The Ways of Life: Two Stories

"The Ways of Life: Two Stories" by Mrs. Oliphant is a book with narratives from the end of the 1800s. It starts by showing how life goes down and fortunes can fade, especially as experienced by Mr. Sandford, an artist who sees his success start to disappear. The book looks closely at the feelings and thoughts that come with life slowing down. At the beginning, the author talks about how life can decline, unlike the more popular idea of rising to the top. The story is about Mr. Sandford, a painter who has done well and is almost sixty. He doesn't know that he might already be past his best days as an artist. His family lives comfortably because of his past work, but Mr. Sandford feels stuck and like people don't notice his art anymore. The beginning shows how a man feels inside when he faces getting older, not being famous anymore as an artist, and having to take care of his family. It paints a picture of his mind and makes readers think about their own times of success and failure.