HANDOUT
THE SEXES
by DOROTHY PARKER
Group 5:
Chu Hong Minh – Leader
Tran Dieu Khanh
Nguyen Duc Hai
Nguyen Hoai Phuong Uyen
Course: American Literature
Lecturer: Ms. Bach Linh Trang
Shift: Thursday- shift 2
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I.AUTHOR & WORKS
1. Writer
Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, writer, critic,
and satirist based in New York
She was known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles.
2. Dorothy parker’s life
-She was born in New Jersey on August 22, 1893, and her schooling was cut short when
she was barely 14 years old.
- Dorothy sold her very first poem to Vanity Fair in 1914. She began working as a Vogue
editor at the age of 22.
- She joined Vanity Fair in 1917.
- Parker joined the Algonquin Round Table in 1919 and wrote her first short story for
Smart Set in 1922, "Such a Pretty Little Picture."
-In 1925, The New Yorker had its premiere, marking Parker's debut as a poet. A
bestseller, Enough Rope was released in 1926. Sunset Gun, published in 1928, and Death
and Taxes, published in 1931, were her two next volumes.
- Contributed pieces to Life and The New Yorker in the 1920s.
- In 1929, she received the O. Henry Award for "Big Blonde," an autobiographical short
tale.
- Parker was discovered dead from heart illness at her residence on June 6, 1967.
3. Works
- Poetry: enough rope (bestseller)(1926), Sunset Guns(1928), Collected Poems: Not So
Deep as a Well(1936), Not Much Fun(1996)
- Prose: Constant Reader (1970)
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- Short fiction: Laments for the Living (1930), After Such Pleasures(1933), Here
Lies(1939), Collected Stories(1942), The Portable Dorothy Parker (1944), Complete
Stories (1995)
- Plays: Close Harmony (1929), Ladies of the Corridor (1953)
4. The Sexes
-Published in 1927
-Under the collection of short fiction: Complete Stories (1955)
-After that, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Penguin Modern Classics (2011), To
celebrate they’re publishing fifty mini–Modern Classics. They’re full of the best short
fiction by the greatest writers of the last 100 years (including the sexes)
II.SUMMARY
Let’s enjoy the clip!
III.SETTING
1. TIME: in the evening
2. PLACE: at the woman’s home
3. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
- At the beginning of the 20th century. In 1920. When World War I ended, the
USA’s society exists strongly high-class discrimination.
The 1920s represented an era of prohibition and change. The decade was one of learning
and exploration. America was no longer viewed as merely another former British colony
because it had emerged as a global power.
Many changes were made, including ones concerning women:
- Women were given the right to vote
- The appearance of “flapper”
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4. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
- At the woman’s home where she has the “high ground advantage”, thus the man
will do whatever pleases the woman for her to forgive him
IV.PLOT
1.Exposition
a. The man and the woman have a conversation on the sofa in a room. This can be
found in the detail:
The young man with the scenic cravat glanced nervously down the sofa at the girl in the
fringed dress. (Line 1)
=> Dorothy first introduced the two main characters in her literary work.
b. Then, the man offers the woman a cigarette, and that is how the conversation
starts:
“Want a cigarette?” he said. (line5)
However, the man’s attitude:
glanced nervously down the sofa
The young man cleared his throat, without necessity or success, producing a small,
syncopated noise. (Line 4)
This sentence shows the hesitation of a man when he confronts the woman and
this implicitly provides readers with the information that there seems to be a conflict
between these two people. => Transition between exposition and rising action.
2. Rising action
a. When the man breaks the ice, the woman refuses and thanks him in an ironic way.
“No, thank you,” she said. “Thank you ever so much just the same.” (Line 6)
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b. Her responses make the man a little annoyed. However, he suggests that he could
go to the store and buy other kinds of cigarettes for the woman.
he said, “it wouldn’t take me a minute to go up to the corner and get you some.” (Line
8,9)
Once again, the woman continues to decline and keeps thanking the man.
“Oh, thank you, but I wouldn’t have you go to all that trouble for anything,” (line 10)
“It’s awfully sweet of you to think of it. Thank you ever so much.” (Line 11)
She thanked him 4 times and her response seem not to be suitable compared to the
place they are having a conversation: a sofa.
c. When the man offers to go to the store and buys cigarettes for the second time, the
woman accuses him of not wanting to stay there with her.
