It is also linked to the “grammar” in line 2 her wedding vows became, or always were, empty and had no meaning. The single line stanza in between the first and third stanza could relate to the possibility that the divorce was long and drawn out; thus, instead of being able to move on from her failed marriage, she was forced to think about it constantly and to deal with more physical and tangible items from her relationship, which did not allow her to heal the emotion pain of the break-up. The second stanza begins with a line that seems to address her husband directly; and that everything that follows in the stanza is directed at him. The second line could imply that the repetition, or repeated utterance, of trying to make their relationship work was like dying. The “pain” in the eighth line could be the pain that she felt in the break-up, but unlike a physical pain, which you can locate, it is mental pain that does not have a specific
He shows various signs of rebellion during the novel, predominatly the frequent rendezvous and general rule-breaking with Offred. I believe the Commander secretly longs for the world to be as it once was and this is why he savours his time with Offred because she reminds him of the ‘time before.’ It is also ironic how both these characters feel under the surface an anger and repression of Gilead and both want to break free but on the surface, particularly when they play Scrabble with each other, they are calm, sophisticated and very civilised. During one of these meetings the Commander admits to Offred that “you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs”, stating in a rather cryptic way that Gilead is not perfect and a lot of people have had to suffer to get the finished product. This is as frank about Gilead as the Commander is allowed to be, which is odd because he frequently breaks the rules with Offred but very rarely badmouths Gilead. During Chapter 24 Offred remembers a documentary that she watched about a woman who was the mistress of a concentration camp guard.
He is honest of what he is saying. And also he is reflective because he has use himself as an example to show how much he dislike it, which is a great example to explain why he doesn’t like it. “In a job like that you see the dirty work of empire at close quarters.” * The reason why I choose “C. lugubrious and regretful” is because I’m totally guessing at that time. Well, he is kind of sad about his life by doing the thing he doesn’t like, which is kind of lugubrious.
Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character…She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper” (3). Sadly, the issue of male and female relationships which Jane Austen presents through Mr. and Mrs. Bennet is not very pleasing and just in case readers were unaware of this, she makes it explicitly known. “Had Elizabeth’s opinion been all drawn from her own family, she
Pyle’s conscience is finally relieved when he tells Fowler that he is in love with Phuong. According to Georg Gaston in his literary criticism, he says, “The title of the novel is actually ironic, for although Pyle is verbally quiet he is explosive in every other sense. It is Fowler who wishes so desperately for peace and who tries to insist that he is not involved...” (374). He then quoted from the book, The Quiet American, “It had been an article of my creed. The human condition
Elizabeth Jennings presents the relationship between her parents in a contrasting way. The title, ‘One Flesh,’ suggests a couple in the prime of their relationship. However, what we get is something that is quite the opposite – they are ‘lying apart now’, in separate beds. The third word, ‘now,’ suggests that this is something recent, and that before her parents were extremely close, and instead of dreaming of the past – ‘She like a girl dreaming of childhood’ – or occupying themselves with false pursuits – ‘the book he holds unread’ – they had a passionate relationship, ‘Whose fire from which I [Elizabeth Jennings] came.’ The ‘shadows overhead’ suggest that perhaps all the colour has been drained from the relationship, and the use of religious words in the second stanza – ‘confession’ and ‘Chastity’ – suggests that the only reason they are still together is because they made vows, and they intend to keep them, however unhappy they become. This is reinforced by the rhyme scheme in the first two stanzas, ending both times with a rhyming couplet, as though there is some stern bond holding it together.
Line two continues with the only actual difference between a wife and a servant being the title of 'wife.' In line three of the poem, explicitly says 'fatal knot is tied,' which is an obvious reference to being married, however there is a paradox of a wedding, tying the knot, to being fatal. Marriage is normally associated with a positive light, a new beginning, but in this poem the speaker is saying that once your married there is no way out, and marriage is a death of any freedom. Line four the speaker points out the permanence of marriage, obviously now if the marriage is as bad as the speakers, divorce is an option. But for the speaker in the poem the only option is death itself.
The mathematical chances are all against such a meeting, and this is the reason that divorce courts exist. Marriage at best is but a compromise, and if two people happen to be united who are of an uncompromising nature there is trouble. In the lives of these two young people there was no middle distance. The result was bound to be either love or hate, and in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Bodman it was hate of the most bitter and arrogant kind. In some parts of the world incompatibility of temper is considered a just cause for obtaining a divorce, but in England no such subtle distinction is made, and so until the wife became criminal, or the man became both criminal and cruel, these two were linked together by a bond that only death could sever.
He rarely gives himself credit for his good deeds, but rather criticizes himself for the bad ones. This can be quoted in the book when Pip says, “I ought to tell him the whole truth. Yet I did not, and for the reason that I mistrusted that if I did, he would think me worse than I was” (410). This quote highlights Pip’s character which shows guilt and low self-esteem. To add on, Pip sees himself as a dishonorable person which is seen when he says “he would think me worse that I was” (410).
I really related to the character of Samantha who is afraid of being attached to someone because she’s seen how love can destroy a person which she has seen first hand from her parents rough separation. She has learnt to become a realist,‘avoid love at all costs’ is her motto. I believe this is very wise as no body is faithful these days, people treat marriage more like a hobby in this day and age instead of a full on commitment. The divorce rate in New Zealand has fluctuated since the 1900’s, we are at the highest percentage that divorce has ever been. I feel as though people these days have forgotten the real meaning of love, or just don't understand what a real commitment is.