Happy Endings by Margaret Wood, interpretation.

I decided to do my interpretation on ‘Happy Endings’ by Margaret Wood. This story has 6 different parts/endings to it. Each part leads into different aspects of a relationship and the dynamics of a relationship. I decided to do my focus on a particular part/ending of a happy ending, that gave me the most trouble and maybe the most interpretation I was able to find.

1. I will focus my attention on Part A and Part C of the story.

            Part A: John and Mary fall in love and get married. They both have worthwhile and remunerative jobs which they find stimulating and challenging. They buy a charming house. Real estate values go up. Eventually, when they can afford live-in help, they have two children, to whom they are devoted. The children turn out well. John and Mary have a stimulating and challenging sex life and worthwhile friends. They go on fun vacations together. They retire. They both have hobbies which they find stimulating and challenging. Eventually they die. This is the end of the story.

            Part B: John, who is and older man, falls in love with Mary, and Mary, who is only twenty-two, feels sorry for him because he’s worried about his hair falling out. She sleeps with him eve though she’s not in love with him. She met him at work. She’s in love with someone called James, who is twenty-two also and not yet ready to settle down. John on the contrary settled down long ago; this is what is bothering him. John has a steady, respectable job and is getting ahead in his field, but Mary isn’t impressed by him, she’s impressed by James, who has a motorcycle and a fabulous record collection. Freedom isn’t the same for girls, so in the meantime Mary spends Thursday evenings with John. Thursdays are the only days John can get away.

John is married to a women called Madge and they have two children, a charming house which they bought just before the real estate values went up, and hobbies which they find stimulating and challenging, when they have the time. John tells Mary how important she is to him, but of course he can’t leave his wife because a commitment is a commitment. He goes on about this more is necessary and Mary finds it boring, but older men can keep it up longer so on the whole she has a fairly good time.

One day James breezes in on his motorcycle with some top-grade California hybrid and James and Mary get higher then you’d believe possible and they climb into bed. Everything becomes very underwater, but along comes John, who has a key to Mary’s apartment. He finds them stoned and entwined. He’s hardly in any position to be jealous, considering Madge, but nevertheless he’s overcome with despair. Finally he’s middle-aged, in two years he’ll be bald as an egg and he can’t stand it. He purchases a handgun, saying he needs it for target practice—this it the thin part of the plot, but it can be dealt with later—and shoots the two of them and himself.

Madge, after a suitable period of mourning, married an understanding man called Fred and everything continues as in A, but under different names.

2. This text needs to be interpreted because it has such complexity and different layers that are portrayed within the character development of the story. The density of a relationship are observed in Part C and the story further dives into a bit of what one may hope and what is the reality, but is it reality? It makes you questions love, commitment, freedom, and what is true love and true commitment and true freedom? Where are the boundaries? Are there any boundaries? Is love really just about being the outer things as mentioned in Part A? Like the job you have, the amount of children, and your ‘worthwhile friends’, your house, is this what measures a marriage and/or love? A lot of questions began popping into my head as I read and re-read the two parts in the story. I t really made me think of what a contradiction we humans make a relationship. We say we want one thing, and yet our actins do not always follow up with what we want. We say we want ‘stimulating and challenging’ marriages, but are we willing to put in the work? What is ‘stimulating and challenging in a marriage/relationship? How are those values going to set a foundation for a marriage to truly work?  Now, work isn’t that what a marriage often is? Isn’t that what the word ‘challenging’ is referring to? The questions just keep on approaching my mind as a go through the text and try to find what the author is really trying to allow her readers to understand. It boggles my mind and makes me searcher deeper within the text for the answers.

3. A central theme of this story is centered on love, marriage, commitment, and reality vs. desire. I will begin by exploring Part A and then Part C, then contrast/compare both sections.

            Part A of the story illustrates, to me, a ‘happy ending’ that many of us imagine when we are growing up. First you find the love of your life, and then you go off and get married. Then further on, you two buy the perfect house, have the perfect jobs, simulate and challenge one another, have kids, save, and retire while all being happy. I mean why not? Margaret Atwood portrayed this part of the story very well, of the fantasy and hope many of us have when it comes to marriage. I began to look for patterns within this part of the story and realized the following words kept reappearing ‘worthwhile, stimulating, and challenging.’ With worthwhile appearing twice, and stimulating and challenging showing up 3 times within the one little section. I feel as if the author did this on purpose, by showing that her ‘perfect’ type of marriage was something that was worth pursing. That marriage should make you feel challenged and stimulated so that you do not get ‘bored’ and not maybe want to go off and sleep with someone else. That seems to be the reason many men and women sometimes go off and cheat on their wives, is because they do not feel like theses key components, that I believe are vital in marriage to feel like you are worth it, to be stimulated and challenged.

