55 Miles to the Gas Pump

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1999

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Summary

Background

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

What sort of picture of the Crooms’ marriage emerges from the text? What details contribute to that impression?

Consider Rancher Croom’s suicide. Why does Proulx choose this method of death for Croom? How does it contribute to his characterization and/or the story’s themes?

Conduct a bit of research on the Bluebeard legend. To what extent does Proulx draw upon the legend in “55 Miles to the Gas Pump”? What modern spin does she put on the fairy-tale motifs of villainous man, innocent woman, and justice served?