Mitchel Cleveland English 106 W Professor Chappell 2-29-12 Ignorance In the short story “Weekend” you see a major theme of ignorance. You just read about the different girl George brings over and flirts with. Then we witness Lenore just sit in the background and watch George flirt with all these girls and go on long walks through the woods with them. Even though the two of them weren’t and aren’t married the lived together and have a children together therefore George is doing the wrong thing. He isn’t giving Lenore the attention she needs or deserves. George used to be a professor at a school, when he was fired his students signed a petition to have the school allowed him to come back. Now he has his female students from when he was a teacher come up to his house and spend the “Weekend.” When these girls came up George would go out with them for long walks with wine or brandy. Lenore would sit back at the house taking care of her’s and George’s kids. She wouldn’t want to know what George is up to with the girls. She would rather stay busy and assume nothing is happening. When it is just George and Lenore at the house they barely communicate and don’t even act like they’re together. Although they aren’t married they have kids together and they’ve been together for a while. George acts like the two of them are just roommates and that she doesn’t deserve his love. At one point George invite Julie and Sarah to spend the weekend. Sarah was his former roommate and Julie is just a friend of Sarah’s. George and Sarah went on multiple walks together, one that lasted all day because they got caught on a rain storm. Julie continually pokes at the fact that what George is doing is a little bit on the weird side. She asks Lenore if she ever wonders what they’re doing. Lenore simply responds with something like it’s better she doesn’t know or that she doesn’t want to know. Many people would see what George is doing wrong when in fact it is, but Lenore shouldn’t get off so easily. She just allows all this mischief between George and the girls to continue. She never confronts him or tells him all this has to stop. Lenore chooses to be oblivious to all of George’s wrong doings. This doesn’t condone George’s behavior but t also doesn’t let him know that what he is doing is wrong and must stop.
Kelsey Nolan Professor Chappell EN 106W 2 February 2012 Symbolism in “Weekend” In “Weekend” by Anne Beattie, changes in nature and the idea of ‘light V darkness’ are used to show the change in George and Lenore’s relationship. Trees outside of George and Sarah’s house, keep the ‘light’ from entering. The trees make there be darkness in the house at all times. This ‘darkness’ symbolizes the type of relationship they have. George refuses to cut the trees down like he refuses to knock the ‘wall’ down between them. This wall between them is the distant relationship they have. The trees block light from entering their house and lives. At the end of the story, “she thinks of another time, when it was warm” (Beattie 48). The warmth symbolizes good times that were left in the past. The sun was out causing ‘light’ which they now lacked in their lives. When the sun begins to fade, George begins to run from Lenore saying, “catch me” (Beattie 48). George is getting out of the ‘light’ running into the ‘darkness’ where their relationship will end up. Poor weather conditions in this story can be seen as relief for Lenore. When it’s cold or raining out Lenore knows that George will soon be home; that he won’t stay outside to hike with another woman in the bad weather. The rain symbolizes him coming back to her. Lenore finds relief in the cold weather because she knows they wont be ‘screwing’ out there. ‘“But it’s really cold out there”, said Lenore. “What could happen when its freezing out”’ (Beattie 36). As the story concludes, Lenore once again finds relief in the rain as they sit in silence as it comes down. The other women had now left their house and it was just them again.
Brandon Johnson Professor Chappell EN 106 W 1 March 2012
Happens All the Time
The story “The Weekend” by Anne Beattie is in many ways a very unique story that is essentially between the two characters Lenore and George. Even though this is a narrative with a context that is unique for a short story, in my opinion this story explains an everyday problem that many females go through on a daily basis. George in my opinion is the definition of a bad male partner for a female. The reason I say this is because no female deserves the caliber of man that George is. George from the being of the story brings over random females and flirts with them and Lenore is forced to ignore the fact that he’s messing around with other women. Lenore is the one who actually likes George and wants genuine relationship with him but it seems that George doesn’t have the right mindset to be with Lenore. George is very mental abusive towards Lenore, but by being around George for so long she actually believes in her mind that it’s her fault. This is a sad story in my opinion because the reader is forced to feel some type of empathy for Lenore. She comes off as a very soft spoken character and as the story progresses you just want her to stand up to George and stop taking his nonsense. The Movie “For Colored Girls” in many ways expresses the feelings of Lenore through the character Crystal. In the Movie Crystal is married to man that recently just came back from war and it seems that he has been shell shocked. He is now an alcoholic and he occasionally beats on her and her two children. He will eventually make her think that everything is her fault and that beating on her is because she should’ve made dinner for him or maybe she should’ve spent some time with him. He also is out of work, and he is secretly jealous of Crystal because she works for a well-known fashion designer. The characters Lenore and Crystal share one quality that I think they also share with women all around the world which would be the reason they are walked on by their men. That reason would be because they are overly soft spoken and they don’t stand up for themselves. Denial would be another reason why neither of these women can’t build enough strength to leave these low life men. Lenore thinks that George will eventually see her as his partner which isn’t smart on her part. And Crystal believes as soon as her abusive husband gets a job he will be happy and stop beating on her. But if these women would just build up the courage to leave these men there would be better outcomes in both stories. Even though children do hang in the balance in both stories I feel like as a mother you have even more of a responsibility to make sure your kids are well looked after. George can’t do that if he’s sleeping around with different women and Crystals husband cant do that if hes beating on her. In Conclusion, I think that women can learn from the story the weekend because it can teach women all over to stop taking in these low life men. Women have power too especially in the day in age we live in now. So as soon as women really figure out that they can do anything a man can do then that’s when a lot of the problems women have will slowly go away.
Ryan McDonald McDonald 1 Professor Bolster English 106W 10 February 2012
Nature Always Wins Lawrence Hall’s short story, “The Ledge,” introduces us to a father who is an outdoors man who’s goal in life is to be as manly as possible. The father goes above in beyond to prove his manly traits to the extent that it ultimately caused his death. The father was portrayed to have such manliness about him he seemed near invincible. That is until an abrupt storm claims his and his family’s life. After doing some research I discovered the author of this story, Hall, had worked and operated a boat marina on the coast of Maine until 1993. Hall’s short story, "The Ledge" is about a man and his boat. Hall liked to write about things that were in his interest, and boats were definitely one of them. Hall also writes with concern with the behavior under pressure. Hall notoriously writes about how individuals handle tense situations. This is all very true for his story "The Ledge." The father is put into a tense situation when everything starts to turn horribly wrong out on the island with his son, and nephew on Christmas morning. The father handles this tense situation by trying to do everything in his will to save his son. With the storm coming in heavier and heavier, his main concern is to save his son. By doing so, he puts his son on top of his shoulders so he will not have to withstand the freezing cold water that keeps coming in. Hall’s characters are typically depicted as rugged men who are skilled at their McDonald 2 professions but unskilled at interpersonal relationships. The father in The Ledge is a very gruff man, who is definitely skilled at what he does. His hunting skill are superior, and intends to teach the boys a thing or two. This overly manly persona that the father represents ultimately gets him in trouble when he is faced with the uncontrollable forces of nature that forces their boat off the shore. He is a good father, but he does not know how to communicate very well with his son and nephew. His way of communicating and expressing himself always has intention of upholding his manhood. His lifestyle and actions are a prototype of what it is to possess a masculine image. Although the father represents all of these outstanding traits of what being manly is, Hall uses nature to justify that he’s only human. The father wants to show the boys how manly he is through the entire book. His masculinity is ultimately faced when he is forced to carry his son on his shoulders when their boat gets swept away. Hall’s representation of man vs. nature tells us that no matter how manly you are or think you are there is always a higher power. This higher power of nature in the story over powers even the manliest of all men and sets him back into place. Pushing the limits to make a point to the degree in which the father had resulted in death. Ultimately I believe Hall’s message is, live within your limits and have respect for your surroundings.
Jennifer Linke Professor Chappell ENG 106-W March 1, 2012 Communication is Key In any relationship, whether it is a friendship, family, or an intimate relationship, communication is an important aspect so that the relationship is successful. In Ann Beattie’s story, “The Weekend,” Lenore and George do not have a positive relationship because they cannot even communicate with one another. Ann Beattie makes it clear that George and Lenore do not have a positive relationship; they share a much more passive bond. It is important to have positive and negative communication in any type of relationship. During the story George makes a comment, “‘Don’t talk about it,’ he said- no denial, no protest” (Beattie 42). It is clear that George does not want to communicate with Lenore, which makes the reader assume that he doesn’t want anything to do with her. “As George says, there can be too much communication between people” (Beattie 46). George has many strong views and opinions; one in particular is his view on communication. There can never be enough communication between people if they feel the need to express themselves. In this short story there is a lack of communication among the two main characters which is the reason for the strain on their relationship. Lenore is very intelligent in her own way and she sees what George is doing and even though it may bother her, she does not express her feelings to George. George does not have any trouble talking to his visitors that come for the weekend, but when it comes to communicating with Lenore, he does not want to. George does not seem to want to know what Lenore is feeling or even really want to communicate with her. Communication is key in any successful relationship. People must be able to communicate in society and in any relationship they are involved in. In order to be successful one must communicate with others, whether positive or negative.
“Weekend”, by Ann Beattie, is a story that is narrated in a very detached, dispassionate way. The author does not judge her characters. Instead, she invites the reader to look closely into the subtle dynamics of the relationship between Lenore and George. Curiously, many readers resent the dispassionate approach and form a fast and rather harsh moral judgment on one or both of the main characters, often followed by an insistent suggestion as to what needs to be changed in their relationship. The misguided notion that we know what is best for somebody else’s well-being is as much the focus of the story as the anatomy of the relationship between the characters. Depending on the readers’ personal backgrounds, their suggestions for solving Lenore’s domestic problems range from speaking up and demanding George to properly marry her to leaving the pathetic cruel wretch immediately. Those are perfectly valid solutions for some women in some relationships, but they are unacceptable for Lenore as she is presented by the author. Moreover, she may be much less unhappy than many readers seem to think. Lenore represents the type of woman who would be better suited for a life in a traditional strictly patriarchal society, rather than the confusing and unstable modern Western world. Women like her can be perfectly fulfilled and happy as wives of the Amish, Arab or Hasidic men. Lenore’s true calling is to nurture her man and her children. She is “proud of their house” and “happy to have visitors come there” (35). She knows very well that George needs her: who else would patiently put up with all his moods and quirks, who else would feed his alluring guests and cook him bland foods afterwards? Certainly none of his brilliant, vain young students would even consider doing that for him. Lenore creates the best environment she can for George, even if that means pretending not to notice his possible infidelities. She may be occasionally upset by his actions and words, but she is ultimately satisfied because she is the one to “sit in silence, listening to the rain” with him in the end of the day (49). Lenore and George’s relationship is far from ideal; it is easy to imagine a much better situation, especially for Lenore. But relationships are hardly ever ideal. People who expect to be happy every single moment of their life with their partner usually end up jumping from one relationship to another in a futile pursuit of the fairy tale. A close look at almost any successful long-term partnership will reveal numerous small or not so small insecurities, injustices, petty cruelties and hurt feelings. It is entirely up to the people inside the relationship to judge whether a flaw is acceptable or not; an onlooker has no chance of grasping all the factors that influence such a decision. Yet, many people cannot resist making hasty judgments because they feel that they know how things should be between others. In the story, such people are represented by Lenore’s brother who urges her to end the relationship with George despite her trying to explain to him that she likes things just as they are. The absence of the author’s judgment on her characters’ relationship lures the readers into energetically supplying their own. The fact that the readers’ judgments vary as widely as their personalities shows that, no matter how perceptive we are, our understanding of other people is heavily skewed because it is based on our own values, ideas and experiences. Beattie’s story is a reminder that we need to be extremely careful when we are tempted to pass a judgment, especially a moral one, on other people’s choices.
Keith Kirwan-Welsh Mr. Bolster Writing 106 2 March 2012 Females Place When someone describes a mother or just a woman in general, he or she will normally describe her as a stay home mom, someone who loves to shop, and someone who gets their hair done. That is the general view of people on women. That general view has spread greatly spread. Now it is not just men who have a label on women as people who just shop and are house wives, but women themselves have also almost given themselves their own label. In the short story titled “Weekend” women are given another label. The concept in this story is not put through just the author’s words. There is an underlying viewpoint that the author possesses and shows throughout the story. In the story, “Weekend,” George is constantly having female visitors to his and Lenore’s home, where they also have a child they both created. George pays very little attention to Lenore and the child, and the author in a way blames Lenore for the problems between her and George. Because Lenore is boring and emotionless, people see this as a fine reason for George to run off with these other women and ignore Lenore and his child. This is how society and even the author (Ann Beattie) view women in society. Everyone is quick to point fingers at the woman in a bad relationship or situation. For example, the evidence of society blaming women when something goes wrong was very evident when a young woman went out to a club. This girl was dressed as what was described as “slutty” and was sexually harassed by a boy. People hearing this story disregarded the boy completely and were quick to attack the girl. “Well she was dressing like a slut, what does she expect?” was one of the many reactions stated about this girls harassment. Why wouldn’t society wonder what was the boy thinking? Why would he do that he has no right no matter how the girl was dressed? Society is very quick to point the finger at the female in negative situations. Lenore is the blame of why George runs off with these other women and ignores their child. At least that is how the author portrays the story. The author acts as if it is Lenore’s fault for George running off. If Lenore was fun and exciting, George wouldn’t have to go interact with other women and ignore the child! That is the view in the story, and the view of people as a whole. It is not Lenore’s fault George is running off; it is George’s own decision to do what he does. Lenore’s personality does not give George the right to go out and hang out with girls like Sarah and ignore their child. But that is the way the author portrays the story; as Lenore being the one to blame, because she has a bland and boring personality. Because of the way Lenore is, society views it as fine for George to act the way he does. If Lenore was the one running off then what would you think? One would feel bad for George and call Lenore a “slut.”
Tami Corsi Chappell 106W March 2, 2012 An abusive relationship is the best relationship
Anne Beatties short story "Weekend" is a picture perfect story of how abuse can be used to ones advantage in a relationship whether it is done consciously or subcounciously. Feminists may argue that George consciously planted his pictures for Loraine to find and taunted her with other women to keep her within his mental cage. However, these feminists overestimate George's mental capacity and realization of how his actions effect the people around him. George is in a child-like state of sublime, leaving him with the adventure of a younger woman and the security of a push-over. Just because George is a college professor does not mean he is intelligent. He holds a facade of a grown man over his infant state of mind and action. He is better at avoiding problems than actually confronting them, leading him to his never ending emotional circle with Loraine. Although Loraine makes him out to be a complicated man, he is in fact just as simple as he claims she is. George holds himself to a high standard to lower Loraine's confidence not because he feels the need to keep her under control, but because he feels her as a threat to his masculinity. He takes pride in his ability to aquire young women but they mean nothing to him when he asks Loraine if he is still the man of her dreams. George's masculinity is held within his fragile state of mind. He expressed his distress of not knowing himself fully by experimenting with his anger and frustration. He takes photos of himself not because he is trying to show Loraine that he is upset, rather he needs the automatic comfort without any questions. If Loraine finds the pictures and realizes he is not happy, she will automatically change to comfort him and cater to his needs. George does not do any of this consciously. All of his actions are more animalistic than conscious actions. He acts on primal instinct rather than plotting how to keep Loraine within reach but not attached to the point where his feelings are in jeopardy. George and Loraine's relationship is the bare minimum that is needed to keep two together and a family working. So is George and Loraine's relationship in fact mentally abusive or does it lean towards primal and practical? Feminists over examine George as the one deciding factor of this relationship while they do not focus on the fact that "Weekend" is from Loraines perspective. They do not weigh the fact that Loraine is a submissive person while George subconciously uses his passive aggressive nature to get what he wants. Their relationship is more natural than any man made law that constricts society's view of what is right and wrong. Loraine and George do not have much communication, neither do they have love. Yet they are together to bring up their kids and survive. "Weekend" is not about cheating or betrayal. It is not about Loraine being obviously abused by George. It is about when all the action is over, what lies beneath is two people in a relationship that is more natural and real than what we as a society expect out of everyone.
Sacrifice In the short story “Weekend” by Ann Beattie, an example of pure sacrifice is exhibited through out the plot. Some sacrifice things such as money for love, or even love for money. But in this short story Lenore, the main character, sacrifices her happiness to be with the one she loves. The one she loves, George, is not a very faithful man and when questioned about his faithfulness he becomes edgy. “Before Sarah and Julie arrived Friday evening, Lenore asked George if Sarah was his lover. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “You think every student is my lover? Is Julie my lover?” (37). Through the shortness and snottiness of his answer, Lenore knew something was up. On the weekends, Lenore and George have some of his former students stay at their home. The narrator explains that Lenore has no problem with this because without visitors, there would be no socializing. Besides Lenore talking with her children, there is no one there to talk to unless there’s company. This is why Lenore deals with having the weekend company; though she is always unhappy with the outcome of these weekends, she sacrifices her happiness to make George happy despite the fact something fishy is going on. If it weren’t for the visitors, though they are always young, single girls, then Lenore would have no socializing. When Sarah and Julie finally arrive on Friday night, George and Sarah are very clearly sharing an intimate connection that everyone else notices. Things such as holding conversations between themselves only. The next morning, George and Sarah decide to go for a walk. While they are off, Julie and Lenore move to the bathroom through George’s study that he has converted into a dark room. There Lenore finds “high contrast photographs of George’s face.” (46). Lenore further explains the pictures of George’s face as being of “a man in agony, a man about to scream”(46). After Julie questions what Lenore is holding, Lenore responds with,”Pictures he took of himself,” Lenore says. She shrugs. “So I stay”(46). Lenore knows that George would not be happy if Lenore left him. After seeing the pictures of him with painful expressions on his face, she thinks how could she ever leave this man? This man who is in so much pain. That is why despite his unfaithfulness and his being rude, Lenore stays. She sacrifices her happiness to keep George, the one she loves, happy.
Christopher Harrison Intro to Fiction Mr. Bolster 3/1/2012 What it Takes to be in Love Love is one of the most beautiful, amazing glorious and, often at times, complicated things life has to offer. Ann Beattie’s “Weekend” portrays the twisted love interest between single mother Lenore and former professor George. Beattie uses the features of trust, commitment, sympathy, compassion, and empathy in order to make the connection between Lenore and her past lover George. She also portrays how a couple having these features between one another have a true relationship. Lenore lives with this man named George even though they aren’t a couple. They have been before in the past, but decided that it would not work for them. However, they do manage to have two children together. Most couples today would find this awkward and eerie, but Lenore and George have an established trust. For instance, George is always having these young female students come over for a visit every weekend and he goes on walks with them for hours at a time, but Lenore does not suspect any foul play. She is certain that this is just George’s way of trying to make her jealous. Which leads into the issue of commitment. George wants Lenore to suspect that maybe he won’t stay committed to her, and the reader will later find out that George really needs her. It is found out that George needs Lenore when Lenore finds a box filled with old photographs of George before Lenore moved in with him. In these pictures he looks depressed and in turmoil. Lenore figures out that that is why she stays. To make sure he doesn’t have to hurt again. She is showing all three of the features of sympathy, compassion, and empathy by doing this. She is making sure that George will never return to that life again, for no one really deserves to be that unhappy. George, deep down, really cares for Lenore as well. He tries to reconcile with her after his students’ visit and his outlandish behavior. He lies with her and holds her, like a normal couple in love would do. Therefore, this is a couple that is most definitely in love, but just fearful. They have all the features a couple needs to stay together, but they are scared to be hurt by one another.
Victoria Weiss Professor Chappell English 100W 1 March 2012 Safe Love One might think that love consists of only chocolate heart shaped boxes, holding hands, and being perfectly happy all the time. However, in this case, "The Weekend" shows a different view on what love could be. Ann Beattie shows that having mutual trust, understanding, and dedication can provide a stable and long term relationship, even if it's not intimate. Lenore and George are both different people with different ideas on life and live together under one roof. Lenore is independent where as George needs the comfort of other people to get by. Although they are not a real couple, they know many things about each other and overall have a genuine trust for each other. Throughout the story Lenore is known as the "simple" women who George can rely on. Even though this hurts Lenore she continuously remembers the pictures she found of George in the beginning of their relationship and is reassured that he needs her. However, some people do not agree with what Lenore deals with such as her brother. He explains to her that what she is doing is wrong and shouldn't tolerate it. Compassion overrides these feelings and is left untouched, pushing the idea of ever leaving out. Even though Lenore and George's relationship is more open and used, their understanding of each other is always there. Lenore knows that George is just going for walks outside and George knows that Lenore will always be there when he gets back. It's a comforting kind of love knowing that someone is always there.
Ryan McDonald McDonald 1 Professor Bolster English 106W 1 March 2012 ‘Some People Never Change’ In Ann Beattie’s short story “Weekend,” there is a central theme between the narrator Lenore and George. The conflict is that Lenore and George have a child together, live in the same house, yet have no apparent relationship. George who is portrayed as an alcoholic, self-absorbed older man who seems to not consider the feelings of Lenore. Lenore narrates in the omniscient third person point of view portrays a simple woman who shows little to no emotion when the father of her child brings home younger girls to the house. Although Lenore is not as simple as she leads on to George, she has a lot of emotion buried inside of her that she does not always show, and her character is a lot more complex after a second glance. Beattie uses “illusion” in this awkwardly confusing short story. “Weekend” embeds the reader into this imaginary relationship that Lenore and George lead, leaving the reader with a variety of opinions and judgments. The fact that this story is told in Lenore’s third person omniscient point of view is critical in assessing this story. This point of view is significant in uncovering the complexities of Lenore’s character. If it were told through the eyes of George, the reader would then believe Lenore to be actually a “simple” woman. However because it is told through Lenore we understand her true feelings about this situation; “Lenore feels that she is like Julie: Julie’s face doesn’t betray emotion, even when she is interested, even McDonald 2 when she deeply cares.” (Beattie 37) This quote establishes the fact that Lenore does truly care about George and although her external emotions would tell otherwise, she is disheartened with George and Sarah’s relationship. Another important quote acknowledging her care and concern, “maybe they took shelter under a tree,’ she says. ‘Maybe they’re screwing. How should I know?’” (Beattie 41) This is one of the few times that Lenore conveys emotion. Julie now can see that this relationship between George and Sarah bothers her and even hurts her. Throughout this entire story Lenore remains complacent and portrays a static character. Lenore shows little to no change in the way she communicates her disapproval of Sarah along with the other girls intruding her life. Internally Lenore is a embarrassed, jealous, and lonely yet she does not have the will power to express her true feelings which results in no change. Beattie does a phenomenal job in giving illusion to the story by letting the reader make their own assumptions to the lifestyle Lenore and George are living.
Bryn Landino Professor Chappell/Mr. Bolster Eng 106W 9 March 2012 Be Yourself, Not Your Image While reading Andre Dubus’ “The Fat Girl”, I found myself very angry and disgusted at the way people look at themselves and other people. Reading about Louise’s struggles with her weight made me think about how society views the way women should look which, in turn, changes women’s views on their own bodies. It is unfair for other people to tell you the right way to look, act, and live and that goes for more than just weight issues. Society should not dictate how people feel they should live their lives. It is obvious that people care about how they are perceived in other people’s perspectives. It is important, however, for everybody to have the freedom to look however they choose to look or be whoever they want to be. In “The Fat Girl”, Louise has issues with her body image. There are no real immediate dangers with her health; she is not obese, she is not jeopardizing her life with her eating habits, she is just a bit bigger than other women. That is not something to go crazy about. Women have this role that society gives to us. For example, we have to be skinny and beautiful or we won’t find love. Such is the case with Louise and her husband, Richard. He gets very cruel when Louise gains some weight. She can never win. When she is skinny, she’s very unhappy. She is not much happier after she puts a little weight back on, because she knows how people will react and talk, but she is definitely happier being who she is meant to be. While everybody has things that they are insecure about, it is not fair that people get judged and discriminated against for those things. It comes in all forms: gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, weight, anything. We as human beings all have the same rights as each other. I should have the same rights as a 7-feet-tall, African-American, gay male. He should be treated the same as a 5-foot-6-inch woman who weighs 300 lbs. Does that happen? No, not always. Should it? Absolutely. We need to start working with each other instead of against each other to make this world a safe, great place for everybody- no matter what they look like or what their lifestyle is. Society should not dictate how people feel they should live their lives.
Kristina Kruse Professor Chappell ENG 106W-01 9 March 2012 This is a Man’s World: But, It Wouldn’t be nothing without a Woman It is in the stark reality portrayed in “Weekend” by Ann Beattie, that we realize that strong man have an equally strong woman behinds them, supporting them. Although the story may appear to be about deceit and infidelity, it is instead about the insecurities of men, and the women who support them unconditionally. The story is written from the perspective of a third person narrative, however focuses mainly on the actions and emotions of Lenore. Rather, if we look deeper into the context of the story we can see that George is our real focus. He is described not as an exceptional man but a “variation on a type” (34). Physically he is appealing as well; he is “tall and handsome,” sometimes showering twice a day so that he always looks refreshed showing that he cares about his looks and he rarely admits his insecurities. However, as we read we begin to see these insecurities unfold and Lenore is always there to lift him back up. “A few times…he has asked, ‘Am I still the man of your dreams?’ And when she says yes he always laughs … as it he didn’t care. She knows he does” (38). Every weekend they have visitors. This weekend they are Sarah and Julie. George’s enjoyment of their company is just a façade, and Lenore knows this. When Sarah and George engage in conversation, he is always displeased. Sarah “talks too much of the past, and this upsets him, disrupts the peace he has made with himself” (36). And when she exclaims that she wished her father was more like George he can “barely [disguise] his dismay at the comparison” (43). He has these younger women over– mostly students – to make him feel younger and better about himself. But, Lenore knows how he truly feels about himself at that is why she stays. Lenore found pictures that George took of himself; “he looks very serious and sad… his eyes are narrowed in pain. In one, his mouth is open. It is an excellent photograph of a man in agony, a man about to scream” (46). After reminiscing on a time when he felt good, a game of cat and mouse with Lenore at the beach, George had tried the same thing with Sarah and it had not worked. Lenore knows that she is the only woman that cannot only tolerate his immature nature but also the only one he can “go too far with” (48). The security that Lenore gives to him is what ultimately makes him a strong well-minded man.
Brian Corbin 106W Professor Bolster March 7th, 2012
Friend or Foe
Ever since Louise was nine she struggled with her weight. She also struggled with outside opinions of her weight and how to manage it. It’s difficult finding your own identity, when other people try and find it for you. Louise was never depressed about her weight. God made her Louise and that’s all there was to it. However Louise was constantly thinking about her weight. For example, Louise was fascinated with overweight actresses, and felt comfortable being around her friends because she was the only overweight one. Louise had two weight loss proponents in her life, her Mother and College roommate, Carrie. Carrie put a lot of time and energy into Louise’s weight loss. Which some were lead to believe that Carrie had the wrong intentions for Louise weight loss. Like there was some selfish underlying reason she pushed so hard for Louise’s diet. However Carrie had nothing but good intentions for a friend in need. In Carrie’s defense its never easy approaching somebody and inquiring someone to go on a diet. Also Carries approach was questionable, more or less stating that this diet was so the boys would like Louise. Some readers may find that offensive and intrusive. However it all tickles down to Louise losing weight, getting healthy and having a better self-esteem. Which would lead to an overall healthy well-being. Carrie put a lot of her own time in cooking and keeping a regimented account of Louise’s weight in her personal log. What Carrie did for Louise was very noble and admirable. Carrie is truly a dime a dozen, and truly had nothing but good intentions for Louise. No one should dare undermine Carries efforts for a friend she truly loved.
In “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus, Louise faces several types of conflicts when dealing with her weight issue. She deals with a singular type of conflict when conversing and interacting with her mother and her husband Richard. Louise deals with a larger conflict scope between herself and the society that is present around her. Finally, and what is probably the most important conflict is the one between Louise and herself. All of these factors and the conflicts they create help shape Louise’s struggle to come to terms with her weight and her own identity. Louise deals with negative conflict on a one on one basis with two very specific people in her life. One of the main reasons Louise is so insecure about herself is an early and dominant attitude by her mother that it is important to be thin. Louise’s mother is one of the first people in her life who makes her feel less than and who places high expectations on her. Her mother starts when Louise is very young, telling her to watch what she eats. Louise’s mother frequently becomes tense around her daughter because of what her mother views as a weight issue. Her mother also perpetuates a common societal image upon her daughter. She says to Louise, “If your fat the boys won’t like you; they won’t ask you out” (158). Louise’s mother’s behavior manifests itself, creating a barrier that prevents them from having a good relationship. When Louise starts losing weight, her mother’s attitude changes drastically. She actually says to Louise, “You’re beautiful”, she takes Louise out shipping, and has a photographer over to take pictures of Louise. (167). This type of shift can create quite conflicting feelings. Louise has to question why her mother didn’t just treat her the same before she lost the weight. Richard is another person in Louise’s life who becomes a very judgmental figure in Louise’s life. Richard meets Louise when she is thin, but it’s really not the real her. When Louise starts to gain back the weight she had lost, Richard gets very hostile. He starts out with suggestions. He says Louise should watch her weight because she’ll want to get into her bathing suit come summer. Richard’s attitude eventually takes a more belligerent tone. Richard basically tells Louise that she repulses him and says, “I don’t want to touch you” (170). Louise wonders how he could be so cruel. Carrie, her mother, Richard, and the other people around Louise perpetuate an image they would like her to have, with no consideration to how Louise wants to be. Louise’s mother wants the perfect daughter and thinks no boys will want to date her if she isn’t a certain way. Louise’s relatives only pay attention to her when she returns home and has lost weight; “for days her relatives and acquaintances congratulated her, and the applause in their eyes lasted the entire summer” (167). Carrie furthers this perception when she offers Louise help and says, “I want you to be loved the way I love you” (163). Louise never feels completely good about her weight loss. She experiences a conflict within herself about it. The acceptance she gets from others is gratifying to her. The way her mother finally accepts her, the positive reactions from other family and acquaintances, and the initial love from her husband Richard all create assurances linked to Louise’s weight loss. But, internally, Louise doesn’t feel complete. Louise feels unlike herself where during her dieting she has “lost herself too” (166). Louise feels like a different person who is “going to another country or becoming a citizen of a new one” (167). Louise suddenly doesn’t know how she got to where she is and at times is “assaulted by the feeling that she had taken the wrong train and arrived at a place where no one knew her, and where she ought not to be” (168).
Nick Coutant Professor Chappell ENG 106W 9 March 2012 The Fat Girl The one thing that most everybody can agree upon is that everyone wants to be happy. Some people will go to great lengths to achieve this goal. In Andre Dubos’s short story The Fat Girl, Louise is very unsure of herself and what will make her happy. Louise grew up overweight and was aware of it. It was almost impossible for her not to be aware of it with the constant reminders from her mother. Her mother would constantly tell her “You must start watching what you eat, I can see you have my metabolism” (158). Louise was actually completely fine with how she looked, and was almost happy with it. Once she went to college she felt free from her mothers criticism only to eventually find more of it. Her best friend and roommate Carrie loved Louise very much. She loved her so much that she felt it necessary to change who Louise is and make her what she sees as normal. Louise goes along with and loses the weight, in hope that she will be more accepted by the ones that love her and maybe she will find more happiness. She does get accepted and even gets married and has a child. Even through all of that she was miserable, and decided the only way she would be happy would be through going back to the way she was. Throughout the story you could tell that Louise was the happy one all along, because when you see some of her friends, mostly her high school friends, they were skinny but they were not happy. Louise finally realized that she had to stay true to who she really was and to ignore the criticism that was being thrown at her, even though it was from the ones that she loved the most. Living miserable is no way to live, you have to do what makes you happy.
Nicole DeFosche Professor Chappell EN 106W 9 March 2012 Hungry for Attention In Ann Beattie’s short story, “Weekend”, the reader’s can see how attention plays a huge role and how the main character, Lenore craves for attention and begs to be noticed. Lenore and George live together and have a child together. Throughout the story, Lenore is always staying at home with their child while George is out with all different types of women. This starts to become a problem with Lenore, but George doesn’t know of this problem he has created. George brings back many different types of women back to his home. This makes Lenore jealous and upset. She wishes they can be married and raise their child together, just like a family is supposed to be. Lenore says, “To her, though George is usually kind. But she is sure that the reason he has not married her, and when he recently remarked on their daughter’s intelligence (she is five years old, a girl named Maria) she found out that she could no longer respond with simple pride; now she feels spite as well, feels that Maria exists as proof of her own good genes” (34). After seeing all these girls George brings back to the house, it makes Lenore feel useless and very jealous. The girl’s George brings back to the house aren’t just girl’s her randomly met. George used to be a professor and the girl’s he brings back are student’s he used to teach when he was a professor. He has the girl’s spend the “Weekend.” When the girl’s would come and spend the weekend, he would do all different things with them, for example, go on long walks or he would take them out to drink. While this is all going on, Lenore just sits at home with the kid’s and takes care of them. I can see how this can get frustrating and how jealousy can be stirred up. Lenore is constantly seeing all these young girls come in and out of her house with her child’s father and it makes her feel useless. George doesn’t treat Lenore like the way she should be treated and this is what causes the tensions and problems between the two. George has two of his students over one weekend, Julie and Sarah. George takes Sarah on the walk while Julie stays back with Lenore. Julie questions Lenore and asks if Lenore ever wonders or questions what George is doing. Lenore doesn’t care to know what George does with the girl’s he brings home. The more Lenore lets George get away with his actions, the more she will be jealous.
Brie Brown Prof. Chappell Eng 106W 9 March 2012 A Very Unhealthy Relationship Every person has some sort of relationship with another person whether it is a friendship or intimate relationships. In today’s society, most healthy and true relationships include some sort of intimacy. When a relationship between two people does not include some form of intimacy, it will most likely be a very unsuccessful relationship. This lack of intimacy usually leads to unfaithfulness. In the short story, “The Weekend” by Ann Beattie it expresses the relationship between a couple with a not so healthy relationship. In the short story “The Weekend,” a woman named Lenore and her boyfriend-like, significant other, George, have a child with each other and live in the same house. Initially, they had a good relationship that was good enough for the two of them to have a child together, however, as the years went on George came to realization that just maybe Lenore was not wife material. However, Lenore is the kind of woman that will stay by George’s side no matter what because she loves him. The only problem with this is that George does not love her. This is a relationship that is eventually going to fail, especially because George continues to have his affairs with other women while she is in the house. In a healthy relationship, a couple will not cheat on each other. However, in the complicated relationship between Lenore and George, there is a fair amount of cheating on Lenore. The audience understands that George has been cheating on Lenore when it says, “…he loves to talk to the young women. He will talk to them on the phone for as much as an hour…The lovers the young women bring with them always seem to fall behind; they give up and return to the house to sit and talk to her” (Beattie 35). This quote also explains exactly what George does when he has his female students over at his house. The quote also explains how much George enjoys the presence of a young, college women in his life rather Lenore. Couples do not only have problems with just cheating, but also with communication. Lenore and George and have a huge problem with communication, so bad that they barely speak to one another. The audience understands that there is a lack of communication between the couple because at one point it mentions how George put a post-it on the refrigerator simply to state that dinner the night before. The only time the two really converse with one another is when George wants to know if she still finds him to be attractive. Their lack of communication causes the problems they do have in their relationship. In conclusion, Lenore and George do not have a healthy relationship because of a serious case of cheating and the lack of communication. Because George cheats on Lenore constantly he does not look at her the same and does not want to be sexually or intimately involved with her. He has not even asked her to marry him, which for her would be a sign that she is just there for comfort. Because of their lack of communication, they do not talk about things that bother one another. This is a couple that has its problems and although Lenore is always there for George, George does not meet her halfway.
Alyssa Downey Dr. Chappell Intro to fiction 9 March 2012 Constructive Criticism? In “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus, Louise is associated with two people, Carrie and Richard. Both of them have a large impact on Louise’s life. Carrie is her best friend who sees her inner beauty, and Richard is the first guy to want to be with Louise. However, both of them hurt Louise. Although Carrie pressures Louise into dieting, Richard hurts Carrie more in their marriage. Carrie set Louise up for a situation like Richard. She makes her lose the weight in order for men to be attracted to her. This will attract men who only value looks, such as Richard. Also, Louise does not feel like she needs to diet. She embraces her weight and just needs to find people who accept that. Carrie makes Louise undergo a difficult change. However, she pressures her only for Louise’s benefit. Louise now has a chance to find a good guy. Richard sees how pretty Louise is. He sees her as the trophy wife and wants to have a perfect family with her. However, when Louise begins to gain weight after having her son, Richard sees a different person than the Louise he married. Since he only marries her for her looks, there is nothing else to love about Louise. This makes Louise feel being skinny is the only aspect people see in her. Getting married and having a child are big commitments to someone. The fact that a few pounds makes Richard want to end it is hard to deal with. Richard offers to help Louise get back to the weight she used to be. However, Richard is pressuring her for his own benefit, not what makes Louise happy. Carrie and Richard both put Louise through much trouble and stress. However, Carrie tries to help Louise while Richard tries to help himself. Richard reflects the way American society being overweight. There is a push for the perfect family image, and anyone who does not embrace that is looked down upon by many peers.
Naomi Alphonso Professor Chappell Writing 106W March 9th 2012 The Fat Girl It’s one thing to hate yourself and another to be ostracized by society. It is understandable that there are certain ideas and beliefs that people call norms. These so called norms are ways in which one might choose to live and soon become a trend. However, the idea that society forces one to do certain things is not true. There are forces in society that market certain ideas, but no one is forced. Ones appearance is a personal choice. However, it appears to be a difficult task to be happy, when media and advertising promote the idea of losing every ounce of fat one has. Louise lives in a bubble. She pretends to care about her weight and appearance but truly doesn’t (160). Louise did not realize that her weight was an issue until her mother and friend Carrie brought it to light (165). Whether one accepts it on not, the majority of society has a bias towards thinner people. These people are credited as being more attracted and accepted. If this weren’t true, there wouldn’t be such an extensive amount of people with gym memberships, sweating themselves away on the treadmill. One might say people do this to be healthy. Again, thinner people are credited as being healthier. Carrie and Louise’s mother wanted to make her aware of the fact that appearance is everything in the society we live in (163). It would be a lie if anyone said this isn’t true. People judge others by their appearance. This is proven through the story when her husband falls in love with her when she’s thinner and immediately dismisses her when she gains weight 169). Louise has become complacent with the “fat” life she was living. Louise didn’t want to change. She pretended like she did when she ate small portions in front of other people (167). Louise has subjected herself to this. However, she has built a shield around herself. She’s almost amused by the fact that everyone cares so much about her appearance. The reader can see that Louise doesn’t get a lot of attention throughout the story. She doesn’t get attention from young boys (170). Also, the attention she gets from her family and friends is negative. Louise notices her father hugging her with a look of pity in his eyes (160). It is evident through out this emotionless story that Louise over ate and gained the weight because she enjoyed the negative attention she got. After all, that was the only attention she got.
The reader follows the life of a girl named Louise in Andre Dubus' short story, The Fat Girl. Louise is a girl who has to deal with the fact that she is a little overweight, and from a young age people such as her mother have been pressuring her to lose that weight. Throughout the whole story Louise eats food in secret, never wanting to reveal the fact that she is doing so to her friends or family. Later on Louise goes on a diet and loses almost 70 pounds; however, her husband Richard starts to scold her when she continues to eat and gain weight. Louise is burdened during her entire life about the fact that she is overweight, but the only reason she even worries is because of the pressure she has been under from her mother, Richard, and society as a whole. There's many examples of the put-downs Louise receives that cause her to have inner pain. “Wasn't that good, her mother would say. In five years you'll be in high school and of you're fat the boys won't like you; they won't ask you out.” (158) Louise is a nine year-old girl, and most mom's tell their daughter at that age how pretty they look, or how some day they will find a guy to be with. She also faces problems with her husband Richard, who says things such as “have you looked at yourself?” (170). It's because of people like this that Louise and feels uncomfortable about her eating, weight or appearance in the first place. Had Louise not lived in a society filled with the idea that girls should always be skinny in order to be pretty, she would never have the problems she deals with throughout her whole life. She could have been happy, just as she was.
William Arndt 3/14/12 Fictional Writing Bolster The Fork in the Road
For all people, the main goal in life is to be happy. This sounds simple, but the truth is there are infinite ways to be happy. All people have a different idea of happiness and have the ability to make their own choices. In Andre Dubus’, “The Fat Girl” Louise, the main character has problems with managing her weight throughout the story. Louise faced the predicament of choosing the life as the skinny girl or the fat girl. We learn throughout the story that the “fat” girl is the natural side of Louise in the way she’s comfortable with her self and lifestyle. But to the outside world, that image is “unacceptable.” Her Husband is upset with her weight because he feels it is an insult to him, by lowering his social appearance. I personally don’t blame him for being angry with her by letting herself get fat. As a woman, if your were good looking at one point, its expected to maintain your image. She would hide and eat food and candy when she was alone. Carrie reaches out to help her because she cares and wants Louise to do whatever it takes to be happy. “Louise did not realize that her weight was an issue until her mother and friend Carrie brought it to light” (165). On the other hand, Louise has a skinny side to her that looked good but it was evident that Louise’s diet as the skinny girl made her unhappy deep down because she knew it wasn’t her. One line in the story says that with the weight she lost, she lost a part of herself. Dubus shows us the importance of decisions and that finding happiness and pleasing others can be difficult to do.
Cassie Ferraro Professor Chappell English 106W 29 March 2012 Accepting Yourself Despite the maturation period adolescents and teenagers go through, people may still feel inadequate and have low self-esteem throughout their adult years. The way we look at ourselves is directly influenced by society and what those surrounding us tell us what we should look like, how we should conduct ourselves, and what we should think. In Andre Dubus’ story “The Fat Girl” we watch the protagonist Louise overcome societal pressures and find true happiness which comes with accepting herself as she is. In the beginning of the story, Louise knows she is heavy. Yet despite this realization, she does not seem to have a problem with her weight. When Louise goes to college, she feels the pressures that society has placed on young women about how they should look. She sees the girls in her gym class clad in their volleyball shorts and thinks “I hated my body.” (Dubus 159) Louise would not have thought this had she not had been compared to the other girls at her school and had her mother telling her that she needed to lose weight. Once she meets Richard, a husband who says harsh things such as, “Have you looked at yourself? (Dubus 170) Louise realizes that she did not lose weight and change her body because she wanted to. She had only changed her image at the will of others. Louise had no problem being overweight, in fact, Louise mentions more things that she enjoys about herself while she is heavy as opposed to when she has lost her weight. By the end of the story, Louise has put her weight back on and is sneaking her sweets. This is the Louise that has accepted who she is and does not care what others say about her body. She has accepted that society has views about how she should look and dress, but she does not adopt these views as her own. In the end, Louise is a stronger woman for turning down society in favor for her own happiness.
Zach Westfall Professor Chappell Intro to Fiction May 6, 2012 Personal Image Society as a whole through media and many method of information puts stress on that of physical image. Advertisements on television try to sell products by making people feel insecure about how they look. The stress put on the youth of today to be fit starts at an early age. Through Television kids these days see the world outside of where they live and set the standards of looks on that. This creates a problem with self-image putting doubts about appearance in their heads to look like a supermodel while in reality not even can. Personal image is what is important how you view yourself as a person is the most important thing. When being forced to believe that to be happy you need to dress look and act a certain way this makes it close to impossible for most teens to be happy with themselves. Advertisements play on the flaws of people to gain profits. In the Short Story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus the struggle of self-image is shown through the life of Louise a young girl that has always struggled with her weight. Louise mother wasn’t too supportive of her weight and even warned her if she didn’t watch what she eats that she would become fat. Throughout her life up until her college years she was overweight. All of her friends didn’t have this problem and didn’t really understand her. When she went away to college she met Carrie who helped her overcome her weight problem. After college she met a man and had a child. Once she was pregnant she let herself go and because of this her husband didn’t have the same feelings as before. I don’t think Louise was being herself she was being who she thought would make her happy a skinny girl with a loving husband and new born child. This wasn’t the case when she put back on the weight her husband’s true colors showed and she knew this. After her realization of the lies the marriage was built on she learned that her child would love her no matter what she looked like. The child would only care if she was a loving other that was there for him. Society puts stress on the need to look good making people feel bad about the personal image they have of themselves. This however isn’t important to being truly happy. With the relationship between mothers of son looks play no role it all about the kind of person you are. That is what true happiness is the knowledge of the person you are and liking it not what you look like on the outside.
Mitchel Cleveland
ReplyDeleteEnglish 106 W
Professor Chappell
2-29-12
Ignorance
In the short story “Weekend” you see a major theme of ignorance. You just read about the different girl George brings over and flirts with. Then we witness Lenore just sit in the background and watch George flirt with all these girls and go on long walks through the woods with them. Even though the two of them weren’t and aren’t married the lived together and have a children together therefore George is doing the wrong thing. He isn’t giving Lenore the attention she needs or deserves.
George used to be a professor at a school, when he was fired his students signed a petition to have the school allowed him to come back. Now he has his female students from when he was a teacher come up to his house and spend the “Weekend.” When these girls came up George would go out with them for long walks with wine or brandy. Lenore would sit back at the house taking care of her’s and George’s kids. She wouldn’t want to know what George is up to with the girls. She would rather stay busy and assume nothing is happening. When it is just George and Lenore at the house they barely communicate and don’t even act like they’re together. Although they aren’t married they have kids together and they’ve been together for a while.
George acts like the two of them are just roommates and that she doesn’t deserve his love. At one point George invite Julie and Sarah to spend the weekend. Sarah was his former roommate and Julie is just a friend of Sarah’s. George and Sarah went on multiple walks together, one that lasted all day because they got caught on a rain storm.
Julie continually pokes at the fact that what George is doing is a little bit on the weird side. She asks Lenore if she ever wonders what they’re doing. Lenore simply responds with something like it’s better she doesn’t know or that she doesn’t want to know.
Many people would see what George is doing wrong when in fact it is, but Lenore shouldn’t get off so easily. She just allows all this mischief between George and the girls to continue. She never confronts him or tells him all this has to stop. Lenore chooses to be oblivious to all of George’s wrong doings. This doesn’t condone George’s behavior but t also doesn’t let him know that what he is doing is wrong and must stop.
Kelsey Nolan
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EN 106W
2 February 2012
Symbolism in “Weekend”
In “Weekend” by Anne Beattie, changes in nature and the idea of ‘light V darkness’ are used to show the change in George and Lenore’s relationship. Trees outside of George and Sarah’s house, keep the ‘light’ from entering. The trees make there be darkness in the house at all times. This ‘darkness’ symbolizes the type of relationship they have. George refuses to cut the trees down like he refuses to knock the ‘wall’ down between them. This wall between them is the distant relationship they have. The trees block light from entering their house and lives.
At the end of the story, “she thinks of another time, when it was warm” (Beattie 48). The warmth symbolizes good times that were left in the past. The sun was out causing ‘light’ which they now lacked in their lives. When the sun begins to fade, George begins to run from Lenore saying, “catch me” (Beattie 48). George is getting out of the ‘light’ running into the ‘darkness’ where their relationship will end up.
Poor weather conditions in this story can be seen as relief for Lenore. When it’s cold or raining out Lenore knows that George will soon be home; that he won’t stay outside to hike with another woman in the bad weather. The rain symbolizes him coming back to her. Lenore finds relief in the cold weather because she knows they wont be ‘screwing’ out there. ‘“But it’s really cold out there”, said Lenore. “What could happen when its freezing out”’ (Beattie 36). As the story concludes, Lenore once again finds relief in the rain as they sit in silence as it comes down. The other women had now left their house and it was just them again.
Brandon Johnson
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
EN 106 W
1 March 2012
Happens All the Time
The story “The Weekend” by Anne Beattie is in many ways a very unique story that is essentially between the two characters Lenore and George. Even though this is a narrative with a context that is unique for a short story, in my opinion this story explains an everyday problem that many females go through on a daily basis. George in my opinion is the definition of a bad male partner for a female. The reason I say this is because no female deserves the caliber of man that George is. George from the being of the story brings over random females and flirts with them and Lenore is forced to ignore the fact that he’s messing around with other women. Lenore is the one who actually likes George and wants genuine relationship with him but it seems that George doesn’t have the right mindset to be with Lenore. George is very mental abusive towards Lenore, but by being around George for so long she actually believes in her mind that it’s her fault. This is a sad story in my opinion because the reader is forced to feel some type of empathy for Lenore. She comes off as a very soft spoken character and as the story progresses you just want her to stand up to George and stop taking his nonsense.