            Part C paints a picture of what, sadly happens in some marriages, that often the spouse is not getting that ‘worthwhile, stimulating, and challenging’ marriage they wanted. So they often try to go and find it in someone else that is younger and can make them feel even more powerful. Even the twenty-two year old Mary, did not feel worthwhile for her boyfriend James, so she slept with a balding middle aged man, John, to get ‘stimulated’ sexually, it seems in this case. However, Mary was not ‘impressed’ with him or in ‘love’ with him. It’s ironic that the mistress is the one who feels such emotions; usually the cheating spouse feels these emotions. Further more, the author brings up the word ‘freedom’ and that this ‘freedom’ is not the same for girls, as for guys. This shows that society is not fair, and the expectations they often put on girls as well. I think, that the author is also portraying that girls’ freedom is different from guys’ freedom. Girls often want to be ‘impressed’ by their men, and to feel loved and stimulated by them, for them this is freedom. However, men work on a different level, they can have all the toys they want, like a motorcycle, and that is their freedom. It’s quite funny though that James ends up using his freedom, the motorcycle, as symbolized in the story, to ‘impress’ Mary and then Mary’s freedom of being intimate are meet together. Maybe that is what the author is trying to get across, that marriage needs to take both partners working together for the same goal. That his and her ‘freedom’ should meet and ‘challenge/ stimulate one another. I wonder. Diving more deeper we look at John, and it seems that the reason he sleeps with Mary and cheats on Madge is because he finds her challenging and stimulating. He continues to keep talking to her about commitment, which shows that he is struggling with his own commitment to his marriage. John does not seem stable, he is taking what his wife is not giving him and putting it on a twenty-two year old who herself is not stable to keep that relationship going. So when John finds that Mary is with someone else and kills all three of them illustrates that there is so much depth to the human need for love, commitment, and freedom. This happens way to much society. A relationship cannot only survive on love, it does need to be stimulated and challenged. Maybe not on the material things in our lives, but the deepest core of a relationship

4. The evidence I support in this text is from the constant repetition of words that I observed and connections I made with the words to make connections. In Part A : “The both have worthwhile and remunerative jobs that they find stimulating and challenging.” Then, “John and Mary have a stimulating and challenging sex life and worthwhile friends.” Further on, “They both have hobbies which they find stimulating and challenging.” Then in Part C “… and hobbies which they find stimulating and challenging, when they have the time.” Also when I discussed the freedom part, “But James is often away on his motorcycle, being free. Freedom isn’t the same for girls, so in the meantime Mary spends Thursday evenings with John.” Going along when talking about John having commitment issues and yet struggling with it is portrayed in the following quotes, “John on the contrary settles down long ago; this is what is bothering him.” “…he can’t leave his wife because a commitment is a commitment.”

5. This interpretation matters because it picks at the text and tries to find the meaning of what the author says. Maybe someone else’s interpretation may provide different meaning and/or light. Yet it illustrates the core of what I believe the author is trying to show her audience. With the constant repetition of words and phrases, that marriage is not what everyone thinks it to be. That it takes work, time, and true commitment. That a marriage is not just stimulated challenged to be worthwhile by what we have but by the work we put into one another. 

The Temple of The Holy Ghost

This story, honestly, was not one of my favorites at all. It felt dry and as if the author was simply writing down her thoughts without a coherent flow. Reading the Flannery O'Connor's biography gave me a better understanding of the reading presented.  "Many of her stories draw characters in cartoonish ways, a whimsical, and sometimes cruel, way of seeing humanity." I'll say that is very true regarding this story.

The title does not seem to fit and at the same time it does a little. I would have to say I was a bit deceived by the title. I thought the story would be more about positive aspect. The child had a very negative view of these two girls that were called Temple 1 and Temple 2. However, looking back at the authors style of writing it did not surprise me after.

The child, who was 12, seemed to think highly of herself, and thought the girls, who are 14 were morons. That seems a bit harsh. I mean they are 14 years old and are only teenagers. Therefore, teenagers have a different mentality then say a 25 year old. However, the child was 12 and it seemed that she was the judgmental making such harsh statements. Maybe, that is even cruel of me to say. We often view things from our perspective and are quick to make comments and remarks based on little evidence of the whole situation. It's like they say everyone can tell the same story, but you will get a different image every time.

