Casey Clark

Mr. Gowans

12^th Grade Language arts

10/24/2012

Relationships are fragile is the theme that links, woman hollering creek by Sandra Cisneros, what you pawn I will redeem by Sherman Alexie, and clothes by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. In woman hollering creek, she has an abusive husband, that she eventually escapes. What you pawn I will redeem is about a homeless Indian drunk, trying to get nine hundred and ninety nine dollars to by his grandmas pow-wow dance regalia. Clothes is about a woman getting a husband from an arranged marriage and then her husband gets killed, while working at a seven eleven in the middle of the night. All of these stories, in one way or another proves that relationships are fragile. So that is what my essay is about, how each relationship ends in these stories and why.

In woman hollering creek by Sandra Cisneros, the relationship is ruined by anger and confusion. For example, "A hot welt across the cheek.” She could forgive that. But what stung more was the fact it was her book, a love story by Corin Tellado, what she loved most."(pg 602). This proves that not only is she confused, but this man is angry at something and takes it out on his wife. Thus proving the fact that relationships are fragile, one bad thing can end that relationship.

Woman hollering creek is a prime example of what happens in today’s society, For example, “This poor lady’s got black-and-blue marks all over. I’m not kidding. From her husband.” (pg 603). This is common in relationships today, the end in abuse and confusion. Someone is always trying to gain more control over their own spouse. The other essentially losing out on what may be a great experience, and experience called marriage. But that just what happens and usually no one will put an end to it.

In the second story, what you pawn I will redeem, you can see that power and greed, can block the relationship between a man and a woman. For example, “ Jackson Jackson,” she said. “Have you come back to claim my heart?” I won a free ticket,” I said.” (pg 447).  In this example you can clearly see that all this guy is after is a ticket, an item, and a chance to get money. You can see that this one man did not come to see that girl, because he came out of greed. The girl may even wonder why she should bother flirting with this guy.

In what you pawn I will redeem you may also see what she thinks about men. “Just like a man", she said. “You love money and power more than you love me.” (pg 447). This statement proves that although she is not mad at him, she is disappointed with him. For some reason this guy just ignores the girl and keeps going on with his own business. He even seems unfazed by what this woman has just said.

All this guy says is, “It’s true,” I said. “And I’m sorry it’s true.” (pg 447). This guy seems to believe that he has no faults that in fact she is talking about someone else. He even says he is sorry, but even then makes no effort to fix his problems. He admits that men are just power hungry, and always looking for money, when it isn’t even true. He lets greed get in the way of love, he wants his money and that’s it.

Now in the third story, Clothes we see that the only problem people cannot fix is if their spouse dies. “Someone came into the store last night. He took all the money, even the little rolls of pennies I had helped Somesh make up. Before he left he emptied the bullets from his gun into my husband’s chest.” (pg 30).  She cannot bring him back and make everything better. He is dead, and dead he will stay. She is now without the love of this man.

You can see that there is no possible way to reignite their love. She is now forced to move on or live without a lover for the rest of her natural born life. It is sad when something like this happens, with no way to get back what she has lost, never to see him again. It is very tragic, a heart breaking tale of two people madly in love, and their relationship cut short. Tell death do we part; now she must part, but how, that is the question.

In clothes you might notice that her husband wants to live no matter what happens, at any cost even all the money and his business. “I can picture his silhouette against the lighted Dewar’s sign, hands raised. He is trying to find the right expression to put on his face, calm, reassuring, reasonable. OK, take the money. No, I won’t call the police.” (pg 31). He just wants to make it through the night, to get back to his wife. He does not even know what to do in this moment. He can’t even find the right look to give the guy.

Relationships can die off with ease, you can block the love, and who knows maybe it never excited. In conclusion you may know now that it takes a lot to keep the flame of love alive. Life is too short to let a few petty little problems get in the way of your happiness. Relationships are a good thing when you know how to handle them in the right way, otherwise it can literary cause you more pain than it is worth. When you give up on your spouse you are saying he I just don’t care about you anymore, you’re just not worth the trouble.

All I am trying to say is don’t stop giving it your  all, because whether you want to are not, chances are that your spouse deserves the better side of you. To make a relationship last you must do whatever it takes to keep the flame alive. There will never be enough love to give to your spouse, but you need to try to give her all you can, and then some.