”Irregularities” By Courtney Jones (2003) Essay

In our society relationships and marriages are defined in another way than before the millennium.
Previously society was built upon the belief of eternal happiness; in the sense that relationships by nature end up with marriage – till death do us part.   Being in a relationship meant that you were personally and emotionally attached to one person for the rest of your life.   Today eternal happiness has partly been replaced by scattered satisfaction from short term relationships and random sex. In the story Irregularities the main character does not define her relationship to her employer as an affair or a relationship; but as random sex that happens for no reason and has no emotional consequences. But her pregnancy shows us that feelings are involved, and that she cannot just have random sex, without involving her feelings.    

This lack of emotional attachment is a central element of both the story line and the way of telling it. Though the story the narrator uses her heart conditions; as image of her emotional attachment to her employer. She tells us that he has become addicted to her irregular heartbeat and gives the indication that he has no feelings for her. According to the narrator; their relationship is not based on feelings; it is nothing but random sex. This kind of relationship is supposed to protect her against getting hurt. She believes that if she defines it as pure platonic she will not end up getting hurt.   But when their relationship ends her beautiful irregular heartbeat turns in to an awful heartburn; and she ends up getting hurt despite her attempt to shield herself.
Another central element in the story is her pregnancy; as is symbolizes not only the current relationship but also her capability of having a relationship at all. She gets pregnant the first time they have sexual intercourse and the baby dies when their relationship ends. Furthermore her lack of ability to carry a child symbolizes her lack ability to have a lasting...