, this love for Tally has never faded. At the end of the story when the life

guard found a girl that resembles Tally, Harold in the narration says “She will be forever young

and I will lover her forever, oh God, I will love her forever.”

Harold’s relationship with his wife Margaret will never be like that of his love for Tally. He

first describes her as just being a young woman who he knew for a time and marries. When

they go back east to Lake Bluff for their honeymoon, Harold is flooded with childhood

memories of his hometown. The days there were “happy.” With all these memories, it has him

thinking, “ I thought I loved Margaret. Well, at least I thought I did.” I think the reason Harold

feels this way is...