Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Post #3

In his short story “The Wife,” Washington Irving focuses on a young couple truly in love. He describes a situation in which the young couple is tested by a fall into poverty.  Through the couple’s reaction to this adversity, Irving is able to depict American values regarding marriage, women, and economics. In regards to marriage, Americans value the love and support of a woman through times of good and bad. They also value a man that provides for his family, whether it is a luxurious lifestyle or not. Consistency is very important to Americans when it comes to marriage.  Americans value a woman who can bring a man up from the depths of depression when he has hit a low point in his life.  For economics, it is apparent in the story that Americans value the love and support of their family greater than that of material things. Sometimes Americans overlook the simple things in life and it takes adversity to reveal the basic thing in life that makes you happy; a loving family.

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