The Fire and the Cold Sinclair Ross, author of the short story "The Painted Door", uses cold and fire to reflect Ann's changing emotions about her relationship with her husband, John. In the beginning of the story, Ann sees the cold as her enemy and fire as her ally. As John prepares to leave her to go visit his father, Ann looks out on the snow covered prairie landscape. The presence of farmsteads in the …showed first 75 words of 361 total…

…showed last 75 words of 361 total…atone, she crossed to where the draft was bitter, and for a long time stood unflinching on the icy floor." (64-65) Ann welcomes the cold because it numbs her from the pain of betraying John. The fire and the cold play important roles in illustrating Ann's feelings throughout the story. In the beginning she fears the cold and seeks comfort from the fire. At the end, this fire becomes evil and she seeks the cold.