Preview

Society's Expectations Of Love Short Story

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
572 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Society's Expectations Of Love Short Story
Society's Expectations In every society, there are expectations that people should only love other people. In "Marriage is A Private Affair," Nnaemaka is truly in love with Nene. However, his father and family's tribe does not accept his engagement, and all but banish him from their tribe. In the short story, "Love Must Not Be Forgotten," Zhang Jie's mother, Zhong Yu, falls deeply in love with a man to whom she is not married to. In both stories, the characters find that true love is not always accepted by society or the government, yet neither Nnaemaka nor Zhong let their love falter when times were tough. In "Marriage is A Private Affair," Nnaemaka moves to a large city in Africa where people from many different villages go to live and work. Many of the boundaries once set by tribes and villages are put aside by most of the citizens that live there. When Nnaemeka informs his father that he will be married outside the tribe, his father becomes furious with him, and his decision. In a letter written to Nnaemeka, he also includes a picture from his wedding. His father cuts the picture in half and replies saying, "I decided to cut off your wife and send it back to you because I have nothing to do with her." The prejudice was not only limited to Nnaemeka's tribe, but it also spread to his wife's also. Many members of her tribe talked badly about her too. …show more content…
Even though she is married, she still falls in love with a cadre of the communist party. She knows, however, that if she were to let her feelings be known, to any member of the government, it would put not only her life in danger, but the well being of her only daughter

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    After reading the two short stories, Love in L.A by Dagoberto Gilb and What We Talk about When We Talk about Love by Raymond Carver, I have realized that a common feeling like ‘love’ can be painted into so many different pictures. Each one of these short stories is written by two different authors and sees ‘love’ at different angles. The character Jake in Love in L.A. has this vision of love that is more of a mockery. Then, Terri’s ex-husband in What We talk about When We Talk about Love has so much passion, but the kind of passion that can be interoperated as obsession. The lies and misconceptions of ‘love’ that Jake and Terri’s ex-husband display reveal that ‘love’ does not exist in a world filled with nothing but cruelty and evil actions.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Let’s Talk About Love, Carl Wilson touched upon people’s tastes in music. Quoting the French philosopher and poet Paul Valéry, Wilson explained, “Tastes … are composed of a thousand distastes” (Wilson 11). This essay, however, will show that Mr. Wilson was looking at taste in music backwards; what one likes is not made from what one dislikes; instead, what one dislikes is made from what one likes.…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Love could always lead to various outcomes. I feel like Rokujō is the most affectionate woman in the tale. She loves Genji with her truest heart, but Genji is very fickle in love, and his capriciousness makes Rokujō’s love turns into hate involuntarily. Rokujō is supposed to have a splendor life and live without any worries. She is intelligent and brilliant, and she is supposed to be the future Empress. However, everything has been changed after her husband died, and her affair with Genji turns her life into misery and tragedy.…

    • 286 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ap- Mavis Gallant

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Love is defined by dictionary.com as “an intense feeling of deep emotion.” Love is not something that should be forced, because of common interests, intelligence, or good weather. Love is much more natural, it is not an equation to be solved; it is an emotion to be felt. Who one decides to marry is one of, if not the biggest decision one has to make in his or her life, it should not be taken lightly. In Mavis Gallant’s short story, The Other Paris, Gallant mocks humanity’s modern day over analyzing of love through narrative voice and characterization to prove that love is not something that should be forced or solved, but something that should happen naturally on its own.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a sick twist of fate Anyone’s “partner is simultaneously a person named ―noone and literally no one at all” (76). How can anyone love no one and someone all at the same time? From this comes two conclusions, the first being that love is impossible to attain in its fullest form and is something beyond the grasp of humanity. People idealize love to the point that no one can compare to the dreams they have for their future partners. Then, people simple settle for those who cannot meet their dreams because once again their dreams are insurmountable.…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    This essay focuses on how Jane Austen uses all the different marriages to try and express her own idea of an ideal marriage. The author expresses her view of an ideal marriage, which is one where the love surpasses the importance of economic and social compatibility, which is when it no longer matters if they are of the same economic and social class respectively. The key reasons behind the marriages in the novel “Pride and Prejudice” will be debated in this essay. All the marriages in the novel express a different reason behind their occurrence. Love, necessity, chemistry, compatibility and social stature all play a very valid role in the marriages in the novel.…

    • 1268 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Arthur Schopenhauer clearly expresses his belief to be that love is nothing more than the will to survive-that romantic passion is a trick we allow ourselves to fall into for a greater good. By choosing love, we are choosing reproduction, survival and ensuring the human race continues on through our offspring. Schopenhauer's cynicism towards romantic love is most definitely predominant in his writings though the relevance of love in life is not argued, yet rather encouraged in his writings since without love, human life would cease to exist as we know it. Nevertheless, the opinion and theory expressed by Schopenhauer seems to be an overall contempt and resistance to the mystical alluring notions of love one may have. There have been several attempts by several philosophers, writers and academics to define love objectively, on a factual basis. Unfortunately, as it cannot be proven or measured this attempt can only made subjectively, though one can gather several perspectives and opinions in order to do so.…