Further on The Fair seemed to contracted a Temple of the Holy Ghost in a way with the 'freak' was both male and female. It's interesting that the freak said not to laugh that God allowed this happen, and it's not his/her fault. It definitely stuck out to the child. It made you think twice about how grateful you are to have the Temple, body, you have.

When the child talked about prayer and how we get distracted, I do agree that sometimes your thoughts do wonder when you are praying. Being at the chapel and kneeling in prayer seemed to be a place where she could finally get her thoughts out and not be distracted. This illustrates the power of Gods house. How often do we get distracted with our own selfishness and desires and judgmental thoughts that we forget to look at ourselves, and take out the speck in our own eye.

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

This story was one of the first ones that I've read in class where I struggled to get through in the beginning and then as I made my way towards the end, the strong statements and reasonings made my mind go into so many directions.

At first, this place, Omela sounded like a fantasy land for people. It was a place where no one had to feel guilt or shame. They could have all the fun, drugs, beer, orgies, no wars. With no consequences. I mean I won't lie that sounds like something that people desire, but maybe not admit all the time. Maybe not desire but I'm sure those thoughts have crossed someone's mind in form or another. I was a bit shocked reading that honestly. I kept thinking, yeah right whats the catch? There has to be more to it then meets the eye.

My others thoughts initially were like, wow this story is a drag and can someone please let it end.
Then, when I began to read the paragraph describing the basement my attention was immediately in tune. I mean here we are hear these joyous things that go on in Omela, and you're like okay good for them, and yeah right type of attitude. As soon as you read about the child in the basement your heart cannot help but break and wonder how that child is down there? and if this place is so perfect then how could the people of Omela treat a child like this? It mad be very angry. Further when the author describes people who come to visit the child, who is beaten and neglected, shows that the people were in disgust. I was outraged! I kept thinking, what in pete's sake?! Afterwards, as the purpose of this child was described/revealed, I felt disgust and a million and one thoughts ran through my head. Is there no other way? Why let a child suffer so that others can have such prosperity? This reminded me so much of pragmatism point of view. Do what's best for me!

Also, I could not help but compare the child's suffering to Jesus Christ suffering for us. The price had to be paid for our sins to be forgiven, so that we can live and be free even though we sinned. God's love and everything that He does for his children surpass so much understanding. Jesus was beaten and kicked and spat on and even the images on the television do not portray the full image of his beatings. My heart breaks because it was my sin that put Him there.

"Yet it is their tears and anger, the trying of their generosity and the acceptance of their helplessness, which are perhaps the true source of splendor on their lives." This is such a profound statement and it made me have a bit of compassion for the people in Omela. Without pain and suffering, how can we know true joy and happiness and prosperity? Without sacrifice how can we know true love?

However, these people are selfish in my eyes, as well. I applaud the people who walked away from Omela because it was not an easy task to do. But to let a chid bear the pain of consequences was ethical and morally wrong in my point of view. We need to take responsibility for our actions. With that responsibility I think will be much greater gain than feeling disgust and anger towards someone else. Feeling the pain and sufferings of rejection as a person, just like Jesus felt, and overcoming those obstacles builds true joy.

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

This short story was very interesting to read. I honestly could not put the book down until I finished it. There was so much depth and meaning that one can take away from Marquez piece.

The story started out a bit sad, and it seemed that the family was going through a lot of struggles with their family. Like the child being sick and the constant crab problem that seemed to be a never ending task.

Then they find this angel/old man, which was not viewed in a good light. They seem to treat and mistreat this 'fallen angel'. It seemed to paint this picture of agony and pain, that the family was going through at the time, the angel does. Its interesting that even though they did not want to the angel there, the family still took care of him. Maybe not as well as they could have. Its kind of like having to carry someones burden and live out other peoples consequences. You don't want that pain, and ugliness but you have to deal with it. Just as the family had to deal with this angel. No matter what they constantly saw that this old man had human features and something in their hearts could not let him go.

"His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience." This illustrates something that we humans seem to lack on our lives. Cause man the torture and pain that this angel was inflicted was not fun. It sort of reminds me Jesus in a way, of how we mistreated Him. Hmm.

