Happy Endings”
A treatise of how one should savor and the development and growth of one’s life and follow beyond its structure to demonstrate the true meaning and purpose in life. Nothing is always the same, failure is a possibility of passing. Love has no boundaries and it appears to be the best thing that could ever happen to anyone.Magaret Atwood is the writer of “Happy Endings”. The story was published in 1983, by a Canadian collection known as “Murder in the dark”. Nowadays, some people will put up with almost anything to be in a relationship with another person. John and Mary were together and they both worked a good job. They both got an appealing house and Mary gave birth to two children who make her proud. They both have their
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Margaret shows a dramatic shift in her tone when compared to scenario A, they both have a challenging sex life.B produces slightly stencils approach. The characters have a descriptive sex life, which stated “he f**** her and she falls asleep” (P327). The vulgar diction was a cycle while John uses Mary 's body for selfish pleasure and ego gratification. Mary’s friends could sense what was going on and stated that, “John is a rat, a pig and a dog, he isn’t good enough for her, but she can’t believe it” (P327) Their approach in the story was then altered dramatically.
This story reflects on my parents life style. My father was the same exact person like John and sometimes mom felt neglected and she would cry. I know what’s going on but I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut while I expressed my gratitude and kindness. I love both of my guardian even though their lifestyle isn’t the best. At times I’m in my room and they would be screaming out loud at each other. I think in every relationship respects goes a far way because love is trust, it hurts sometimes, but if you and your loved one know how to work things out everything will be fine.
In “A” their was no adjective.The reader has to grasp the whole passage with a sense of derision. The story was highly read from sardonic and from a trying perspective. The story was lacking a single setting and a plot, each has the same characters, but different characteristics but they ended the same.
Happy Endings is an oddly structured, metafictional story; a series of possible scenarios all leading the characters to the same ending. Atwood uses humour and practical wisdom to critique both romantic fiction and contemporary society, and to make the point that it is not the end that is important, it is the journey that truly matters in both life and writing.
Throughout reading Margaret Atwood’s Happy Endings I was astonished numerous times. Margaret was able to convey many different forms of a relationship and every single one left me feeling frustrated as I realized how brutally true they all are. As I was reading the story I wasn’t understanding to the full extent what Margaret was trying to express until the line “The only authentic ending is the one provided here: John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.” This nearly gave me chills when I read it as it all come together and I finally understood the meaning of the story and the power of Margaret's words. As I finished the story I was left with a sense of reverence for Margaret as she cut deep exposing how imperfect love really is. I chose to write my response on this story because it was the one that gave me the best initial reaction and I loved the way it made me feel after reading it.
In her short story “Happy Endings”, Margaret Atwood uses different literary techniques that can alter the interpretation of the story’s theme. The story starts off with a generic “fairy tale” ending in which a husband and a wife live a happy life together and eventually die. However, as the story progresses, Atwood’s style and tone makes the alternate scenarios of John and Mary give off a sense of uncertainty of what main ideas she is trying to convey. Good opening and thesis.
Humanity’s inherent desire for results and rewards belittles the process of a journey, undervaluing/deprecating the character development that comes within, which notably can be portrayed in Margaret Atwood’s “Happy Endings”. In her metafictional short story, Atwood includes six different scenarios that are labeled A to F, which briefly describes the characters’ lives, ultimately ending with death. Moreover, the names of characters recur in each scenario, referencing one another throughout the entire short story. Particularly when Atwood’s short story “Happy Endings” was published, people noticed that she was questioning gender roles and Canada’s progress towards equality (Seaman). In recent times, critics see her short story attacking
Although, at the end Atwood says you can change the story anyway you want make the man a "revolutionary" and the woman " a housemaid". I feel the scenario where she presents a man who is only using a woman for his pleasure, then discarding her for what he feels as a more suitable mate. Another fine example of "Happy Endings" relating to our world today is the adultery that takes place between a married man and a young single
Happy Ending by Margaret Atwood is a truly unique story. This story is unique not because of the dialog, but because of the multiple endings that are within the story. The story follows the life of John and Mary. It is up to the reader to decide the life that John and Mary live. The reader can determine whether or not John and Mary have a happy life together or a complicated life together. However, no madder what choice the reader may chose, the story always ends the same way. Each of the endings results in death.
