Interpretation of "Happy Endings" by Margaret Atwood

1)      Re-presenting the parts of the text I am interpreting

I am writing about “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood.  Atwood presents different scenarios of life about the relationships between man and woman, but all of her scenarios end the same way.  She writes at the end of the stories, “So much for endings.  Beginnings are always more fun.  True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with.”  This is what she did.  She lettered her stories A-F.  In A, John and Mary’s lives are “stimulating and challenging.”  They face no major obstacles and live a fun life.  They have two children who grow up well.  They live in a nice house.  They eventually retire and die. 

In B, Mary loves John, but it is not a reciprocal.  John takes advantage of her for sex and that is it.  Mary desperately tries to impress him and has hopes that they will get married one day.  When she finds out that he has taken another woman, Madge, to a restaurant, she overdoses on sleeping pills while drinking sherry and dies.  John’s and Madge’s life continues as in A.

In C, John loves Mary, but she does not love him.  He is twice her age and she feels bad for him.  John as the perfect life with Madge, as presented in A, yet he chooses to cheat on his wife with Mary.  Mary truly loves a wild, younger man, James, who is not ready to settle down yet.  John walks in on James and Mary stoned and lying in bed.  He shoots them and then his self.  Madge finds another man, Fred, and the story continues as in A.

In D, Fred and Madge live a similar life as in A, but with one major obstacle.  Their house is destroyed by a tidal wave and real estate goes down.  Their relationship, however, stays strong.

In E, things pick up from D and Fred has a bad heart.  He eventually dies and Madge devotes her life to charity work.

F is open for you to make your own story but suggests that the story will end as in A.

“The only authentic ending is the one provided here:  John and Mary die.  John and Mary die.         John and Mary die.”

2)      Explanation of why the text or the aspect of the text that I’ve chosen to focus on needs to be interpreted

This story seems very straight forward, especially in the last few paragraphs where Atwood talks about beginnings, endings, and the “stretch in between.”  I believe there is more to this story.  Anything about life and death can be taken into consideration for more interpretation.  There are many different beliefs, opinions, and so forth about life and its meaning as well as death.  Reading this story once through, I assumed I caught the gist of it, but reading it again for this post, I caught some things that can be taken to a deeper level than just surface meanings.  To help illustrate this to be clearer, here’s an example:  you are driving in a car and you pass hundreds upon hundreds of trees during a trip.  That’s it.  All you can see are trees.  Let’s say that you pulled the car over on the side of the road to examine just one of the hundreds of trees.  In it you see a family of squirrels, a hole where an owl has made its home, thousands of ants running up and down carrying leaves to the anthill at the base of the tree, a cocoon that bares a beautiful butterfly, and many more things.  At glance, you do not see the tree for what it really is: teaming with life and abundant in life itself.  All you see is a blurry brown trunk with green leaves.  This is what this story is like.  At first read, it’s just a story with a straight forward meaning, but with rereading, taking notes, pondering ideas presented in the story, posing questions, and conversing with others about the story, a whole new spectrum of meaning is revealed.

3)      What I take the work to mean

This story is primarily about presenting different ways that lives are lived out, but with one ending:  death.  Atwood seems to be set on the fact that it does not matter what your life is like, it is just going to end up in death.  I believe there is more to why the six scenarios are presented other than to prove Atwood’s point that every ending is death.  More important than death is life.  Life is the “stretch in between.”  And what you do with life is more important than the ending of it.  The majority of Atwood’s essay is about the lives that are lived out by man and woman rather than the ending of death.  If her point is to show that all of the scenarios end in one way, then why does she talk about life the majority of her essay?  It is because life is more important.  Paul, in II Timothy, talks about striving toward that end goal, the prize in which will be rewarded to us at the end of the race.  He focuses on the end, yes, but he provides a new beginning—a beginning in which our eternal lives in Heaven start.  Life still plays the major roll, however.  If one’s life is lived in sin and contempt with the Word of God, that person will spend an eternity in Hell.  However, if one lives a life holy and pleasing to the Lord, then that person will live an eternity in Heaven.  More than making it to Heaven, I believe my primary focus is to love God and love others no matter what.  If God wanted us to be focused on making it to Heaven, then he would have made that the most important commandment.  Making it to Heaven is the reward.  I feel miserable receiving a reward for something that I did not do or something that I feel I did not try my hardest in.  Therefore, life is more important than the ending of death.  Therefore, is Atwood’s focus really on the ending of death?  Let’s go back to the quote from above, “So much for endings.  Beginnings are always more fun.  True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with.”  Atwood is openly admitting that endings are pointless and that the “stretch in between” is the more challenging part.

4)      Evidence from the text to support my interpretation

How did I get the interpretation that I did from this story?  The interpretation that I formulated from reading this story came through actively reading again and again.  And with each reading, I paid attention to details of the story which provide the basis of my interpretation.  To start, I would like to point out the end of the essay.  Atwood says, “You’ll have to face it, the endings are the same however you slice it.  Don’t be deluded by any other endings, they’re all fake, either deliberately fake, with malicious intent to deceive, or just motivated by excessive optimism if not by downright sentimentality.”  This really drives the point that she is entirely focused on death.  I mean that is as straightforward as it gets.  This is why it “seems” that Atwood’s focus is on death, but let’s look at the rest of the text.  After three of five scenarios, she talks about the feelings of the characters before they died.  The sixth one does not count because she lets you make up your own story.  At the end of B, Mary becomes depressed.  At the end of C, John becomes depressed and broken-hearted.  At the end of D, Fred and Madge are grateful.  Yes, they died, but their feelings and actions just before death could very well depict where they will be spending eternity.  Who wants to live a life where you die from having just being depressed so you committed suicide?  Nobody wants to end that way whether it happens or not.  Therefore, the life must be lived in order to die happy and natural.  Also, the ending of my interpretation supplies much evidence.  Atwood’s admittance to having hope for another ending is pointless and goes on to revere life more important and challenging.

5)      Why or how the interpretation matters or could matter for me and/or for the reader

This interpretation matters in the fact that people should be focused on living their life and not the end of it.  If people focus on the end, they will more than likely not get anything accomplished during the “stretch in between.”  If nothing is accomplished, then that person took their life that God gave them and treated it with contempt.  The key word in Paul’s letters to Timothy is “striving.”  This word “striving” involves overcoming obstacles.  Overcoming obstacles are accomplishments.

In response to "A Temple of the Holy Ghost" by Flannery O'Conner

This story, as I was reading, served more as an entertaining story rather than a story that causes me to reach into the depths of my mind to think of meaning.  However, I do know that there is meaning, therefore I tried and am still trying to think of meaning.

To me, the child is mentally disturbed.  She is not “dumb” like the story implies Joanne and Susan are, but her thoughts are really far-fetched.  She is agitated by the girls, seems to be jealous at times, and her mind wanders to the most random thoughts.  In a way, though, she kind of reminds me of myself.  I have “far-fetched” thoughts and my mind wanders to think of the most random thoughts, but I don’t always openly admit it.  Many times, I just move on from the thoughts never to return to them again.  I don’t know whether or not to consider this a bold statement, but I believe that everyone would seem mentally disturbed if each person’s thoughts were on display for the world to see.

For only being twelve years old, she has deep thoughts, such as Jesus carrying the cross to Calvary and of her being so knowledgeable of Bible stories and putting herself in the position of each of the characters.  This impresses me.  I would like to know more of her home life, such as where is and what is the father like?

My favorite line in the entire story is, “It made her feel as if somebody had given her a present.”  The child was pondering the thought of herself being a “Temple of the Holy Ghost.”  She claimed she was pleased.  A present…such a profound thought for someone so young!  The Bible is all about giving and sacrifice and she developed that thought on her own? Wow!  I love this.  The Holy Ghost dwelling in us is a gift.  It is empowerment given by God.  For the child to feel this true statement just blows my mind, but then again, God is not limited to moving in just adults.  Actually, it is the heart of a child he desires for each of us to have.

a story of suffering hidden beneath happiness

This story was very interesting and thought-provoking.  Omelas is a city of happiness and inner joy.  They throw festivals and celebrate.  It is even referred to as the town of happiness.  At the end of the festival, they race horses.  It is a very interesting town.

The story of the boy is the most intriguing part of this story.  He sits down in a cold basement alone.  He doesn’t move.  He is constantly afraid.  He is naked.  He “sits in his own excrements.”  This boy suffers day in and day out with no hope.  Here is the interesting part; Omelas happiness is dependent on his suffering.  Not one person is willing to help him in fear of losing happiness.  Is there not one person of integrity?  The story says the people have compassion on him, but do they really if they’re not willing to help?  The story also says that there is nothing they can do to help him.  How isn’t there?  To cause a child to suffer for your own happiness is selfish and understood.

What about “the ones who walk away from omelas?”  That is what the story is called.  Are they in the right leaving the town?  Is it because they do not support this idea of making a child suffer?  It seems they have good intentions, but is it really right to just leave and not do anything to help the child?

We always think that sin is something that someone does, but the Bible says that it can also be something that someone doesn’t do.  Letting a child suffer when you can do something about it is sin.  These people are wrongfully sinning.  Jesus sacrificed his happiness, even his life, so that He could give us freedom.  Should this child not be given a chance at freedom?

A Story with Great Meaning

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a story that causes one to think…to think again…and to think your thoughts over yet again.  Why do these events happen in the story?  What is the meaning?  How is it that a man has wings?  These questions raced through my mind as I was reading.

I am still trying to think of a meaning for this story.  This story could be something of Marquez’s personal life…the true, original meaning being only one that he knows.  This story, however, I believe can have several meanings.  I’m just trying to figure them out.  I am having several thoughts and one is that the “angel” was sent to this household for a reason.  Maybe God was sending the family a message.  The angel gets there all battered and torn, his wings beaten and his age has caused him to be fragile.  Perhaps the road that Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, were traveling down lead to destruction and death and the angel was sent there to help them realize it.  The angel went through torment and was tested with extreme patience.  After having that done, after quite some time, he began to grow new feathers.  Feather’s like a crow’s in which he tried to hide.  Once the feathers were grown, he began to practice flying and then flew off into the distance.  Perhaps the family learned something.  Perhaps the family needed to learn patience.  Elisenda sighed in relief once she saw him fly off.

I struggle with this meaning to be completely honest.  Thoughts come to mind and I keep thinking there has to be some greater meaning.  The story just seemed so magnificent and so thought-provoking that the meanings I come up with seem to fall short of the standard I have created for the meaning of this story.

This creature was treated like an animal, caged and fed scraps.  People expected to see him do marvelous things.  Why?  Because of his wings.  What was the purpose of his wings?  Was he really an angel or is he something else?

I want to know something though.  What if Pelayo, Elisenda, and the town would have cared for the fallen angel?  What if they would have taken him into their home, washed him up, fed him, and gave him a nice warm bed to sleep in?  What if?  Would the angel then have flown off when he grew new feathers?  Or did he have some reward that the family and town missed out on because of their response to him being there?

A passage of Scripture comes to mind when reading and thinking about this story and that comes from Hebrews 13:2:  “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”  In verse three, it goes on to say, “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”  “Angels,” “mistreated,” “suffering.”  It kind of sounds like this story doesn’t it?

Nature Poetry: Mary Oliver

“Have you noticed?” is what Mary Oliver asked at the end of the first stanza of her poem, “Musical Notation:  1.” Have I noticed?  If I have noticed, do I notice enough?  Have many people noticed?  She was asking about a specific thing in nature, but the question can easily be opened up to all of nature.  Have we noticed the creativity, the complexities, the beauty, the thought that was put into nature?  It is magnificent, yet we take it for granted, even harming it in many ways.

