Living In Two Worlds By Marcus Mabry
“Living in Two Worlds” by Marcus Mabry is a short story in which he writes about the discomfort he experiences traveling between the two worlds of poverty at home and richness at Stanford. Mabry goes to school with a full scholarship and lives a pretty decent life while his family live in poverty in New Jersey. Some of the things that the author compares are geographical differences between the two world, social differences, and his guilt feeling toward his family.
The author writes about geographical differences between New Jersey and Stanford. Mabry writes about his brother who is unemployed and lives in a very icy place. Meanwhile, the author describes himself “In mid- December I was Stanford, among the palm trees and weighty chores of
academe” (99). He writes to show the weather differences between this two places. One where it’s pleasant and other where it’s harsh.
The author writes about the social differences between New Jersey and Stanford. He writes about his mother who works twenty- four hours a day as a practical nurse to ensure that her son would graduate from high school and have a decent life (100). In contrast, the author writes about his roommate at Stanford, a doctor’s son, This kind of life was not an ordinary for him because he belongs to a rich family where he can afford a better life.
The author writes about his guilt feeling toward his family when he sees his family living a harsh life in New Jersey. He states that “being away from poverty was not new. But my own growing affluence has increased my distance” (100). Every time when Mabry returns home, his sense of guilt increases and his success leads him further away for longer period of time. He writes that he knows the education is the right thing to do, but he still feels guilty because he thinks that he does not deserve security and warmth while his brother has to manage with potential unemployment and prejudice. Therefore, in “Living in Two Worlds” Mabry writes about his experience being away from his family and living a better while his family suffer to afford a decent life. The irony regarding the impact of his success has had negative on his life because he does not want to go and party when he thinks about his family living under poor circumstances. Also, he does not want to study because he wants to go back home and help his family. However, He feels pride when he sees his family living in such a hardships and being able to manage their lives.
The author writes about geographical differences between New Jersey and Stanford. Mabry writes about his brother who is unemployed and lives in a very icy place. Meanwhile, the author describes himself “In mid- December I was Stanford, among the palm trees and weighty chores of
academe” (99). He writes to show the weather differences between this two places. One where it’s pleasant and other where it’s harsh.
The author writes about the social differences between New Jersey and Stanford. He writes about his mother who works twenty- four hours a day as a practical nurse to ensure that her son would graduate from high school and have a decent life (100). In contrast, the author writes about his roommate at Stanford, a doctor’s son, This kind of life was not an ordinary for him because he belongs to a rich family where he can afford a better life.
The author writes about his guilt feeling toward his family when he sees his family living a harsh life in New Jersey. He states that “being away from poverty was not new. But my own growing affluence has increased my distance” (100). Every time when Mabry returns home, his sense of guilt increases and his success leads him further away for longer period of time. He writes that he knows the education is the right thing to do, but he still feels guilty because he thinks that he does not deserve security and warmth while his brother has to manage with potential unemployment and prejudice. Therefore, in “Living in Two Worlds” Mabry writes about his experience being away from his family and living a better while his family suffer to afford a decent life. The irony regarding the impact of his success has had negative on his life because he does not want to go and party when he thinks about his family living under poor circumstances. Also, he does not want to study because he wants to go back home and help his family. However, He feels pride when he sees his family living in such a hardships and being able to manage their lives.