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Marcos Crespo

October 18, 2015

801-12-1763
INGL-3231
Prof. C. Ward

Targeted Audience in the Short Story Leaf by Niggle

Leaf by Niggle narrates the story of an artist named Niggle. He was unable to be very
successful because of many distractions that kept him from being focused. The narrator tells us
that Niggle was working on a painting. Niggle painted a tree on a big canvas, with extraordinary
attention to detail, yet he constantly had to stop to attend to other matters. Because of his kind
heart, he often did things he did not have to in order to help other people. He also needed to
accomplish many things in his town. In addition to this, the narrator tells us that Niggle had to go
on a journey. Not only did Niggle not want to go on this journey but also he was not ready to
leave. He inevitably had to leave, but due to the fact that he was unprepared, he had to stop in an
institute which helped him get ready. Through manual labor, the institute was able to prepare
Niggle in order for him to embark on his journey. When he was finally prepared, he was sent to a
forest where he was to be a gardener. Niggle notices that this forest is the one he had begun to
paint, and saw how beautiful it was. The story ends with Niggle constantly moving further into
the forest, finding beautiful parts that he only could have dreamed of.
We can see that the story is very complex and carries with it much symbolism. Also, it is
plausible to assume that the story is an allegory for life and afterlife. Niggles life, seen as that of
a painters, was one with many complex things; his death, denoted with the journey he must go
through but his not being ready; going through purgatory, the institute he is sent to; and finally
heaven, seen as the forest he dreamt of and it being a picture of his imagination.

Due to the fact that the theme is so hard to analyze and the topic is so complex, it can be
perceived that the audience this story is meant for is adults, even more so the elderly. This is
because the elderly can relate with the journey Niggle does not wish to go through. Another
reason why this story is meant for adults, and not children, is due to the fact that it contains so
many symbols, and that the order of events were somewhat hard to follow.
This story appears to be an analysis of existence and creation. It tells us how our
existence is mundane and perishable. As a representation of the way existence can be seen, it
shows that Niggle created a forest in his mind, which was the one that he went to at the end of
the story. When reading, one may think about reality, fantasy, beliefs and death. As we encounter
these themes, that shake the foundations of our lives, we may become troubled and worried.
People that read this piece of literature should have a strong grip on reality and a certain level of
maturity.