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In the story How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro, I looked at the element of the narrator. In this story the narrator wasnt hard to spot like some other stories. Edie tells the story through insights on her feelings, how she describes others in the story, and her romances. Throughout the story Edie experienced many different feelings from things that made her feel good to things that made her feel horrible. She tells us that she loved being left alone in the house, to do her work when she felt like it. In this paragraph she also said how she loved the lighting in the kitchen and she loved the double sink.
Then she compares it to her life before at home and tells about the rag-plugged hole or an oil cloth-covered table by light of a coal-oil lamp (p. 725). With this little bit of information, we know that work at the Peebles is a lot easier than at home. We find out later on in the story that Edie is accused of being intimate with Chris. Edie had her own opinion on what the thought being intimate with someone meant.
She thought it was kissing. This shows Edie's immaturity and the fact that she didnt totally understand relationships. This is another way of setting insight with out her coming straight out and saying it. Once again we jump ahead in the story to her waiting on the letter. Edie says, The mail came everyday except Sunday, between one-thirty and two in the afternoon, a good time for me. Because Mrs.
Peebles was always having her nap. I would get my kitchen cleaned and then go up to the mail box and sit in the grass, waiting. In those few sentences we can figure out that she was very eager to hear from Chris. There is another insight to her feelings without saying it (p. 733). I was perfectly happy waiting. But as you read on, her feelings of waiting change.
She goes from smiling because she was happy to smiling because she knew the mailman counted on it. Then we read On page 734 paragraph 197 that she knows the letter isnt coming and she hurts, but she realizes that she doesnt want to make that journey to the mailbox day after day and year after year. That the last real insight she gives on her feelings. Next, we turn to Edie's description of others in the story first well look at opinion that Edie had on Loretta Bird. Edie tells us Mrs. Bird has a drinking problem.
Then she goes on to say she could of slapped her an she never put down fruit in her life, meaning she never can fruit. Edie says that Loretta would talk about the Peebles and ask if they fight or if they keep things in their dresser drawer not to my babies with and how it was a sin (724). Mrs. Peebles was the next person that Edie talked about. She said she was fair, but never very friendly (p. 733). But Mrs.
Peebles did take up for Edie when Mrs. Bird and Ms. Killing were accusing Edie of being a slut and a loose little bitch (p. 733). Mrs.
Peebles was Edie's boss so she couldnt be too nice. She didnt want to get to involved. She has her own children to worry about. Next, well look at the mailman Edie said; The mailman was a Carmichael. I knew by his face because here are a lot of Carmichael's living out by us and so many of then have a sort of sticking-out top lip. Then she says, he was a young man shy, but good humored any body could ask him anything. (p. 734) Finally, well focus on her romance life.
At the first of the story Edie didnt have any experience in love or relationships. Thats doesnt mean she did know what sex or kissing was, for instance, when shes talking to Mrs. Bird. Mrs. Bird asked her if she kept things in their dresser drawer not to make babies with. (724) Edie responses were acting like she didnt know what she was talking about, but she really did (p. 734).
She knew but never experienced a romantic fling until Chris. Chris opened her up in a sense kind of broken her in. I think that helps things later on with her and her future husband. If it wasnt for Chris she might have not met Mr. Carmichael like she did and it wouldnt have been as special to him.
You never know they might not of worked out. If it wasnt for Edie smiling at him he might not found the courage to ask her out. Chris was a bad guy, but he did some good by not letting him and Edie's kissing fling goes any farther. (p. 731). I think Chris had feelings for her ever though he didnt write her just because he did have sex with her. In conclusion, we know through insights to Edie's feelings, her description of others in the story, and her romance with Chris and Mr. Carmichael that she was with out a doubt the narrator / main character.
This paper should help you to uncover the narrative / main character in this story. Munro, Alice. How I Met My Husband. Literature and Composition. Ed. Sylvan Barnet et al. 5 th ed.
New York: Longman, 2000, 98. Bibliography:
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