ENGL 20503 Post #3

I think what Irving’s short story, “The Wife” says about American values regarding marriage is that through the promise made at the wedding ceremony, the promise does and will last. In America today divorce is such at a high rate, but there is still a valuable American idea of marriage, that through thin and thick a marriage can and will last. Even through poverty stricken times, which Irving writes about, the love, devotion, understanding and affection a couple has for each other through the hard times will prevail. When it comes to women with American values, this short story still frames a woman as a delicate, understanding, warm-hearted being that can prevail through a hard time with a smile on her face and devotion to her husband. I think is beautiful, but also a part of me thinks that why can’t a women get mad at this situation too? In this context she is submissive to her husband and dependent on his income for her happiness, but what if she had her own income, like she was living now? I would be pretty dang mad about having to step down from a two salary house to one, but what I do agree on is that love does prevail and through this short story that is made clear. Economically this story states that American values hold true that you can’t succeed without some monetary goods, but this story again shows that through love one can succeed far greater things. I like how he addresses how pride is something that tears a man apart more rather than the fact that he is losing his money. That is an American value that encompasses all these ideas of marriage, women and economics.