“The thing is, I can’t make him out. Is he trying to be kind or is he just trying to get rid of me? Or is he just being himself, which is a bit of a mystery?”
— From 'Thanks for the Ride', the narrator's thoughts about her date Eugene.
Archivist's Choice
Dance of the Happy Shades
Alice Munro (1968)
Genre
Literary Fiction
Reading Time
240 min
Key Themes
See below
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Alice Munro writes about women in rural Ontario, showing their hidden desires and quiet struggles with love, betrayal, and self-discovery in everyday life.
Synopsis
Alice Munro's "Dance of the Happy Shades" is a collection of ten short stories, each a close look at ordinary lives in rural Ontario. The stories explore self-discovery, the difficulties of love, and the quiet sadness and guilt that can come with a confined life. Characters, often young women or those looking back at their past, deal with changing relationships, the weight of expectations, and the bittersweet nature of memory. In "Walker Brothers Cowboy," a young girl goes with her father on his sales route and sees a hidden side of his life. "The Shining Houses" shows how a new house disrupts an older community. "Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You" follows the aftermath of a love triangle, revealing old resentments. The collection ends with "Dance of the Happy Shades," where a piano recital for children with intellectual disabilities changes a young teacher's view of beauty. Munro reveals the common fears, sorrows, and hopes beneath the surface of daily life.
Reading time
240 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Slow
Mood
Reflective, Nuanced, Melancholy, Poignant, Observational
✓ Read this if...
You appreciate meticulously crafted literary short stories that explore the nuances of human emotion and the complexities of small-town life, with a focus on character and internal experience.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fast-paced plots, clear-cut resolutions, or stories with strong external conflict and genre elements.
Plot Summary
Walker Brothers Cowboy
The narrator, a young girl, tells about a day she spent with her father, a door-to-door salesman, on his route. Her mother is sick, which is why she goes along. They visit Mrs. Laffey, a lonely woman by the lake. The father and Mrs. Laffey share a quiet moment, suggesting a past connection or shared loneliness. The girl watches, sensing an unspoken history. The day ends at a beach, where her father tries to explain life to his daughter, thinking about his own lost dreams and their harsh reality.
The Shining Houses
Mrs. Fullerton lives in an old, messy house that contrasts with the new, modern homes around it. Mary, a young mother in one of the new houses, first sees Mrs. Fullerton's house as an eyesore. But as her neighbors try to get Mrs. Fullerton's property condemned or bought to 'improve' the neighborhood, Mary starts to sympathize with her. She sees the unfairness and the superficiality of her neighbors' demands, eventually standing alone in her quiet defense of Mrs. Fullerton's right to her home, despite community pressure.
Images
A young girl named Dot has unsettling experiences during a summer visit to a rural area. She meets Joe Phippen, a disturbed man who lives in a shack and is known to be strange and possibly dangerous. Later, while fishing with her father, they find a dead mink in a trap, which deeply affects Dot. The story ends with a tense encounter when Joe Phippen is seen near their property. Dot's father, armed, confronts him, leading to a frightening standoff. These events show Dot the harsh realities of nature and the unpredictable side of people, leaving her uneasy.
Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You
Charity, a widow, lives with her deceased husband Arthur's sister, Et. The story unfolds through Charity's memories, revealing the difficult history of their relationships. Charity remembers her sister, Isla, who was once in love with Arthur. Isla married another man, leaving Arthur to marry Charity. Charity resents Isla, believing Isla made Arthur unhappy, even after their marriage. The story explores the lasting bitterness and unspoken rivalries that shaped their lives, showing how unfulfilled desires and quiet jealousies can affect family bonds.
The Peace of Utrecht
Merope, living away from her hometown, returns to visit her sick mother. The story is mostly Merope's memories of her younger sister, Elly, who died years ago from an illness. Merope feels guilty, believing she failed Elly. She thinks about the emotional burden of caring for her frail mother and the difficulty of moving past the past. The story looks at sibling grief and the lasting impact of loss, as Merope deals with her identity in the shadow of her sister's memory and family demands.
Dance of the Happy Shades
The story focuses on a children's party, hosted by a well-meaning but distant woman. The children are mostly bored, playing games without much excitement. An elderly, eccentric piano teacher, Miss Marsalles, is invited to play. She is at first dismissed as old-fashioned, and her music is not expected to impress the children. However, when she plays a piece called 'The Dance of the Happy Shades,' her performance is better than expected. The music is vibrant and moving, captivating the children and momentarily transporting them. The scene shows how art can connect and inspire, even in unexpected situations, and the beauty in overlooked people.
Postcard
Helen receives a cryptic postcard from her former lover, George, after many years. The vague message brings back memories and unresolved feelings. George was charming but unreliable, and their relationship ended ambiguously. Helen is now married with children and has a stable life, but the postcard shakes her. She struggles with her lingering feelings for George, the 'what ifs' of their past, and the realization that she never truly understood him or their relationship. The story explores the lasting power of past loves and how old connections can disrupt a settled present.
