Why is the woman on the 13th floor? It is mentioned in the title but then again in almost every stanza of the poem. The number 13 must have some significance in the poem. The number 13 is traditionally thought of as an unlucky number that will cause a person misfortune. Could that be why she is hanging off a 13th story window? This woman has a family so we know she is not alone. She has a place to live so she is not homeless. I also find it a bit ironic that she is on the 13th floor when a lot of buildings do not have a 13th floor, and if they do it is given a different number.
A symbolic definition of the number 13 is that it marks uncertainty, hesitation, fickleness, the end of something (like death), a renewal, and a very important change. I can see all of these in the poem. The future of the woman is uncertain through out the entire poem as well as in the ending. There is a hesitation in her decision as well as fickleness. Should she let go or should she climb back in the window? Will there be an ending of her life? That is something the reader will never know. The reader will also never know if there will be a renewal in her life. It is clear though that there is going to be a very important change. If she lets go then her life is over and this will affect her children as well as her parents and anyone who knew her. If she climbs back in the window, I would hope that the change would be her getting help.
The number 13 also has a Biblical symbolism. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper. The Last Supper falls in John chapter 13; this is also where it is the betrayal of Jesus was announced as well as Peter’s denials. Jacob and his 12 sons is another example. In Revelation, chapter 13 is reserved for the Antichrist and the Beast. The number is also supposedly tied to the Virgin Mother Mary in multiple ways.
*http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu13.php
**Professor DeBorde: you allowe dme to post this late due to personal reasons
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