Mrs. Kobylinski Essay 22 February 2015 Mathilde Compared To Della In The “Gift of the Magi” author O.Henry writes about Della a woman who sacrifices something to make her husband happy. In contrast “the Necklace” Author Guy de maurassart tells a story about Mathilde Loisel a selfish woman whose husband cared so much about her he was willing to do anything to make her happy. A similar is they both are poor and have little money. However Della tries to make the most of her money and Mathilda spends all the money they have. Della is selfless and caring about her money but Mathilda is selfish and self-centered with her money.
She plans to get new shoes for her daughter, some fabric to make clothing, new stockings, and hats for all the children. She feels excited about her children’s new outfits and pleased that the purchases will save her time in “darning,” and last longer than the clothing she is usually able to afford. On the day of the shopping spree, she feels tired because she had not eaten. She prepares to fight the crowds in order to find the best deals. While at the store and resting at one of the counters, her hand touches a pair of silk stockings.
In Kate Chopin’s short story, “A Pair of Silk Stockings” the protagonist, a caring mother, is the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars. She planned on spending it on her children, but temptation causes her to give into her desires. The story shows that, sometimes people give into temptation to fulfill desires and forget about their responsibilities. The story begins with Mrs. Sommers becoming the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars and deciding what to do with the money. “The question of investment was one that occupied her greatly,” because “she did not wish to act hastily to do anything she might afterward regret.” Mrs. Sommers finally decides to, “buy so and so many yards of percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and Mag…Mag should have another gown…she would get caps for the boys and sailor-hats for the girls.” But Mrs. Sommers is impulsive.
As the mother of two daughters I always want for my daughters what I feel was lacking in my life. It makes sense to me that Nanny’s idea of success and freedom is being wealthy and idle. That was what was literally beaten into Nanny. I think in real life, as with Nanny, mothers can get so blinded by their own agenda and their attempt to fulfill their own dreams through their daughter that they don’t stop to ask what their child wants. While I understand that this may not be the ideal way to handle a situation, I believe that Nanny did the best she could considering her experiences.
In the stories “A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin and “A Wagner Matinee” by Willa Cather, the main characters go through life experiences that completely change the way they perceive themselves and the world around them. The main character in “A Pair of Silk Stockings” is a lady named Mrs. Sommers who became the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars. Originally she had no intention of spending the money on herself until she was lured into buying the luxurious silk stockings. Mrs. Sommers indulged herself the rest of the day which really boosted her self confidence. The main character in “A Wagner Matinee” is a lady called Aunt Georgiana who used to be a young, music teacher.
She is nothing more than her money to Gatsby, because it is for her money that Gatsby is in ‘love’ with her. | “It faced- or seemed to face- the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favour.”Ch3 (pg32) | This echoes the quote about Daisy in Ch 1 pg 8 that stated that she had a way of “promising there was no one else in the world she so much wanted to see” than the person she looked at. This parallel indicates Gatsby and Daisy’s abilities to manipulate and shape the people around them into being enchanted by them. This is also evidence for Nick being in admiration (read as gay for) of Gatsby, as he dislikes this trait in Daisy, but finds it positively “gorgeous” in Gatsby.
‘Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble’ this shows that the workers were cautious of being caught with Curley’s wife and sent her on her way to avoid conflict. Curley treasures his wife and if she were caught in any trouble, even if it was her fault, she’d be seen as innocent. Finally, Steinbeck also presents women as attractive and confident. The quotes ‘If he ain’t, I better look someplace else, she said playfully’ and ‘Hi, Good-lookin’.’ These show all the workers think Curley’s wife is attractive and she knows this, so she’s being confident with them.
She often portrays herself to be overbearing with her disconcerting ramblings over her children, but we know that it is out of love for them. She clings to her past with such desperation: “Possess your soul in patience-you will see! Something I’ve resurrected from that old trunk! Styles haven’t changed so terribly much after all…Now just look at your mother This is the dress in which I led the cotillion….See how I sashayed around the ballroom Laura?” (Williams 1987). Her fading youth only makes her more desperate for attention for herself and her daughter.
The new and improved Cosmopolitan magazine had headlines such as, “So you’re Bored to Death with the Same Old You.” And “Yes, you can change your image.” These headlines are used to influence women to not settle for what they think that they deserve but to go after what they want. Brown and Cosmopolitan helped move society into being more accepting of a woman being comfortable with her sexuality and that she didn’t have to be married to do it. At the time, women were expected to be conservative. Their goal was to find a husband and take care of the housework and stay at home with the children. Brown’s book Sex and the Single Girl took that idea and completely turned it upside down.
In response to those events, their actions caused them further grief, resulting in a life of turmoil and death. Mathilde Loisel “was one of those pretty and charming girls” (Maupassant 38) born into a family of clerks. She wasn’t an extravagant dresser but her beauty was enough to catch even the richest mans attention. She was very discontent with her position in life and felt as if she deserved the finer things. She would daydream of fancy dinners, shinning silverware and delicate furniture.