Day of the Butterfly
Myra Sayla, a quiet and sickly girl, is disliked by her classmates. She is poor, wears old clothes, and is seen as strange. The narrator, a more popular girl, first observes Myra with pity and discomfort, influenced by the group. However, when Myra's older brother brings her a beautiful, rare butterfly to school, Myra's quiet dignity and the butterfly's fragility create a moment of unexpected empathy from the narrator. The narrator, defying her friends, offers Myra a small kindness, sharing a private moment that bridges their social divide, hinting at a new understanding of compassion.
Sunday Afternoon
Alva, a young woman, spends a Sunday afternoon at the home of her boyfriend, Garnet, and his intellectual, somewhat critical family. Alva feels out of place, intimidated by their sophisticated conversations. She struggles to contribute and feels judged for her perceived lack of intelligence. The atmosphere is tense, with unspoken issues. Alva observes the family's interactions, especially Garnet's mother, sensing a disconnect and a certain showiness in their intellectualism. The story captures the discomfort of new social settings and the anxiety of trying to fit in, especially when facing perceived superiority.
A Trip to the Coast
Belle, a young woman, goes on a trip to the coast, seemingly for a holiday, but perhaps more to escape. The journey is marked by aimlessness and dissatisfaction. She meets various people and situations, none of which bring her joy. She thinks about her past relationships and choices, feeling increasingly disappointed with her life. The beautiful coastal landscape contrasts with her inner turmoil. The trip becomes a symbol for her search for meaning and identity, leading to a quiet, almost sad, realization about life's complexities and the elusive nature of happiness.
Principal Figures
The Narrator (various stories)
The Protagonist
They move from a state of naive observation to a more nuanced, often melancholic, understanding of human nature and their place within it.
Mrs. Fullerton
The Supporting
She remains steadfast in her home, a static symbol of tradition against the tide of modernity.
Father (Walker Brothers Cowboy)
The Supporting
He quietly accepts his life, finding small moments of connection and reflection, though tinged with regret.
Isla
The Supporting
Her life, as remembered, is one of independent choices, leaving a legacy of complex emotions.
Charity
The Protagonist
She remains deeply entrenched in her past, constantly re-evaluating and reliving the emotional complexities of her key relationships.
Miss Marsalles
The Supporting
Her brief appearance transforms the mundane into the magical, showcasing the enduring power of art.
Myra Sayla
The Supporting
She remains a figure of quiet resilience, a catalyst for empathy in another character.
Joe Phippen
The Mentioned/Antagonist
He remains a static figure of threat and mystery, serving as a catalyst for the narrator's exposure to danger.
Themes & Insights
The Complexity of Memory and the Past's Influence
Munro's stories often explore how memory shapes the present. Characters revisit past events, relationships, and decisions, showing how these experiences continue to affect their identities. The past is not fixed but changes as it is reinterpreted, often leading to a deeper, sometimes painful, understanding of oneself and others. In 'Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You,' Charity's story is a re-examination of her sister Isla and husband Arthur's past, showing how old resentments still control her present life. Similarly, in 'The Peace of Utrecht,' Merope is haunted by her deceased sister, Elly, and guilt over her care, showing how past grief can dominate present existence.
“What is the matter with us, what is the matter with me, that I cannot get clear?”
The Quiet Lives of Women and Unfulfilled Desires
Many of Munro's female characters live lives that seem ordinary, but underneath are deep currents of unfulfilled desires, quiet acts of rebellion, and complex emotions. They often deal with societal expectations, domestic roles, and a longing for something more—whether intellectual stimulation, passionate love, or personal freedom. These desires are rarely stated directly but appear in subtle observations, internal thoughts, and small, important gestures. Charity in 'Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You' quietly suffers in the shadow of her sister's more lively life, while the narrator in 'Walker Brothers Cowboy' observes her father's unspoken regrets, perhaps hinting at her own future emotional complexities. The women often find a quiet strength or acceptance in their situations.
“People's lives, in short, were dark, mysterious, and full of a peculiar, unreadable importance.”
The Transition from Innocence to Experience
Several stories explore moments when young characters encounter the harsher, more ambiguous realities of adulthood. This leads to a loss of innocence and a new understanding of life's complexities. These experiences often involve exposure to death, mental illness, social injustice, or the hidden emotional lives of adults. The narrators, usually young girls, observe these events with a keen, often confused, eye, gaining insights that challenge their previous ideas. In 'Images,' young Dot's encounters with Joe Phippen and the trapped mink show her the raw, sometimes violent, aspects of nature and human behavior. In 'Day of the Butterfly,' the narrator's kindness towards Myra Sayla marks a shift from passive observation to active empathy, recognizing the dignity in another's suffering.
“I felt a shiver, a faint, cold ripple of warning, a sense of what I was not to know.”
The Conflict Between Tradition and Modernity
Munro often sets her stories in small, changing towns in rural Ontario, where old ways of life clash with modern and suburban development. This theme explores the tension between preserving heritage and embracing progress, often showing the human cost of such changes. The old ways, though perhaps flawed, represent authenticity and belonging, while the new often means superficiality and a loss of community. 'The Shining Houses' directly addresses this conflict through Mrs. Fullerton's old house, which stands as a symbol against the uniformity and 'improvement' desired by the new suburban residents. The story critiques the superficiality of modern aspirations and defends the right to individual difference.
“They would have to put up with Mrs. Fullerton, and her house, and the way it was, for now.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
First-Person Retrospective Narration
Stories often told by an older, wiser narrator looking back on significant past events.
Munro frequently employs a first-person narrator, often a woman, who recounts events from her youth or a significant period in her past. This retrospective viewpoint allows for a layer of mature reflection and analysis, enabling the narrator to interpret events with the benefit of hindsight. It creates a sense of intimacy and allows for deep psychological exploration, as the narrator not only describes what happened but also how it felt and what it meant. This device is crucial in stories like 'Walker Brothers Cowboy' and 'Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You,' where the present understanding is enriched by revisiting and re-evaluating past experiences.
Epiphany/Moment of Revelation
A sudden, profound realization or insight experienced by a character.
Munro's stories often build towards a subtle, rather than dramatic, epiphany for the protagonist. These are moments of sudden clarity or deep understanding, often triggered by an ordinary event or observation, that shed new light on a character's life, relationships, or the nature of existence. These revelations are rarely joyous but often carry a sense of quiet melancholy or resigned acceptance. The narrator's unexpected empathy for Myra Sayla in 'Day of the Butterfly' or the captivating effect of Miss Marsalles's music in 'Dance of the Happy Shades' serve as such moments, offering a glimpse into profound human connection or artistic beauty amidst the mundane.
Symbolism of Houses and Homes
Architectural spaces represent characters' inner lives, social status, and personal histories.
Houses and homes in Munro's stories are often more than mere settings; they function as powerful symbols. They can represent a character's identity, their social standing, their emotional state, or the clash between different ways of life. An old, cluttered house might symbolize a rich, complex past or a resistance to change, while a new, pristine home might signify superficiality or a desire for conformity. In 'The Shining Houses,' Mrs. Fullerton's old house is a central symbol of individuality and tradition contrasting with the 'shining' new suburban homes representing modernity and homogeneity. This device allows Munro to explore themes of belonging, displacement, and social class through physical spaces.
Unspoken Communication and Subtext
Significant meaning conveyed through gestures, silences, and implied emotions rather than explicit dialogue.
A hallmark of Munro's style is her masterful use of subtext and unspoken communication. Characters often convey profound emotions, desires, and conflicts through gestures, glances, pauses, and what remains unsaid. This creates a rich, complex emotional landscape where much of the story's meaning resides beneath the surface of the dialogue. The quiet, knowing interaction between the father and Mrs. Laffey in 'Walker Brothers Cowboy' or the simmering resentments beneath Charity's calm exterior in 'Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You' are prime examples. This device invites the reader to actively interpret and delve into the psychological depths of the characters.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“It was like a dream, the way things were always happening in dreams, where you know what's going to happen but you can't stop it.”
— From 'The Peace of Utrecht', the narrator reflecting on her sister's decline.
“The people who come to see us are people who want to see us. They're not people who want to see the house.”
— From 'Walker Brothers Cowboy', the mother explaining their social life.
“Sometimes she thought that the world was just a collection of stories, and if you knew enough of them, you knew everything.”
— From 'An Ounce of Cure', the narrator's perception of life.
“We lived in a world of women, and the men were like visitors, sometimes welcome, sometimes not, but always temporary.”
— From 'The Shining Houses', the narrator's view of her childhood environment.
“There is a way of living that is like a dance, a continuous movement, and if you stop, you fall.”
— From 'Dance of the Happy Shades', the title story, referring to the children's dance.
“All her life she had been afraid of things, but now she was afraid of nothing. She was just tired.”
— From 'Postcard', a woman's emotional state.
“The past was not a country she could visit, but a country that visited her, uninvited, at odd moments.”
— From 'The Office', the narrator's relationship with her memories.
“It was the kind of day when you felt you could do anything, and nothing would go wrong.”
— From 'A Trip to the Coast', the narrator's optimistic mood.
“She had the feeling that she was always waiting for something to happen, and when it did, it was never quite what she expected.”
— From 'Images', the narrator's sense of anticipation and disappointment.
“People were always trying to tell you what to do, even if they didn't know anything about you.”
— From 'The Dimensions of a Shadow', the narrator's frustration with unsolicited advice.
“There was a lot of talk about love, but it seemed to her that most of it was just talk.”
— From 'The Legacies', a character's cynical view of romantic declarations.
“She had never learned to be casual, to let things slide. Everything had to be just so.”
— From 'Sunday Afternoon', describing a character's meticulous nature.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
The collection frequently explores the internal lives of women and girls in rural or semi-rural Ontario, often focusing on moments of self-discovery, disillusionment, or quiet rebellion against societal expectations. Munro delves into the complexities of memory, the passage of time, and the often-unspoken emotional landscapes of ordinary lives.
About the author
Alice Ann Munro is a Canadian short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Munro's work has been described as revolutionizing the architecture of short stories, especially in its tendency to move forward and backward in time. Her stories have been said to "embed more than announce, reveal more than parade."
