An Ounce of Cure - Essay
There comes a time in every person’s life when they reach the point where they are no longer a child, but an adult. “coming of age” is not something that usually happens in one exact moment but a gradual experience. In Alice Munro’s “An Ounce of Cure”, the narrator recalls her past as a teenager. During these years, she experiences heart-wrenching situations that no one her age should ever have to experience. Though, this leads to her “crossing the bridge of innocence”. Although “coming of age” is a positive turn, it requires negative experiences to be complete. The narrator endeavors the “coming of age” through her poor relationship choices, depression and irresponsibility.
The narrator’s complicated relationship with her previous boyfriend, Martin Collingwood, triggers a lot of complex situations, which ultimately leads to her rapid maturity. This becomes evident in the story when she reflects on her relationship and realizes all its faults. “It doesn’t really surprise me- to remember all the stupid, sad, half-ashamed things I did, that people in love always do” (Munro 79). It becomes clear that the narrator realizes that the poor relationship, she was involved in is all a mistake. Being able to realize the mistake, indicates her maturity. She now understands that it is not worth spending her life in regret for her previous actions and moves on. Similarly, the narrator explains her feelings towards Martin after her breakup, “But there was a positive, a splendidly unexpected result…I got completely over Martin Collingwood” (84). Although Martin, being the narrator’s first boyfriend, she is quickly able to overcome her sorrow, misery and self-inflicted pain that she went through during the past days. This would seem difficult for her considering it was her first love, as well as her constantly recalling back to the moment they kissed, “I would torture myself with the exact recollection of Martin kissing my throat” (80). All the problems and situations
The narrator’s complicated relationship with her previous boyfriend, Martin Collingwood, triggers a lot of complex situations, which ultimately leads to her rapid maturity. This becomes evident in the story when she reflects on her relationship and realizes all its faults. “It doesn’t really surprise me- to remember all the stupid, sad, half-ashamed things I did, that people in love always do” (Munro 79). It becomes clear that the narrator realizes that the poor relationship, she was involved in is all a mistake. Being able to realize the mistake, indicates her maturity. She now understands that it is not worth spending her life in regret for her previous actions and moves on. Similarly, the narrator explains her feelings towards Martin after her breakup, “But there was a positive, a splendidly unexpected result…I got completely over Martin Collingwood” (84). Although Martin, being the narrator’s first boyfriend, she is quickly able to overcome her sorrow, misery and self-inflicted pain that she went through during the past days. This would seem difficult for her considering it was her first love, as well as her constantly recalling back to the moment they kissed, “I would torture myself with the exact recollection of Martin kissing my throat” (80). All the problems and situations