Happy Endings Reflection ‘Happy Endings’ by Margaret Atwood is an example of an interpretive and thought provoking piece of literature. This story follows the alternate lives of John and Mary after they meet, and any characters that they come across. There are many cases in which ‘Happy Endings’ proved itself to be interpretive, opposed to escapist. The endings, while somewhat happy, are also unhappy and inconclusive. Ending B, for example demonstrated an abusive, one sided relationship in which Mary, who was deeply in love with John, was handled in an insensitive manner. John used her to benefit himself sexually, and upon coming across another woman to satisfy himself, threw Mary aside, causing her to commit suicide. This ending only created
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Another unfortunate ending was ending C. This story follows the events of twenty-two year old Mary, and middle-aged John, who falls in love with Mary. Their difference in attitudes and ages causes Mary to cheat, which in turn causes John to kill Mary, and the man she cheated with, and John to kill himself. This ending forces the reader to feel pity and sadness for John, and mourn the possibilities that he could have had with Mary.
‘Happy Endings’ explores many ideas that are thoroughly layered throughout the story. On the surface, ‘Happy Endings’, is a story that resembles a writing manual, which highlights the steps to writing a more meaningful plot. The second layer of the story that Atwood wanted to show her readers, is relationships. Throughout the stories, we found that while the characters’ names were the same, their personalities, and the relationships that they had …show more content…
The story, starting from ending A, was written in a biting, and sarcastic manner. What I particularly enjoyed were the small insinuations that were found throughout the story. For example, in ending A, Atwood uses ‘stimulating and challenging’ to describe Mary and John’s jobs, sex life, and hobbies. Atwood’s mocking tone reflects my own in its sarcasm, and I find it rather comedic. In ending B, I found that the detached manner in which Mary’s troubles were relayed were darkly humorous. The description of Mary’s suicide, in particular, was detached, and written in a way that strongly suggested the author’s nonchalance at Mary’s suffering. I found that I disliked the characters, because they were either completely shallow, or were unlikable through their actions; However, they were valuable in adding to the theme of relationships, that I found was necessary. Personally, I found the theme to be rather cliché; however, the way that Atwood layered the variety of themes through the story, combined with her biting sarcasm, was witty, and something that was refreshing to read. What made this story enjoyable to me was not the characters, theme or plot, but rather her simple, yet loaded sentences. While, ‘Happy Endings’, was a rather short story, it was capable of conveying ideas in a concise
Another unfortunate ending was ending C. This story follows the events of twenty-two year old Mary, and middle-aged John, who falls in love with Mary. Their difference in attitudes and ages causes Mary to cheat, which in turn causes John to kill Mary, and the man she cheated with, and John to kill himself. This ending forces the reader to feel pity and sadness for John, and mourn the possibilities that he could have had with Mary.
‘Happy Endings’ explores many ideas that are thoroughly layered throughout the story. On the surface, ‘Happy Endings’, is a story that resembles a writing manual, which highlights the steps to writing a more meaningful plot. The second layer of the story that Atwood wanted to show her readers, is relationships. Throughout the stories, we found that while the characters’ names were the same, their personalities, and the relationships that they had …show more content…
The story, starting from ending A, was written in a biting, and sarcastic manner. What I particularly enjoyed were the small insinuations that were found throughout the story. For example, in ending A, Atwood uses ‘stimulating and challenging’ to describe Mary and John’s jobs, sex life, and hobbies. Atwood’s mocking tone reflects my own in its sarcasm, and I find it rather comedic. In ending B, I found that the detached manner in which Mary’s troubles were relayed were darkly humorous. The description of Mary’s suicide, in particular, was detached, and written in a way that strongly suggested the author’s nonchalance at Mary’s suffering. I found that I disliked the characters, because they were either completely shallow, or were unlikable through their actions; However, they were valuable in adding to the theme of relationships, that I found was necessary. Personally, I found the theme to be rather cliché; however, the way that Atwood layered the variety of themes through the story, combined with her biting sarcasm, was witty, and something that was refreshing to read. What made this story enjoyable to me was not the characters, theme or plot, but rather her simple, yet loaded sentences. While, ‘Happy Endings’, was a rather short story, it was capable of conveying ideas in a concise