Mary Oliver has a beautiful talent for writing poetry about nature.  She also has a talent for writing in general.  Her words pop off of the page and come alive when reading them.  My favorite lines that I read were “I know a lot of fancy words.  I tear them from my heart and my tongue.  Then I pray.”  These lines are from “Six Recognitions of the Lord.”  They are beautiful and humble.  God is not interested in hearing a prayer that is focused on impressing Him with grammatical correctness and big words.  God is interested in the heart.  I love how nature can also be applied to these lines as well.  Consuming yourself in nature—getting alone in the midst of God’s creation and away from all manmade things—and sitting quietly acknowledging God’s creation is a prayer.  It is a humble prayer.  It is of the heart and is full of peace.

Professor Corrigan’s notes on Mary Oliver really helped me understand her writings by being straight forward.  Her poems are not necessarily difficult to understand, but reading the notes broadened my mind on her writings.  Corrigan talked about a poem which was not in the reading which sounds very intriguing.  The line he quoted from that poem which is called, “Thirst” is “Love for the earth and love for you are having such a long conversation in my heart.”  Those words are beautiful.


I went to Lake Bonny Park for this field trip, and I stayed there for at least 45 minutes.  While I was there, I wrote a poem inspired by my visit:

It is calm.
It is still.
As the morning sun rises, the birds all join together in song.
A gentle breeze creates a pleasant atmosphere.
The clouds shuffle from one place to the other.
The sun peeks through the cracks as if to see what is new in the world.

Is it possible that nature can feel good?
Is it possible that nature can wet your appetite for sensation?
I believe so.
Peace and gentleness dwell in my heart.
All the stresses of the world are gone.
It is just me and God.

God breathed life into nature.
Nature breathes life into me.
It is the place where I can find God when everywhere else fails.

I wonder what it is like to fly.
To catch the wind beneath my wings and soar into the air.
Birds are often ignored because they are so common,
Yet they are magnificent creatures designed and gifted by God.
One day, I will fly.

Othello

I went to the Thursday night's showing of Othello put on by Southeastern's theatre department at the Polk Theatre.

Visiting Nature

Rereading “State of the Planet,” by Robert Hass, helped me to better understand it.  I still admit that I do not completely understand all of it, but I am learning as I continue to read it and discuss it during class.  This past Thursday, our Intro to Lit class received the opportunity to visit the Circle B Bar Reserve here in Lakeland, Florida.  Professor Corrigan read some passages from the poem while we sat quietly in nature.  Practicing this, nature really brought the lines on the page to life.

The trip to the reserve was very fun.  I enjoyed every minute of it, even the overcast weather.  I saw birds that I have never seen in person before, such as the Great Blue Heron, Sandhill Cranes, and a few other bird species.  I was quite excited when I saw these beautiful creatures.  We also saw our nation’s mascot, the Bald Eagle.  I have seen these a few times before, but each time provides the experience as if I had never seen one before.  Lastly, seeing alligators are always exciting.  We didn’t see any large ones, but nonetheless it was interesting and fun.

The fifteen minutes of quite time and observing nature was very inspiring and enlightening.  To view nature in the light that it was created by God is truly amazing.  You see nature in a whole new beauty that is different and incredible.  Also, to spend time with my class at the reserve allowed us to fellowship while discussing God’s creation.  New thoughts and ideas were offered by everyone who contributed to the dialogue of nature.

Nature must be protected if it is to survive.  We were able to pull a weed that was an invasive species to Florida.  It felt good to help our environment so that it can thrive.  However, nature must be protected in other ways as well, mainly from pollution.  Our main sources of pollution are plastics and car exhaust.  Recycling can help nature to thrive.  It will help keep our resources available.  Also, if we find alternatives to our habits of living as far as resources go, then nature will survive much, much longer.