“The Locket,” is a short story about a young couple that is separated during the Civil War. It also depicts the journey of Octavia’s precise locket after she gave it to Edmond prior to leaving for the conflict. It was not a surprise to find out that Edmond was still alive, but that the locket found its way back to Octavie. There were many clues and ideas that built up as I read the story.

The locket held the attention of a fellow soldier while Edmond was buttoning his shirt and reading a letter from home. While lounging on the hillside the soldier kept asking Edmund what the gold thing was around his neck. Then Edmond replied it was a good luck charm and “he wouldn’t have survived the year and a half without it.” It was obvious that it was important to Edmond and the other soldier wanted it for himself. …show more content…
Spoils meaning that where dead men lie, the living take what is left behind. It was obvious from the crow’s vantage point in the tree when he describes the priest and his follower inspecting and blessing the dead bodies. At that point we learn that a locket was taken from neck of a man in the field.

Something that held my suspense is the story does not mention Edmund as the dead boy in the field. However, they do mention the gold chain and locket. Could this be Edmond or the soldier that was coveting the locket on the hillside? The reader would believe that the body was “borne away.” This surprised me as it made me feel that Edmund was actually deceased

Octavie receives a letter containing the locket. Thus begins her mourning the loss of Edmond. One day during the spring, Octavie bemoans the beauty of the day and her love is lost to her. On that day, Edmund’s father picks her up to take her to his house. He seems far too cheerful and happy after hearing that his son died. He makes it clear that she should stop mourning. Because of all this I believed that Edmund, Octavie and the locket would be