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The movie “When A Man Loves A Woman” is an extremely powerful reflective movie regarding the affects of drug addiction on an individual as well as the destruction of the family unit. I would have to say that this movie is one of my all-time favorite movies. Has been and always will be. From the moment I had seen the movie when it aired on the big screen in 1994. It was most pivotal at that time since I have dealt with an individual whom was an alcoholic. I cannot recall even to date how many times I have seen this movie but what I can state is that being an addict in recovery myself from alcohol addiction, each and every time I see this movie, a new outlook or concept is gained from seeing the movie. I used to think this may have been due to wearing “rose colored” glasses with regard to addiction. After re-thinking that thought, I would suffice to say that the reasoning behind the differences each time after viewing the movie, it would be due more to the fact that as I progress deeper into my own recovery time, I am learning and growing. I am beginning to understand the thinking and feelings of an alcoholic. I have had to get “real” with myself and others and the more I am able to practice that along with the twelve steps my thoughts will be broadened.…

    • 2152 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The story is told by an omniscient third person narrator, and is about two young lovers with different cultural and religious backgrounds, and the difficulties that it causes them. The big problem in the story is that Nnaemeka has found a girl – Nene – that he loves, but his family has traditions for arranged marriages. Nnaemeka is really nervous about telling his father about Nene, because his father cares a lot about their traditions. To his father, marriage is like business, a business that he has to be part of; we see an example of that in the letter send to Nnaemeka by his father (p.2 l.3):…

    • 1875 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Achebe’s “Marriage Is a Private Affair” tells the story of young Nnaemeka breaking tradition to marry the girl he loves. Nnaemeka is from the Ibo tribe, whereas Nene comes from Ibibio tribe. The two tribes believe it is best to never coexist, especially in marriage. Nnaemeka’s father, Okeke, is a really religious person that would never approve of the marriage. While looking into the three main ideas, we’ll see how they deal with his father’s disapproval.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In today’s world, 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Although the other 50 percent of marriages don’t end in divorce, not all those marriages are considered an ideal marriage. The concept of an ideal marriage has changed as time has progressed. An ideal marriage in our time is a marriage based on love and family. Most societies have always had the same perspective of an ideal marriage during their time periods. However, in Jane Austen’ Pride and Prejudice, the author defies the view of the ideal marriage of her society by giving her own perspective on an ideal marriage. In the time period of Pride and Prejudice, society viewed ideal marriage as one based on financial stability and social equality. Although Jane Austen’s view of an ideal marriage includes financial and social stability, love was a major factor as well. In the novel, Jane Austen writes about suitable marriages and unsuitable marriages. Although the marriages based on wealth and social class seems suitable through society’s eyes, Jane Austen suggests those marriages to be unsuitable because of their lack of love and happiness.…

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marriage can be defined and looked upon in several different ways. It can be a religious sanctity, a convenient partnership, and to some a quick way to get rich. Jane Austen 's Pride and Prejudice shows a wide variety of aspects of marriage through the four marriages previous the book and the four marriages that took in the book. Though marriage is constantly sought after for several different reasons, there are only two different outcomes possible. Either they work or they do not. However marriage is viewed, it is still the agreed commitment between two individuals. This being so ultimately gives the pursuer the power to control his or her own fate.…

    • 2694 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Love Story

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This is a true story about two people who fall in love breaking all the odds of the family tradition and cultures. It was one of the most unbelievable things that could happen in our life. She being the hot shot and me not at all happening creature…

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    View Of marriage

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In this novel Jane Austen explains that during early 1800’s marriage is considered to be the only way, for women in particular, to live a comfortable life and free from financial worries. However, if women fail to marry, one of their only other options would be to become a governess, completely under control of their employer for the rest of their lives. This is why marriage is so significant for people of a lower social or economic status. Despite whether they love their marriage partner, if they possess enough fortune to secure their future happiness, then it would be in their best interest to accept the proposal. But Austen believed that marriage should be only for love and affection, not for wealth and greed. Austen uses the characters to show the positioning between relationships of those who have married for love, like Elizabeth and Darcy, and relationships of those who have married for fortune, such as Charlotte.…

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Affection - Short Essay

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Venice, the Court convenes for Antonio’s trial. The duke of Venice greets Antonio and expresses pity for him, calling Shylock an inhuman monster who can summon neither pity nor mercy. Antonio says he knows the duke has done all that he can to lawfully counter Shylock’s malicious intentions, and that since nothing else can be done, Antonio will respond to Shylock’s rage “with a quietness of spirit” (IV.i.11). The duke summons Shylock into the courtroom and addresses him, saying that he believes that Shylock means only to frighten Antonio by extending this drama to the brink of performance. No one, the duke says, believes that Shylock actually means to inflict such a horrible penalty on Antonio, who has already suffered the loss of his ships. Shylock reiterates his intentions and says that should the court deny him his right, the city’s very laws and freedoms will be forfeit. Shylock offers no explanation for his insistence other than to say that certain hatreds, like certain passions, are lodged deep within a person’s heart. Shylock hates Antonio, and for him that is reason enough. Bassanio, who has arrived from Belmont, attempts to argue with Shylock, but Antonio tells him that his efforts are for naught. Hatred and predation, Antonio suggests, come as naturally to some men as they do to the wolf. Bassanio offers Shylock six thousand ducats, twice the amount of the original loan, but Shylock turns down the offer, saying he would not forfeit his bond for six times that sum. When the duke asks Shylock how he expects to receive mercy when he offers none, Shylock replies that he has no need for mercy, as he has done nothing wrong. Just as the slave-owning Christians of Venice would refuse to set…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics