Skip to main content

What are the internal and external conflicts in "How I Met My Husband" by Alice Munro?

In "How I Met My Husband," the external conflict is the love triangle between Edie, Chris Watters, and Alice Kelling. Edie, who is fifteen, is enjoying a flirtation with Chris when Alice, his fiancee, shows up. Chris has a relatively innocent tryst with Edie that Alice finds out about and that causes Alice to erupt in anger. Chris leaves after this tryst, and Edie never sees him again.


The internal conflict revolves around Edie's growing...

In "How I Met My Husband," the external conflict is the love triangle between Edie, Chris Watters, and Alice Kelling. Edie, who is fifteen, is enjoying a flirtation with Chris when Alice, his fiancee, shows up. Chris has a relatively innocent tryst with Edie that Alice finds out about and that causes Alice to erupt in anger. Chris leaves after this tryst, and Edie never sees him again.


The internal conflict revolves around Edie's growing sense of herself as a woman. At the beginning of the story, she tries on a dress that belongs to her employer, Mrs. Peebles, and she wants to feel older and more sophisticated than she is. Her flirtation with Chris is part of this process, and she observes the interaction with Chris and Alice without truly understanding it—or Chris's apparent inability to be committed to a woman—the way an older person would. Instead, she waits by the mailbox to receive the letter she thinks he will write her. She has a realization over time: "Till it came to me one day there were women doing this with their lives, all over. There were women just waiting and waiting by mailboxes for one letter or another" (page numbers vary by edition). Edie has the epiphany that women too often believe what men say and live their lives waiting for happiness that never comes. At that point, she resolves her conflict by getting involved with and eventually marrying the mailman who visits the house each day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more