In the story “Astronomer 's Wife”, astronomer is the father figure, the plumber acts like the mother figure, and astronomer’s wife, Mrs Ames, represents the child figure in the story.
Undoubtedly, astronomer has all father figure’s traits. Although there is no direct description of him, through his wife, Mrs Ames, I can see an acrimonious husband who takes dominance over his wife and controls her under his custody. Just like story says, “the day would proceed from this, beat by beat, without reflection, like every other day” (Boyle 1). For Mrs Ames, her life is monotonous and helpless, and she cannot ask her husband for any help because his silence represents all of his authority. This house, which is ruled by astronomer, …show more content…
Every time the plumber needs Mrs Ames to make a decision, she will mention to her husband. Although her husband is on the bed, she seems like always hiding behind him. She lives in her husband rules and feels breathless, but Mrs Ames still excessively depends on her husband. For Mrs Ames, astronomer is the center of her life, and she afraid to disturb him or give him any trouble. Nevertheless, the plumber’s arrival makes her yearn for an independent life, and she begins to rebel in order to get rid of the bondage of her husband. Mrs Ames rebellion is mainly reflected into his action. She ignores her husband and goes outside with the plumber, and it seems like she breaks her husband’s rule. When Mrs Ames sit in the garden, “saw the weeds springing up, and she did not move to tear them up from life” (Boyle 4), I believe her rebellion is successful. The weeds springing up just like the thoughts in her mind which she have ever thought before: she wants her own life, she wants be herself. She also looking forward to a new like. At the end of the story, Mrs Ames (or I should call her Katherine) does not choose to escape anymore, but to face the real self, and she follows her own thoughts and makes her own