Happy Endings is written as if Atwood is giving readers the opportunity to peer into her writing process. She begins, “John and Mary meet” and goes on to delineate possible paths for the story. The first reads like a fairy tale in which the two happily marry and live a successful and satisfying life. However, Atwood's choice of simple words and lack of variation in describing their happy lives, lead one to ponder whether having everything desired, seemingly the American Dream, is actually happiness. For example, the combination of the phrases “worthwhile” and/or “stimulating and challenging” is used three times in the short paragraph to describe John and Mary’s content with their jobs, friends, sex life and hobbies. It’s as if this
Margaret Atwood used plot-line in order to develop the theme of her short story, Happy Endings. The short story is comprised of six sections, the name of the characters doesn’t change, but their scenario does; each section bearing some similarity to the other while offering a different scenario. Section one, is a vague description of the life of John and Mary. Atwood considers this to be a “happy ending”. Mary loved John, but John didn’t love Mary, he just used her for sex
The story “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood is a fictional story that references her personal opinion on what living life to the fullest truly means. Through the use of six different scenarios, Atwood is able to demonstrate the one true ending: death. Each scenario contains that same characters, Mary and John, and explains different viewpoints of individuals. In part A, Atwood describes what the majority of people would expect to be the perfect happy ending. Although the scenario is very repetitive and ultimately unbelievable. All the other scenarios differ in comparison, as Mary and John have to overcome some sort of challenge in order to be presented with their perfect ending. Margaret Atwood’s story “Happy Endings” is able to demonstrate the effectiveness of tone within a story, the importance of an organized plot, and the fulfillment of a happy marriage.
Besides, Margaret as the maid to Hero, is under the deceptive appearance that veiled her witty nature. When she is with the woman, her true self is shown through the use of sexual innuendo when she refers woman as ‘maid and stuffed’ with the idea of pregnancy. She can have bawdy talk just like man when she responds to Hero by saying ‘heavier by the weight of a man’. In a patriarchal society, though women are suppressed, they are not totally submissive and innocent as their true self is veiled by the deceptive appearance.
Story A of Happy Endings, is the ultimate story of love. Everything is smooth throughout the whole story and both characters are happy and live happy lives. We as the readers find out that John and Mary go on “fun vacations” and that their children “turn out well”. This is by far my most favorite story out of all six. I find it interesting and funny that Atwood uses
In the story “Happy Endings” the author Margaret Atwood gives 6 scenarios in alphabetical order from A to F of how a couples life could play out over the span of their lives. In these six scenarios Atwood uses satire to emphasize how interchangeable and simple each couples life is. In this story Atwood uses character, style, and point of view to chastise the desire for the everyday common life and the concern for only the “whats” in life and not “how or why”.
Over the past weeks or so I have read two very informative articles that gave me insight on many different aspects of life. While both passages had their own point to get across, Prensky focused on then and now on technology, while Enlightened Engineer based their beliefs on meditation worldwide. Similar themes where brought to my attention that I feel would be great for anyone to read and be informed on.
My life, my purpose, my goal. For the 18 years I have lived, I never once figured the meaning of my life. What would I do after high school? What would I study in college? What long term occupation will I have to endure? Heck, what am going to eat for lunch tomorrow? So many unanswered questions. Nonetheless, after all these years, I have discovered my purpose in life. What has shaped me into the person I am today is my true identity. As an only child, I had been brought up by a single parent. My mother taught me morals and has disciplined me young enough to allow me to grow into the mature man that I resemble. And I love my mother for her wisdom and encouragement. Despite that, this is what makes me human, not a mama's boy. Even without a father figure, I do not hold resentment, for I had no idea of what luxury I was missing. Nonetheless, this notion doesn’t distract me from finding myself in my path as a growing student. At the age of ten, I had proved to be a well-mannered student of my church, and the ministers were willing to recruit me as an altar server for the Catholic church, St. Joan of Arc. After serving for six years, I had accordingly reached my sophomore year by which I'd receive my third sacrament, Confirmation. Essentially, this would be just another year of CCE, but what would change me that year would be the church retreat.
The short story “Happy Ending” is an example of fiction which provides great storytelling. The short story gives six different versions on how and what happy endings mean .First I will compare several versions of each plot. Then I will discuss how these plots have an effect on the couples. Finally I’ll address the how’s and why’s we define happy endings.