|
|
|
 
Short Stories - "Spelling" and "Differently": Female Relationships
The analysis of the two short stories "Spelling" and "Differently" written
by Alice Munro deal with female relationships. These relationships paint a
vivid picture of the kinship, deception, challenges, and associations that
affect friends and family as they journey through life.
"Spelling" is about the relationship of two women, Rose and Flo. Although
from the outset the relationship between Rose and Flo is not clear, near
the end the reader has no doubt they are mother and daughter. Munro
illustrates the awkward relationship between a parent and a child and the
sometimes difficult problems that face children as their parents age.
After visiting the county home in an attempt to find a place for Flo to
live, "Rose spoke of the view and the pleasant rooms. Flo looked angry;
her face darkened and she stuck out her lip. Rose handed her a mobile she
had bought for 50 cents in the County Home crafts centre.... Stick it up
your arse, said Flo" (Oates 151). The reader sees no affection between the
two. In fact, the tone of the story illustrates a lack of acceptance and
even disappointment by Flo and shows that there has always been a distance
between the two.
The title is derived from a patient Rose met at the nursing home whose only
communication was spelling words. After meeting this patient, Rose dreamed
that Flo was in a cage and spelling words like the old patient she met in
the nursing home. Rose tells Flo about her visit to the nursing home and
is obviously trying to influence Flo into going to the home. Flo is
suffering from some sort of dementia, perhaps Alzheimer's. In this story
the author doesn't tell the characters ages, Rose's occupation, and other
information necessary to develop a clear picture. Instead, Munro makes the
reader use more of ones imagination in developing the story. Although
Munro is not explicit, the story is about an unhappy relationship between a
daughter and mother.
In the story the narrator flashes back to a time in Rose's career when she
was in a play with her breast exposed. Flo showed her displeasure by
writing her a letter that said "shame" and adding that if her father was
not already dead, he would wish that he was (Oates 154). Yet, the reader
feels that Rose is still trying to earn her mother's respect and love.
Another time, Rose invites her mother to an event where she is to accept an
award for her work. Flo attends this function, although her behavior is
outrageous and it appears that she is already suffering from some mental
disorder. Because of her mother's dementia, Rose must realize that she
will never feel the love or affection of her mother. In the end, Flo
agrees to go to the nursing home. It is not until Flo is in the nursing
home that you see a humorous woman, perhaps what she was in her earlier
years.
When Rose brings a wig that Flo used to wear, Flo makes a joke about it
looking like a dead squirrel. They laugh about it and at this point you
feel more of a connection between the two women than at any point in the
story.
An analysis of Munro's work by E.D. Blodgett tells the reader that "Her
most recent work has addressed the problems of middle age, of women alone
and the elderly. Characteristic of her style is the search for some
revelatory gesture by which an event is illuminated and given personal
significance" (Blodgett 1). In "Spelling," Munro demonstrates this
revelatory gesture by the incident with the wig. Near the end of the story
it is revealed that Flo has a humorous personality. Her dementia appears
to leave and she is clear-headed.
The irony of the story is that although Flo, who has had no relationship
with her daughter Rose for most of her adult life, now needs assistance or
nursing care and finds that Rose is the one who is at her side through this
transition period.
In the second short story "Differently" Munro is also talking about the
relationship of two women, Georgia and Maya. Munro points out that these
women become friends on more than one level, sharing stories, secrets, and
special times together. The mood of the story changes abruptly with the
introduction of an illicit love affair and the betrayal of a friend.
"Differently" is an interesting story filled with descriptions that fill
the reader's mind with clear and brilliant pictures of the people, places
and locations throughout the story. For example, when Munro describes
Raymond, Maya's husband, the image becomes as clear as a photograph.
"Raymond's curly caramel-brown hair has turned into a silvery fluff, and
his face is lined. But nothing dreadful has happened to him - no pouches
or jowls or alcoholic flush or sardonic droop of defeat. He is still thin,
and straight, and sharp shouldered, still fresh smelling, spotless,
appropriately, expensively dressed"(Ford 191). The descriptive view of
Munro's writing is shared by the Book Review Digest which stated: "Ms.
Munro is a writer of extraordinary richness and texture....Her imagery
stuns or wounds. Her sentences stick to the rough surfaces of our world.
She has persevered through periods when her writing was unfashionable, and
has deepened the channel of realism" (Towers 1285).
The title "Differently" reflects Georgia's and Maya's view of the world.
Georgia is a traditional woman with basic values. Maya, on the other hand,
is a free spirit always looking for adventure and excitement. Georgia
envies Maya's wealth and carefree attitude and the fact that she has had
numerous love affairs. Maya is in charge of the relationship. The author
illustrates this one-sided relationship by describing the way the women
always go to the restaurants that Maya prefers. Maya even decides how they
dress and act when they go out. For example, "There were two places, and
only two, where Maya liked to have lunch. One was the Moghul's Court - a
seedy, grandiose bar in a large, grim railway hotel.... The other place
that Maya liked was a hippie restaurant on Blanshard Street, where you sat
on dirty plush cushions tied to the tops of stumps and ate brown rice with
slimy vegetables and drank cloudy cider....When they lunched at the hippie
restaurant they wore long, cheap, pretty Indian cotton dresses and
pretended to be refugees from a commune"(Ford 199 200).
Maya has no problem living with the knowledge that her husband knows about
most of her lovers. Georgia, on the other hand, has one affair that
changes her life. Georgia is betrayed when Maya has an affair with Miles
despite knowing that he is also Georgia's lover. Even though Georgia knows
the relationship will never work, she is hurt and unable to deal with the
betrayal by her friend. Munro illustrates the anger and betrayal felt by
Georgia, that cost her not only her husband, but her best friend as well.
When Maya came to seek Georgia's forgiveness, she said, "Georgia this is
stupid . I can tell you, he's not worth it. It was nothing. All it was
was Scotch and opportunity. She said, I am really sorry. Truly sorry....
Georgia put on her rubber gloves and started to clean the oven....
Georgia got a vengeful pleasure out of breaking with Maya. She was pleased
with the controlled manner in which she did it. The deaf ear. She was
surprised to find herself capable of such control, such thoroughgoing
punishment"(Ford 210 212).
Georgia feels great pleasure over acting like this to Maya, because she
finally feels in control of the relationship. She never talks to Maya
again and doesn't find out about her death until months after the funeral.
Munro brings realization to her short stories and she clearly shows that
each character has personal values and beliefs and they each view things
differently. The ability to deal with these problems vary distinctly in
each character.
The irony of the story "Differently" is not the loss of Georgia's husband,
lover, or the death of her once best friend. Georgia reflects back to the
evenings in the book store, the light in the street, the reflection in the
window. These were the things she missed most in her life.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
5 Works Cited Blodgett, E.D. "Munro, Alice." The Canadian
Encyclopedia plus (1995): 6 pars. Online. Internet. 21 Aug.
1997. Available HTTP://www.tceplus.com/munro.htm. Ford,
Richard, ed. The Best American Short Stories 1990. Boston:
Houghton, 1990. Oates, Joyce Carol, ed. The Best American
Short Stories 1979. Houghton, 1979. Towers, Robert. Rev. of
Friend Of My Youth, by Alice Munro. Book Review Digest:
Eighty Sixth Annual Cumulation. 17 may, 1990: 1285-6.
|
|
|