“Goodness,” she said, “if you want to go so much, please don’t feel you have to stay
here. I wouldn’t have you feel you had to stay for anything.” (Lines 23,24)
=> Her answer makes the man confused and he tells the woman to stop reacting in
that way and tries to find out the reason for her attitude. “What’s the matter?” (Line 26)
3. Climax
a. The man said the woman was “snotty”, which made her mad.
He spoke. “That’s the way you were talking over the telephone today, too. You were so
snotty when I called you up, I was afraid to talk to you.” (Lines 44,45)
“I beg your pardon,” she said. “What did you say I was?” (Line 46)
=> The woman seems to be unbelievable at what the man has said. She thinks her
responses and actions are completely polite, but it turns out to be “snotty” in the man’s
view.
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b. The woman mentions the other girl’s name Florence Leaming who was also at the
party with the two of them.
“…Why don’t you go up to Florence Leaming’s? I know she’d love to have you.” (Line
71)
=> This particular detail also subtly conveys the peak of the woman's
resentment/jealousness when she observes the man conversing with Leaming during the
party.
=> This also explains why she answers the man's question sardonically and her
response to him sounds like they were in a formal meeting by saying "thank you" many
times.
=> With this detail - the girl named Florene Leaming; the man finally realized the
true reason for the woman’s strange attitude.
This girl’s name, from my point of view, is the main point that makes me come to the
conclusion that these two characters are a couple, the woman has the right to be jealous
of and my own recognition of the knot of their conflict which is the same as the man.
5. Falling action
a. The man constantly explained that he was trying to talk to the woman at the party.
However, the woman ignored his effort by saying: “Oh, how do you do”
“…you just said, ‘Oh, how do you do’ - just like that, ‘Oh, how do you do’ — and you
turned right away and wouldn’t look at me.” (lines 81,82)
=> Through his words, the readers can observe his effort in drawing the woman
attention.
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=> In the video, we can see that the woman didn’t even care about the man, just
said “How do you do?” and sarcastically turned away. => This can be explained by the
man’s nervousness at the beginning of the story when he meets the woman again.
b. The woman thought the man would love to be with Florence Leaming more than
her.
“I thought you never wanted to see anybody else. You two seemed to be having such a
wonderful time together” (line 87,88)
=> These sentences also show how jealous the woman still was.
The man explains he dislikes Leaming.
“…I think she’s a damn little fool. That’s what I think of her.” (Line 94)
Then, he gives the woman a compliment and makes a comparison between the
woman and Leaming: “Why she can’t be pretty in the same room with you,” (line 97)
He said. “You’ve got a beautiful nose. Gee, you’ve “And beautiful eyes,” (line 99)
he said, “and beautiful hair and a beautiful mouth. And beautiful hands… Who’s got the
prettiest hands in the world? Who’s the sweetest girl in the world?” (Line 101)
=> The man compliments the woman with dainty words to comfort her.
6. Resolution
The conflict between the two characters is clear since the woman feels embarrassed
and changes the topic of their conversation to hide her shyness.
You’re simply crazy. Oh, my new pearl beads! Wait a second till I take them off. There!”
(line 110)
=> The woman seems to forgive the man and stay calm again.
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There are two conflicts throughout the literary work:
a) (External) The man vs the woman: Throughout the dialogue, the man and the
woman are misunderstood. Although the way the man responded seems to be
normal, the woman answers indifferently and doesn't express her real thoughts.
=> The argument between the two characters.
֍ There is one difference in the way men and women use “words” to express their
feelings and thoughts.
In the book “Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus” written by Ph.D. John
Gray. In chapter 5:
“Unclear and unloving communication is the biggest problem in
relationships.” John Gray writes.
Men and women may have different purposes in the way they express their
feelings while using the same “words”.
For example:
The woman: “I feel like you never listen,”.
The woman doesn’t want to make the man understand the word “never” literally.
She uses it to emphasize the frustration/sadness/hurt that she suffers from at that
moment.
Whereas man seems to understand word by word.
֍ This theory has been found in “The Sexes”:
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Why don’t you go someplace where you won’t be bored? Why don’t you go up to
Florence Leaming’s? I know she’d love to have you.” (Lines 70,71)
The woman tells the man to go up to Florence Leaming; however, the readers can
realize that it is not the woman’s real intention. They are a couple, but the woman
mentions another girl and tells her man to be with her.
=> That shows her jealousy and frustration because of the man’s conversation with
Leaming at the party.
=> In reality, she doesn't want the man to leave her and be with Leaming.
“I don’t want to go up to Florence Leaming’s!” he said. (Line 72)
The man replies to the woman with his understanding literally and he explains that
he doesn’t want to go without the awareness of her jealousy. => lead to the
argument.
b) (Internal) The woman vs herself: The woman’s real feelings are anger and
jealousy toward the man and another woman named Florence Leaming. Yet, the
woman still hid her feelings and pretended to be completely fine.
The woman’s answers to the man are completely polite and formal which is not
suitable, especially since they are one couple and she definitely has the underlying
meaning of her words.
“I suppose some people do. It’s perfectly natural. Some people think she’s quite
pretty.”
=> Her response proves that she remains calm while talking with the man.
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V. CHARACTER
The relationship between the man and the woman
The man and the woman are a couple.
They know what to say to manipulate and get what they want from the other person.
They have been in close contact with each other before.
1. THE WOMAN’S CHARACTERISTICS: MAIN CHARACTER (ROUND AND
STATIC)
1.1 Composed and passive-aggressive
1.1.1Composure
“I’m really not in the habit of hearing language like that. I’ve never had a thing like that
said to me in my life.”
-> The woman does not lose her composure. Instead, she maintains her calm demeanor
1.1.2 Passive aggression
“Goodness don’t feel you have to apologize to me. It doesn’t make any difference at
all. It just seems a little bit funny to have somebody you were in the habit of thinking was
a gentleman come to your home and use language like that to you, that’s all. But it
doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference.”
=> She starts to make him feel more guilty by saying he does not have to apologize to
her.
“I’m sure I didn’t realize it was an insult to say ‘thank you to a person. I’m not
exactly in the habit of having people swear at me because I say, ‘thank you to them.”
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“I’m sure I didn’t know it was a criminal offense to say I wouldn’t dream of giving
you all that trouble.”
=> She is exaggerating her politeness as impolite acts like insulting and offending.
1.2 Very Observant
“Oh, really?” she said. “She didn’t seem to be giving you so much of a pain at Elsie’s
party last night, I notice. I notice you couldn’t even talk to anybody else, that’s how
much pain she gave you.”
“Well, the minute you came in the room,” she said, “You started making such a fuss
over Florence Leaming, I thought you never wanted to see anybody else…”
=> When he entered the room, she already had eyes on him. She saw him talk to Leaming
first, or Leaming came up and occupied him first.
1.3 Deliberate in her words
“I’m sure there are millions of places you could be having a lot more fun. The only
thing, I’m a little bit sorry I didn’t know before, that’s all.”
“Why don’t you go someplace where you won’t be bored? Why don’t you go up to
Florence Leaming’s? I know she’d love to have you.”
=> She is hinting at his fascination with Florence Leaming
When you said you were coming over tonight, I broke a lot of dates to go to the theater
and everything. But it doesn’t make a bit of a difference.
=> She is referring to the fact that he couldn’t stop talking with Leaming right then and
there to find her first.
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1.4 Heavily envious
“Why I suppose you think she’s attractive,” “I suppose some people do. It’s perfectly
natural. Some people think she’s quite pretty.”
=> She is hinting the fact that she is jealous of Leaming’s beauty and the amount of
attention from the public Leaming gets
“You two seemed to be having such a wonderful time together, goodness knows I
wouldn’t have butted in for anything.”
=> She is passive-aggressively trying to make him feel guilty.
Action reported by the man: “You turned right away and wouldn’t look at me”
=> She is giving the man a taste of his own medicine, ignoring him.
1.5 Somewhat obsessed with good external appearance
The young man with the scenic cravat glanced nervously down the sofa at the girl in the
fringed dress.
=> Even at her own home, she puts on her fringed dress to look good to the man.
“I beg your pardon,” she said. “What did you say I was?”
=> Even after she was offended by the man describing her as “snotty”, she never raised
her voice or lashed out at the man, she always talks like an elegant lady.
“Well, of course,” she said, “That’s the impression she always gave me, but I don’t
know. I’ve heard people say she’s pretty. Honestly, I have.”
“She has got an awfully funny nose,” she said. “I really feel sorry for a girl with a nose
like that.”
=> When the man is speaking ill of Leaming’s appearance, she has no problem joining
him with her own comments.
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1.6 Skillfully manipulative
1.6.1 Gaslighting (manipulating (someone) by psychological means into questioning
their own sanity)
“I’m sore at you?” she said. “I can’t understand what put that idea in your head. Why
should I be sore at you?”
“I think you’re just perfectly crazy,” she said. “I was not sore! What on earth ever
made you think I was? You’re simply crazy…”.
=> She is making him question his sanity and the validity of his worldview.
1.6.2 Guilt-tripping
“When you said you were coming over tonight, I broke a lot of dates to go to the
theater and everything. But it doesn’t make a bit of difference.”
-> She intentionally treats her own decision of missing other dates and staying home to
meet him as something trivial, as to reaffirm the fact that he treats her like second place,
and to make him feel guilty.
1.6.3 Playing stupid
“Who’s up in the air?” “...I’m afraid I must be awfully stupid, or something.”
“Be what way?” she said. “I’m not being anyway.”
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Talking like what?” she said.
“Oh, didn’t you?” she said. “Well, that was the impression I got. It must be my
stupidity.”
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=> The woman acts like she does not know anything to nullify and avoid the man’s
argument and questions.
1.6.4 Using his actions and words against him
“Goodness,” she said, “if you want to go so much, please don’t feel you have to stay
here. I wouldn’t have you feel you had to stay for anything.”
=> She is intentionally incriminating his good intentions.
“I couldn’t do a lick of work.”
“I certainly wouldn’t like to feel,” she said, “that I was interfering with your work.
=> She is intentionally incriminating his verbal expression of distress.
2. THE MAN’S CHARACTERISTICS: MAIN CHARACTER (ROUND AD
STATIC)
2.1 Loses his composure easily
“Will you for God’s sake stop thanking me?” he said.
“I did not swear at you!” he said.
“My God,” he said, “all I said, I simply asked you if I couldn’t go out and get you some
cigarettes. Is there anything in that to get up in the air about?”
-> Her attitude during the prior phone call as well as during their meeting pushed him on
edge. He lost his composure when she was acting like everything was normal.
2.2 Desperate and emotionally dependent
2.2.1 Desperate
“I don’t want to go anyplace! Ah, honey, won’t you tell me what’s the matter? Ah,
please.”
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“Will you stop talking like that?” he said. “Will you, please?”
“Honest, honey, I didn’t mean it. I don’t know how I came to say a thing like that. Will
you excuse me? Please?”
=> He is constantly begging for the reason behind her attitude.
2.2.2 Emotionally dependent
“Won’t you tell me what I’ve done? Have I done something to hurt your feelings, honey?
The way you were, over the phone, you had me worried all day. I couldn’t do a lick of
work.”
=> The conversation on the phone prompted him to be so tense and anxious that he could
not do any work.
2.3 Somewhat observant
“I don’t want to go up to Florence Leaming’s!” he said. “What would I want to go up to
Florence Leaming’s for? She gives me pain.”
=> After the woman had mentioned Florence Leaming, the man started to notice the
problem that made her act “funny”.
“My God,” he said, “this what’s-her-name girl came up and began talking to me before
I even saw anybody else, and what could I do?...”
“…Then this what’s-her-name came up again, and there I was, stuck.”
=> The man started to be more sensible by referring to Leaming as “what’s-her-name”.
2.4 Clumsy with his words and actions
Acts entitled
“You’ve been funny all evening,” he said. “Hardly said a word to me, ever since I came
in.”
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=> The man is acting like she is supposed to greet him with excitement, while he is in the
wrong.
Describes her as snotty
“You know,” he said. “That’s the way you were talking over the telephone today, too.
You were so snotty when I called you up, I was afraid to talk to you.”
=> He was not careful with how he described her.
2.5 People pleaser
“Florence Leaming! I think she’s terrible. Know what I think of her? I think she’s a damn
little fool. That’s what I think of her.”
“Why, she can’t be pretty in the same room with you,”
“She’s got a terrible nose,” he said. “You’ve got a beautiful nose. Gee, you’ve got a
pretty nose.”
“And beautiful eyes,” he said, “and beautiful hair and a beautiful mouth. And beautiful
hands. Let me have one of the little hands. Ah, look atta little hand! Who’s got the
prettiest hands in the world? Who’s the sweetest girl in the world?”
=> The man is clearly berating and degrading Florence Leaming as well as showering the
woman with compliments.
2.6 Not delicate to the woman
He could not work out what was the reason behind the woman’s attitude until it was
clearly said to him
He lost composure and spoke loudly to her.
He did not put the woman as a high priority.
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CHARACTERISTICS COMPARISON BETWEEN THE MAN AND THE
WOMAN
The woman The man
Composed Loses his composure easily
Very Observant Somewhat observant
Deliberate in her words Clumsy with his words and actions
3. FLORENCE LEAMING’S CHARACTERISTICS: MINOR CHARACTER
FLAT + STATIC
She is a guest at Elsie’s party.
The man and the woman somewhat know Florence Leaming.
Appearance: It is somewhat likely that she is a beautiful woman.
“Why I suppose you think she’s attractive,” she said. “I suppose some people do. It’s
perfectly natural. Some people think she’s quite pretty.”
“I don’t know whether she’s pretty or not,”
“…I’ve heard people say she’s pretty. Honestly, I have.”
“She has got an awfully funny nose,” she said. “I really feel sorry for a girl with a nose
like that.”
Action: Leaming may have a fascination with the man
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“…this what’s-her-name girl came up and began talking to me before I even saw
anybody else…”
VI.POINT OF VIEW
Third-person objective
Dorothy uses the pronoun “he”, and “she” to write the story.
“Want a cigarette?” he said.
“I really don’t know,” she said.
Throughout the story, it can be seen that “The Sexes” is a conversation between
the two characters which is presented by the observation of the author.
=> This point of view gives the reader the vibe of an observer to fully examine
the scene of the story.
The non-judgmental tone is used.
The feelings of the character are not described in the literary work. However, by
this way of telling the story, the reader can find out what the characters are
thinking by the way they respond to each other.
=> It’s somehow the same in real life in my opinion, we can predict the mood of
other people through their tone, and the words that they use.
The names of the two characters are not mentioned in the text. Dorothy simply
describes “The young man with the scenic cravat” and “the girl in the fringed
dress”
=> It seems that Dorothy doesn't want to make her story be someone's typical
story. This kind of argument/conflict can be easily seen in every couple.
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VII.THEME AND HAIKU POEM
THEME
LOVE IS A GAME OF TOLERANCE
“Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares.” - Aman Jassal,
Rainbow - the shades of love
The story is about the sexes – male and female in love. Albeit love is a common desire of
people on the Earth, it brings happiness, joy and hope. However, searching for a love is
difficult, and how to maintain the love is more challenging. In this story by Dorothy
Parker, she just mentioned one affair of love: jealousy. If both sides don’t eliminate their
self-esteemed, the quarrel can’t be solve. As the consequences, the love ends. You would
be nostalgic if you didn’t try your best in your love. Instead, pay a sympathetic ears and
solve the problem together, understand the feeling of your opponent to overcome the
difficulties and obstacles of love.
VIII. HAIKU POEM
The rope of our love
So fervant, but so labile
Can we still hold hands?
Sợi dây tình yêu của đôi ta
Thật nồng cháy, nhưng lại không bền lâu
Chúng ta liệu vẫn còn bên nhau chứ?
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VIII. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. Sarcasm (irony with attitude)
She continuously allude the man to accuse him of making mistakes for whatever he
did.
The man’s ask The woman’s response
“Will you for God’s sakes stop thanking “I’m not exactly in the habit of having
me?” people swear at me because I say ‘thank
=> Request her not to act eccentrically. you to them.”
=> Want him to eat his word, feel guilty
because he hinders her from saying
“Thank you”
“Do you want me to go out and get you “If you want to go so much, please don’t
some cigarettes; or don’t you?” feel you have to stay here. I wouldn’t have
=> He has good intentions. you feel you had to stay for anything.”
=> Decline his offer. She supposes him
to get out because it is too boring to talk
with her. He no longer stands her.
“You’ve been funny all evening,” he said. “I’m terribly sorry you haven’t been
“Hardly said a word to me, ever since I having a good time,”
came in.” => Verbal irony. She means that he had
=> Show evidence that he paid attention a really good time with Florence.
to her at the party, but she didn’t care However, what she said means another.
about it.
‘Oh, how do you do’ — and you turned “I wouldn’t look at you?” she said. “Oh,
right away and wouldn’t look at me.” that’s awfully funny. Oh, that’s
marvelous. You don’t mind if I laugh, do
you?”
=> Sarcasm that he is occupied seeing
Florence Leaming and didn’t pay
attention to her, she clearly witted this
scene. So when he said that she didn’t
take a look at him, it is ridiculous.
“You started making such a fuss over
Florence Leaming, I thought you never
wanted to see anybody else.”
=> Remind him that he has his own
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woman, it is unacceptable to see others.
“You two seemed to be having such a
wonderful time together.”
=> Allude that they are as a couple in
the banquet, not her and him. He
should have spent time with her, not
with Florence Leaming.
Show her jealousy:
- “I’m sure the last thing I want to do is have you stay here when you’d rather be
some places else. Why don’t you go someplace where you won’t be bored? Why
don’t you go up to Florence Leaming? I know she’d love to have you.”
=> Show her sulkiness. She gave a suggestion for him to pay a visit to Florence
Leaming, but her purpose is to criticize his change in love.
- “What would I want to go up to Florence Leaming for? She gives me a pain.”
- “Oh, really?” she said. “She didn’t seem to be giving you so much of a pain at
Elsie’s party last night, I notice. I notice you couldn’t even talk to anybody else,
that’s how much of a pain she gave you.”
=> She is so attractive that he couldn’t help keeping his eyes on her.
2. Repetition “Thank you”, “Sorry” and “Goodness”
*Thank you (5 times)
Line Quotation
6 “No, thank you,” she said. “Thank you ever so much just the same.”
7 “I really don’t know,” she said. “I probably have, thank you.”
10 “Oh, thank you, but I wouldn’t have you go to all that trouble for anything,” she said.
11 “It’s awfully sweet of you to think of it. Thank you ever so much.”
=> She continuously said “thank you” to the man, showing that there is something
paranormal with her today after the banquet. This is also a signal to know that there was
something wrong and triggered the argument. She did that with the aim to provoking the
man. She was too courteous and polite as they are stranger, they are not a couple. The
man had to overthink what happened and seriously figure out the exact reason to say
sorry. This is the aim of the woman to say “thank you” plenty of times.
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*Sorry (4 times)
Line Quotation
13 “I’m awfully sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
29 “I’m terribly sorry you haven’t been having a good time,”
31 “The only thing, I’m a little bit sorry I didn’t know before, that’s all.”
“She has got an awfully funny nose,” she said. “I really feel sorry for a girl with a nose
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like that.”
=> She said sorry not to apologize but to make sarcasm. She wants to show her over-
politeness and gratitude to feel guity because all things happened because of her mistake,
not him. But the listeners have to wit her attitude and know that her saying cannot
basically understand word by word. About feeling sorry for Florence Fleaming’s ugly
nose, she wants to sympathize with her imperfection but she didn’t mean that in her
condolence. Not only she wants him to see clearly that she had a more beautiful nose than
Florence, but also wants to highlight Florence’s appearance.
*Goodness
After a bunch of “thank you”, she changed to say “Goodness” as a catchphrase.
“Goodness,” she said, “if you want to go so much, please don’t feel you have to stay
here. I wouldn’t have you feel you had to stay for anything.”
“Goodness,” she said, “I’m sure it isn’t any of my business, anything you do. I certainly
wouldn’t feel I had any right to criticize.”
“Goodness” don’t feel you have to apologize to me. It does not make any difference at
all. It just seems a little bit funny…..”
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=> Illustrates her sulkiness, her revenge, and jealousy as the result of what he had done.
She vilified him. The sentence that she said out loud has underlying meanings that there
are many interesting places for him to drop in, not at this boring home.
- Moreover, she felt that the love gradually comes to an end so that the right to criticize
and take control of her darling no longer takes effect. Though all she wanted to hear is the
explanation from her darling and his excuse, when hearing he say “Sorry”, she turned it
down “It does not make any difference at all.” => It is hard to understand a woman. It
turned the situation become a dilemma for the man.
IX.SYMBOLISM
The scenic cravat and the fringed dress
=> The cravat is a part and parcel thing in the male’s life, whereas the dress is for the
female’s. They show maturity and politeness. In modern life, they belong to successful
human beings as they wear it on special occasions, events, or work at the office. In the
1900s, it represents the man and woman in the high class. In just the first sentence,
Dorothy Parker depicted two main characters from a lineage of blue blood. The cravat is
scenic showed that he is a gentleman, a business man. Whereas the woman in fringed
dress represents her wealthy, luxury and power. They had the right to participate in the
lavish banquet and live in a luxurious place. Their clothing styles also figure out that they
are elegant and noble.
The cigarette
- Cigars have been produced exclusively for the nobility and royalty. Cigar smoke is a
layer of luxury and richness of today's rich and successful. Since the apparance of cigars,
it had been defaulted to the upper classes of society.
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Pearl Beads
=> Embodiment of the woman’s madness. At the end of the story, the quarrel is resolved.
=> She took off the pearl beads. It is the sign of forgiving, giving up her madness and
doubt.
- THE END -
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