Analyzing Maupassant's A Family

Both Stuart and Claire’s personality and characteristics serve as prime explanations to Carver’s view on marriage. With both characters fitting into the typical stereotypes of men and women, the author depicts the standard marriage that is present nowadays. With the constant arguing and disagreements between Claire and Stuart, Carver is suggesting that marriage is very complex and difficult. Because Carver explains that marriage is “something that [he] feels [he] knows about”, he defines his perspective of marriage as being an “indelible experience” (Kellerman). It is possible that Claire and Stuart’s relationship is a reflection of Carver’s past love life. In general, however, the author describes marriage as a difficult task but something worth fighting for. This is explained by the

Steve is desperate for the idea of marriage because he sees it as a self-fulfilling prophecy or salvation from his underwhelming ordinary

When two people are tied together by their vows, it is each of their responsibility to fulfill the happiness of one another, and if one cannot then they should not expect the same in return. Sinclair Ross’s short story, “The Painted Door”, reveals the growing unhappiness of a farmer’s wife, Ann, who feels alone as her husband John leaves home to help his father in the harsh conditions of the storm. Ann seeks comfort and companionship with another man after 7 years of feeling neglected and unhappy with her husband. The responsibility for Ann’s infidelity, lays not only on Anne but John himself.

Harwood throws the readers the suggestions to acknowledge the most unlikeable elements of marriage and love. The truth that a woman’s self in Harwood’s time would be completely lost with her wedding vows. This becomes equally relevant to date because of questionable equality between the sexes. Harwood is therefore condoning the practices that endorse

In the short story, “The Other Paris”, Mavis Gallant narrates a social commentary with the use of satire, irony, and characterization of the two characters Howard and Carol. The two young people, blinded by society’s expectations, decide to get married after three weeks of knowing each other. Carol, a twenty-two year old woman, is under several assumptions about how love and marriage because of a series of “helpful” college lectures. Harold, in an effort to not be a person without a partner, proposes to Carol as fast as possible. Throughout the passage, Mavis Gallant ridicules the awkwardness of Harold and Carol and how society pressures young people with the idea of a proper marriage.

certainly connect with the narrator’s story of I Want a Wife. This is a narrative essay, in which

‘Pride and Prejudice’ is a novel fixated on marriage: throughout, all the ‘action’ occurs within scenes devoted to either the talk of marriage or actual proposals. This cannot be expounded more than within the very first line: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife’. Here, at the beginning of the novel, a definite, though somewhat sarcastic, statement introduces the main theme of the novel – marriage- and, possibly more importantly, not love.

I don’t want to! If he goes away, I’ll be all alone again, and I need … someone to love … I need a man” (Tremblay, 47). Later on, her family teases her for not being married and her crush of the salesman. These quotations convey the constricting value of pressuring women to marry.

To illustrate, when Catherine’s brother James relates Isabella’s duplicity and their broken engagement, her initial grief gives way to a forceful expression of disbelief that there could be “such inconstancy and fickleness, and everything that is bad in the world” (Austen 140). By consciously acknowledging the disingenuous nature of a materialistic society, Catherine asserts her integrity and independence, for even though Catherine is “hurt and grieved” that she is “to never hear from [Isabella], perhaps never to see her again, [she] [does] not feel so very, very much afflicted as one would have thought” (Austen 142). Additionally, in this experience Catherine also gains insight into requisites such as “consequence and fortune” (Austen 143) that must be considered and evaluated before any wedding proposal. Though unromantic, considerations of financial and social standing were the foundation of marriage. In being reminded of the rigid social traditions, Catherine becomes more rooted in the immediate situation and begins to consider the realistic uncertainties surrounding her own chances of marriage.

Any individual can achieve their aspirations with the correct influences, but for Laura in “The Two Offers”, her voice is diminished by her husband’s authority, leading subsequently to her personal oppression. As Laura enters marriage, she initially illustrates it as a “beautiful dream,” but eventually, her dream transforms into a nightmare as her husband discovers “other attractions that lay beyond the pale of home influences” (Harper 4). Although Laura formerly holds a positive outlook on marriage, her view changes drastically as her husband starts to form decisions on his own accord without the input his wife. Despite her husband’s autonomy, however, Laura persists her inferior role in marriage and fails to directly voice her concerns. With her carelessness, Laura amplifies her subjection and ultimately allows her husband to assume more authority over her.

Modern literature is known for questioning society and its various conventions. One question that these works often ask is, “What is real?” Some modern authors explore this question by placing their characters within self-constructed illusions that are later shattered by the introduction of reality. Marriages are frequently at the center of this theme, with one spouse crafting an illusory impression of the other. Modern literature demonstrates that a marriage built upon illusion will falter when exposed to reality.

With the expectation to marry a man and have honor also comes the expectation to submit to a man's desires. This ideal leads to women in society being forced into uncomfortable and often dangerous

Catherine Newman, in her essay “I Do. Not: Why I Won’t Marry” Written with a feminine edge, this author gives reasons why she won't marry. She also brings up various traditions and meanings behind the customs of marriage, while interjecting with details of her own relationship. The author uses logos and pathos throughout her writing to educate her readers on both the allure and the downsides of marriage. She establishes an informal relationship with her audience of young girls or women who are planning on getting married.

Brady uses strong word choice to create an ironic and sarcastic tone. The text contains a personal story that references the narrator’s newly divorced male friend who is already looking for a new wife. The narrator responds to the situation by saying “It suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife.” The narrator mocks her male friend by saying that after witnessing and analyzing his current situation, she all of a sudden realizes the advantages of having a wife, which makes her want one as well. This produces an almost uneasy feeling within the reader. As the mood and tone of the essay suddenly shift to sarcastic, any ideas previously discussed become invalid and cannot be taken seriously. The text ends with the statement “My God, who wouldn’t want a wife?” By closing with this unanswered question, the reader is left to interpret the essay however they see best fit. The reader is left to contemplate whether or not to give in to society and continue to promote these impractical standards made for women, or stand up and work to make a change. The author, who is a women, freely mocks the

It is often said that marriage is the extension of a family. Through marriage, one family is linked to another. In this regard, we have a third kind of women who are victims of the institution of marriage. In The Boarding House, Mrs. Mooney’s daughter Polly is the victim of the ingrained institution of marriage. After she learns of the affair between her daughter Polly and Mr. Doran, Mrs. Mooney forces him to marry her daughter in a rather tactful and cunning way: