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to buy her a ticket. They part as Mrs. Miller goes in search of a seat. When the movie ends, Mrs. Miller returns home. The following week, there is a knock on Mrs. Miller's door. When she answers it, she finds out it is Miriam, the girl she met at the movie theater. Mrs. Miller asks Miriam to go home, but Miriam refuses and asks Mrs. Miller to make her a jelly sandwich. After Miriam agrees to leave if given the sandwich, she goes into Mrs. Miller's bedroom and finds a cameo brooch that was given to Mrs. Miller by her deceased husband. She asks Mrs. Miller if she can keep it, and Mrs. Miller, despite her desire to stop her from taking it, relents in helplessness. Miriam then goes back to the couch and finishes her sandwich.
184:. Upon arriving home, Miriam returns, insistently ringing the doorbell while Mrs. Miller refuses to open the door. After the doorbell ringing ends, Mrs. Miller goes to her door to see if Miriam has left. Miriam has not, and rushes inside the house before Mrs. Miller can close the door. Miriam perches upon the couch and tells Mrs. Miller to bring in the large box she brought with her. Out of curiosity, she does. While commenting on the cherries, almond cakes, and white flowers that Mrs. Miller bought while she was shopping, Miriam tells Mrs. Miller to open the box. All she finds are clothes and a second doll similar to the one Miriam was holding. Miriam then tells Mrs. Miller that she is going to live with her.
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that there is no girl upstairs. Mrs. Miller asks if there was a large box, and the man says that there wasn't. Mrs. Miller goes back upstairs to find no one is there. Scared more than ever at the startling emptiness of the house, she slumps onto the couch, drained. She closes her eyes and calms down, reminding herself that she is Mrs. H. T. Miller, the woman who lives alone and does everything for herself. She then becomes aware of another sound, the sound of a silk dress ruffling. She stiffens and fearfully opens her eyes to see Miriam staring at her. The last line of the story " 'Hello,' said Miriam" is ambiguous, in that it is unclear which Miriam is speaking.
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Readers have noted symbolism in the story, in particular the use of colors in clothing. Blue, Mrs. Miller’s favorite color, is seen as a symbol of sadness. Plum is viewed as a symbol of wealth and white a symbol for being clean, good, and healthful. Notably Miriam often wears white, and many times
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A frightened Mrs. Miller goes to the apartment downstairs where a young couple lives. Mrs. Miller tells them that a young girl keeps on appearing and will not leave her alone. She convinces the man living there to check upstairs while his wife comforts Mrs. Miller. The man returns downstairs and says
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Capote also comments on the themes of identity that lie within the story:"... For the only thing she had lost to Miriam was her identity, but now she knew she had found again the person who lived in this room, who cooked her own meals, who owned a canary, who was someone she could trust and believe
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One day, going into a movie theater, she meets a young, intelligent girl named Miriam. Mrs. Miller is intrigued that the girl's first name is also Miriam. Miriam asks Mrs. Miller to buy her a movie ticket because the usher will not let her in. She gives Mrs. Miller 25 cents (two dimes and a nickel)
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Before leaving, Miriam asks Mrs. Miller for a kiss goodnight, but Mrs. Miller refuses. Miriam walks over to a nearby vase and smashes it on the floor, tramples the bouquet, then leaves. The next morning, Mrs. Miller leaves her apartment to spend the day shopping at various stores around
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observes that two of Capote's early short stories, "Miriam," along with "A Jug of Silver" reflect his familiarity with fellow contemporary southern writing, specifically that of
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which could explain a great deal about what Mrs. Miller wants and sees in her young visitor. Miriam may be viewed as a symbol for the angel of death.
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after the death of her husband, H. T. Miller. She is very lonely, has no friends to speak of and does not keep in touch with any of her relatives.
168:"Miriam" is about a 61-year-old widow named Mrs. H. T. Miller who wants to spend the remaining years of her life alone in her apartment near the
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recommended Capote's story "Miriam." She assisted George Davis, who gave Truman his first start in being published.
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Truman Capote: In Which
Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career
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Truman Capote: In Which
Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career
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216:"Miriam" is noted for having a "dreamlike, psychological quality" and a theme exploring
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141:"Miriam" was one of Capote's first published short stories, and in 1946 it earned an
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It was published in independent hardback form in
September 1981, under the title
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First edition in solo book form published by
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196:"Miriam" was reprinted as early as 1949 in Capote's short story collection
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230:. He also notes "Miriam" is imbued with a "perhaps too-easy eeriness.".
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Hebrew origin of the name "Miriam" may translate as "wished-for child,"
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during the story it is snowing, and snow is also white. The
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452:(Vintage International ed.). New York: Random House.
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Truman Capote: A Primary and
Secondary Bibliography
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Truman Capote: A Primary and
Secondary Bibliography
471:(1st ed.). New York: G K Hall & Company.
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356:(New York: Random House, 2005), pages xi&xii.
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404:(1st ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster.
289:(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988), page 85.
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322:(New York: Doubleday, 1997), pages 42&49.
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16:1945 short story written by Truman Capote
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300:"PEN/O. Henry Award Past Winners List"
206:The Complete Stories of Truman Capote,
202:Miriam: A Classic Story of Loneliness.
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20:Miriam: A Classic Story of Loneliness
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450:The Complete Stories of Truman Capote
430:(1st ed.). New York: Doubleday.
368:"Literary Elements Present in Miriam"
354:The Complete Stories of Truman Capote
242:in: Mrs. H. T. Miller” (Capote, 49)
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198:A Tree of Night and Other Stories.
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633:A Tree of Night and Other Stories
352:Price, Reynolds, introduction to
204:Most recently it was included in
818:Short stories adapted into films
335:(1980) G K Hall & Company.
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366:Capote, Truman (20 June 2011).
212:Reception and critical analysis
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803:Short stories by Truman Capote
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331:Stanton, Robert J.
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208:published in 2004.
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759:Non-fiction
693:Screenplays
658:Local Color
377:26 February
252:Frank Perry
158:Madmoiselle
57:Illustrator
797:Categories
719:(dialogue)
711:(dialogue)
305:2011-05-03
268:References
246:Adaptation
220:disorder.
170:East River
149:Conception
517:Works by
741:Musicals
448:(2005).
422:(1997).
400:(1988).
372:Blogspot
65:Language
731:Trilogy
257:Trilogy
119:8747954
68:English
580:Miriam
526:Novels
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128:Miriam
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51:Miriam
37:Author
724:Laura
675:Plays
343:p. 43
273:Notes
260:(aka
94:40 pp
91:Pages
473:ISBN
454:ISBN
432:ISBN
406:ISBN
379:2013
337:ISBN
113:OCLC
100:ISBN
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