Marriage is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. At times, I have even felt trapped in a marriage, or even lost to it. In Bobbie Ann Mason’s “Shiloh” Norma Jean feels smothered by Leroy’s rekindled love for her and in Kat Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard finds freedom after she learns her husband is dead. Both women feel trapped in their marriages, which, is understandable if they have no other identity than ‘wife.’ These women are struggling with a fundamental part of everyday life, what is it they use to cope with these hard feelings?
“Leroy Moffitt’s wife, Norma Jean, is working on her pectorals.” (Mason 760) The first thing Norman Jean is described as is Leroy’s wife. This shows that even Leroy just thinks of her as his wife, and Norma Jean is nothing more than that. Norma Jean only starts to find comfort in working out, and developing herself worth through it, when Leroy starts physical therapy and she try’s it for herself. The more time Leroy spends at home essentially doing nothing he realizes Norma Jean has made a life without him. “After fifteen years on the road, he is finally …show more content…
I don’t think it has to be this way, though. Communication, hard work, and trust will get anyone a lot further in a marriage than staying stagnant. My marriage got better when we finally started doing those things and realized that we could grow individually, and still love each other. Change shouldn’t bring on so much fear. Marriage doesn’t have to be a woman’s only identity. Yes, a lot of people just call me Mrs. Toomer, but I am also Macey who goes to school, Mommy to Hayden and Alana, someone’s daughter, and a friend to many. Today my marriage is wonderful and I had hoped to see in both “Shiloh” and “Story of an Hour” the same thing happen. We can all be successful. “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya
“Leroy Moffitt’s wife, Norma Jean, is working on her pectorals.” (Mason 760) The first thing Norman Jean is described as is Leroy’s wife. This shows that even Leroy just thinks of her as his wife, and Norma Jean is nothing more than that. Norma Jean only starts to find comfort in working out, and developing herself worth through it, when Leroy starts physical therapy and she try’s it for herself. The more time Leroy spends at home essentially doing nothing he realizes Norma Jean has made a life without him. “After fifteen years on the road, he is finally …show more content…
I don’t think it has to be this way, though. Communication, hard work, and trust will get anyone a lot further in a marriage than staying stagnant. My marriage got better when we finally started doing those things and realized that we could grow individually, and still love each other. Change shouldn’t bring on so much fear. Marriage doesn’t have to be a woman’s only identity. Yes, a lot of people just call me Mrs. Toomer, but I am also Macey who goes to school, Mommy to Hayden and Alana, someone’s daughter, and a friend to many. Today my marriage is wonderful and I had hoped to see in both “Shiloh” and “Story of an Hour” the same thing happen. We can all be successful. “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya