Though he is married to Madge, he finds personal satisfaction and stimulation in being with the younger Mary. In Story C, John’s conception of love is centered around maintaining his vigour and youth. The outside, uncontrollable force of poor health, however, destroys the couple's ideal relationship. Story D presents a similar, perfect situation of love in which understanding is key. John & Mary, as well as Fred & Madge, love each other, and remain committed to each other for the duration of their lives without encountering even the slightest obstacle. Love is portrayed as effortless, and is a natural, rewarding, and mutual experience for both individuals involved. The conventional, stereotypical, and almost cliché demonstration of love can be seen in stories A & D, where the characters simply "fall in love and get married". This is clearly demonstrated by the different situations in which the characters find themselves. Though love is a universal goal, each person's criteria for a meaningful, fulfilling and loving relationship varies. After a more detailed examination of the stories, however, it becomes evident that each individual is striving to find love. In this short story Margaret Atwood shows the powerful effect that love has on people’s lives.Īt first glance, the short stories in "Happy Endings" have a common connection: all the characters die. In addition, it can lead to irrational decisions with terrible consequences. Love has the power to bring people together, but can also break them apart. Love, however, is not the only factor that creates and maintains a relationship. Love plays a central role in each story, and thus it seems that love is the ultimate goal in life. Behind the obvious meaning of these seemingly pointless stories lies a deeper and more profound meaning. In her writing she clearly makes a point of commenting on how everybody dies in the same manner, regardless of their life experiences. Despite their individual differences, the stories of each of the characters ultimately end in the same way. Ultimately, the story concludes that the “what” is not nearly as important as the “How and Why.Margaret Atwood, through a series of different situations, depicts the lives of typical people facing various obstacles in her short story “Happy Endings”. The various plot iterations throughout the story illustrates the ways in which the elements of a story, when broken down into discrete units, are often so interchangeable with one another as to be virtually meaningless. In scenario F, the narrator attempts to complicate things further by imagining John and Mary as spies and counterrevolutionaries, but concludes that the endings of all of the stories are all ultimately the same.Īt the end of “Happy Endings,” Atwood meditates on the nature of plot and story, arguing that plot is ultimately less interesting than other aspects of storytelling. In scenario D, Fred and Madge brave a tidal wave, while in scenario E, Fred and Madge deal with illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. At the conclusion of the story, Madge remarries to a man named Fred and everything continues as in A. When John walks in on Mary and James having sex, he kills them and commits suicide. Since James is often away, Mary also engages in a relationship with John, who in this scenario is much older and already married to Madge. In scenario C, Mary is in love with James, an independent and adventurous young man with a motorcycle and record collection. John marries Madge and everything continues as in A. When Mary finds out that John is seeing another woman, Madge, she commits suicide. While Mary attempts to woo him with carefully prepared meals, her impeccable appearance, and sex, John remains unsatisfied and treats her poorly. In scenario B, Mary falls in love and attempts to pursue a romantic relationship with John, who is noncommittal and uninterested. In scenario A, John and Mary marry, buy a house, have children, and generally achieve a “happy ending.” What happens next?” The story then proceeds through various plot iterations, describing different ways in which the tale might end. Atwood begins the story with a simple setup: “John and Mary meet.
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