Eventually the family was able to come out of their hardships and the angel eventually was able to fly and gain strength. It's like He represented their misfortune but at the same time gave them a way out by having people pay to the see this angel. As soon as, the family was able to come to stability in their lives the 'annoyance' left them... of being unstable. And at the same time the old man brought them prosperity. Maybe thats why Elisenda kept looking when the old man flew away, because he represented soo much and at the same time he seemed to have carried their burdens away.

Response to Mary Oliver poems and short essay

I read the poems while on my visit to Lake Bonny park this afternoon. It was quite relaxing and very beautiful wording. The poetry was very calming and painted an image of nature and God tied together. I agree with Professor Corrigan that Poetry is Prayer. I never really put it in that aspect before until recently. I love journaling it brings such peace and clarity to my mind when I pray to God. It helps me focus and not get side tracked and I feel a bit more closer to my Jesus. Sitting and mediating are very productive. I guess in a way it is poetry whether I realized it or not... hmm.

My favorite poem by Mary Oliver is titled "Walking Home from Oak-Head" because it reminds me of home, Syracuse. "There is something about the snow-laden sky in winter in the late afternoon." That is beautiful. I loved looking out at fresh, clean, crisp, fallen snow... It sparkles with such innocence and brilliance, and clothes the ground with a new white clothe. How amazing is Gods creation in that?! How marvelous are his works! The coldness that comes with the snow brings your lungs to a fresh taste of clean air.

I always stand and amazed at our beautiful creator every day when I look around. Even being down here in  Florida, God shows me beauty in such small and detailed ways.
Just like the clouds are not just clouds, they paint an image and entertain us.

"Oh, feed this day, Holy Spirit, with the fragrance of the fields and the freshness of the oceans which you have made, and help me to hear and to hold in all dearness those exacting and wonderful words for our Lord Christ Jesus, saying: Follow me." Mary Oliver from 'Six Recognitions of the Lord.' This is a cry for my heart and I feel for my hearts. Those words pierced through my heart. Being with the Lord is truly the best feeling in the World! No matter what the heart is going through and no matter what situations are presented Jesus gives peace beyond peace and understanding. His love runs deeper then the rivers and oceans. His love goes beyond patience and obedience.

Overall, this poems spoke to my heart :)

Field Trip to Lake Bonny Park

I went to Lake Bonny Park and stay there for 1 hour. Enjoyed some DD and walked and read Mary Oliver and pondered. It was a good experience, very calming. 

Poem:

 Sitting here observing the grass and tress

Makes me wonder

About God and Life

Beauty is marked not just by the physical

But through the wind and the air

Its crispness against the hot skin

Hair flying around the face

Shade provided by the trees

The sun kissing my skin

Like a sweet kiss

Is welcomed with warmth and love

A smile appears

Birds singing

  Children playing

    Breeze blowing to cool the air

Thank you Jesus 

  For your beauty

Whether I see it

From the outside or inside

Thank you for Nature!

Field Trip to Circle B

What a day it turned out to be! God was totally on our side when He with held the storm when we did the tram ride at circle B. As soon as I started to drive out it started to rain.

The trip itself was pretty good. It was interesting to learn about the different birds and the reserve. This did help bring better to light to sit and ponder the poem "The State of the Planet." It was good to reread the poem and look at what others thought of the poem when discussing it in class.

To learn to calm down and actually calm down brings peace and understanding. That this planet is given to us by the artist Jesus Christ. He gave us this Earth to take care of it. Just as those who work at a museum and upkeep it and not destroy the artist artwork, we humans are to upkeep and take care of the artwork that God has given us and not destroy it. Unfortunately we take that for granted. Everything in nature has its checks and balances. Without one thing, such as the swamps, the ecology system is off balance. God is an amazing creator and I continue to stand in awe of HIs works and wonders. He designed everything so perfect and beautiful for us to enjoy. Just as Robert Hass has seen the beauty of the Earth just in a glimpse of his poetry.

Also, when rereading the poem I was able to recognize that Hass input sexuality comments with nature, which made you a little shocked and pay attention a little more to what was being said. "It turns out that they are electricity having sex in an infinite variety of permutations." That was interesting to read and put atoms in a different light for me. With my major it made it actually pretty entertaining and a bit cute to read.

Overall, the trip was beneficiary in sitting and ponder and looking at birds. It gave a better picture of nature and brought the poem to a little different light then just sitting in a classroom by reading and just taking about nature. Seeing it gave a different dimension/perspective which was good.