Theme Of Happy Endings By Margaret Atwood

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In “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood reveals six different scenarios about two main characters named John and Mary. She begins with scenario A to show a version of a perfect fairytale story, “Section A is the most typical, uncomplicated, most unrealistic scenario that results in a happy ending.” By the end of the short story the readers can notice that the conflicts are different but the endings stay the same. The author stereotypes the two main characters by gender, causes the reader to focus on the plot and includes symbolism and irony through the short story.

When people think of fairytales they imagine a princess and prince charming but that is not the case here. John and Mary are the two main characters who are happily married with children and wealth who die at the end. The author creates two dual individuals with barely any information about who they are “ more like cut out dolls than developed characters,” she explains how they are as a couple but not who they are as a person. The second scenario changes dramatically because John becomes more a typical egotistic,self centered man and not a prince charming. He uses Mary
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She stereotypes the main characters by gender to help the readers relate to the story. By causing the readers to concentrate on what the plot is distracts the main focus on the characters so the audience understands the underline meaning. Including symbolism and irony the readers fully grasp the underdeveloped lives of individuals in the story. Death is the result in every situation even if you live as a bachelor or on the street, it is up to you to decide the greatness and adventures that occur in your life because people will die

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