The Movie “For Colored Girls” in many ways expresses the feelings of Lenore through the character Crystal. In the Movie Crystal is married to man that recently just came back from war and it seems that he has been shell shocked. He is now an alcoholic and he occasionally beats on her and her two children. He will eventually make her think that everything is her fault and that beating on her is because she should’ve made dinner for him or maybe she should’ve spent some time with him. He also is out of work, and he is secretly jealous of Crystal because she works for a well-known fashion designer. The characters Lenore and Crystal share one quality that I think they also share with women all around the world which would be the reason they are walked on by their men. That reason would be because they are overly soft spoken and they don’t stand up for themselves. Denial would be another reason why neither of these women can’t build enough strength to leave these low life men. Lenore thinks that George will eventually see her as his partner which isn’t smart on her part. And Crystal believes as soon as her abusive husband gets a job he will be happy and stop beating on her. But if these women would just build up the courage to leave these men there would be better outcomes in both stories. Even though children do hang in the balance in both stories I feel like as a mother you have even more of a responsibility to make sure your kids are well looked after. George can’t do that if he’s sleeping around with different women and Crystals husband cant do that if hes beating on her.
In Conclusion, I think that women can learn from the story the weekend because it can teach women all over to stop taking in these low life men. Women have power too especially in the day in age we live in now. So as soon as women really figure out that they can do anything a man can do then that’s when a lot of the problems women have will slowly go away.
Ryan McDonald McDonald 1
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bolster
English 106W
10 February 2012
Nature Always Wins
Lawrence Hall’s short story, “The Ledge,” introduces us to a father who is an outdoors man who’s goal in life is to be as manly as possible. The father goes above in beyond to prove his manly traits to the extent that it ultimately caused his death. The father was portrayed to have such manliness about him he seemed near invincible. That is until an abrupt storm claims his and his family’s life.
After doing some research I discovered the author of this story, Hall, had worked and operated a boat marina on the coast of Maine until 1993. Hall’s short story, "The Ledge" is about a man and his boat. Hall liked to write about things that were in his interest, and boats were definitely one of them. Hall also writes with concern with the behavior under pressure. Hall notoriously writes about how individuals handle tense situations. This is all very true for his story "The Ledge." The father is put into a tense situation when everything starts to turn horribly wrong out on the island with his son, and nephew on Christmas morning. The father handles this tense situation by trying to do everything in his will to save his son. With the storm coming in heavier and heavier, his main concern is to save his son. By doing so, he puts his son on top of his shoulders so he will not have to withstand the freezing cold water that keeps coming in. Hall’s characters are typically depicted as rugged men who are skilled at their
McDonald 2
professions but unskilled at interpersonal relationships. The father in The Ledge is a very gruff man, who is definitely skilled at what he does. His hunting skill are superior, and intends to teach the boys a thing or two.
This overly manly persona that the father represents ultimately gets him in trouble when he is faced with the uncontrollable forces of nature that forces their boat off the shore. He is a good father, but he does not know how to communicate very well with his son and nephew. His way of communicating and expressing himself always has intention of upholding his manhood. His lifestyle and actions are a prototype of what it is to possess a masculine image. Although the father represents all of these outstanding traits of what being manly is, Hall uses nature to justify that he’s only human. The father wants to show the boys how manly he is through the entire book. His masculinity is ultimately faced when he is forced to carry his son on his shoulders when their boat gets swept away.
Hall’s representation of man vs. nature tells us that no matter how manly you are or think you are there is always a higher power. This higher power of nature in the story over powers even the manliest of all men and sets him back into place. Pushing the limits to make a point to the degree in which the father had resulted in death. Ultimately I believe Hall’s message is, live within your limits and have respect for your surroundings.
Jennifer Linke
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
ENG 106-W
March 1, 2012
Communication is Key
In any relationship, whether it is a friendship, family, or an intimate relationship, communication is an important aspect so that the relationship is successful. In Ann Beattie’s story, “The Weekend,” Lenore and George do not have a positive relationship because they cannot even communicate with one another. Ann Beattie makes it clear that George and Lenore do not have a positive relationship; they share a much more passive bond. It is important to have positive and negative communication in any type of relationship. During the story George makes a comment, “‘Don’t talk about it,’ he said- no denial, no protest” (Beattie 42). It is clear that George does not want to communicate with Lenore, which makes the reader assume that he doesn’t want anything to do with her.
“As George says, there can be too much communication between people” (Beattie 46). George has many strong views and opinions; one in particular is his view on communication. There can never be enough communication between people if they feel the need to express themselves. In this short story there is a lack of communication among the two main characters which is the reason for the strain on their relationship. Lenore is very intelligent in her own way and she sees what George is doing and even though it may bother her, she does not express her feelings to George. George does not have any trouble talking to his visitors that come for the weekend, but when it comes to communicating with Lenore, he does not want to. George does not seem to want to know what Lenore is feeling or even really want to communicate with her. Communication is key in any successful relationship. People must be able to communicate in society and in any relationship they are involved in. In order to be successful one must communicate with others, whether positive or negative.
An Exercise in Hasty Judgment
ReplyDelete“Weekend”, by Ann Beattie, is a story that is narrated in a very detached, dispassionate way. The author does not judge her characters. Instead, she invites the reader to look closely into the subtle dynamics of the relationship between Lenore and George. Curiously, many readers resent the dispassionate approach and form a fast and rather harsh moral judgment on one or both of the main characters, often followed by an insistent suggestion as to what needs to be changed in their relationship. The misguided notion that we know what is best for somebody else’s well-being is as much the focus of the story as the anatomy of the relationship between the characters.
Depending on the readers’ personal backgrounds, their suggestions for solving Lenore’s domestic problems range from speaking up and demanding George to properly marry her to leaving the pathetic cruel wretch immediately. Those are perfectly valid solutions for some women in some relationships, but they are unacceptable for Lenore as she is presented by the author. Moreover, she may be much less unhappy than many readers seem to think.
Lenore represents the type of woman who would be better suited for a life in a traditional strictly patriarchal society, rather than the confusing and unstable modern Western world. Women like her can be perfectly fulfilled and happy as wives of the Amish, Arab or Hasidic men. Lenore’s true calling is to nurture her man and her children. She is “proud of their house” and “happy to have visitors come there” (35). She knows very well that George needs her: who else would patiently put up with all his moods and quirks, who else would feed his alluring guests and cook him bland foods afterwards? Certainly none of his brilliant, vain young students would even consider doing that for him. Lenore creates the best environment she can for George, even if that means pretending not to notice his possible infidelities. She may be occasionally upset by his actions and words, but she is ultimately satisfied because she is the one to “sit in silence, listening to the rain” with him in the end of the day (49).
Lenore and George’s relationship is far from ideal; it is easy to imagine a much better situation, especially for Lenore. But relationships are hardly ever ideal. People who expect to be happy every single moment of their life with their partner usually end up jumping from one relationship to another in a futile pursuit of the fairy tale. A close look at almost any successful long-term partnership will reveal numerous small or not so small insecurities, injustices, petty cruelties and hurt feelings. It is entirely up to the people inside the relationship to judge whether a flaw is acceptable or not; an onlooker has no chance of grasping all the factors that influence such a decision. Yet, many people cannot resist making hasty judgments because they feel that they know how things should be between others. In the story, such people are represented by Lenore’s brother who urges her to end the relationship with George despite her trying to explain to him that she likes things just as they are.
The absence of the author’s judgment on her characters’ relationship lures the readers into energetically supplying their own. The fact that the readers’ judgments vary as widely as their personalities shows that, no matter how perceptive we are, our understanding of other people is heavily skewed because it is based on our own values, ideas and experiences. Beattie’s story is a reminder that we need to be extremely careful when we are tempted to pass a judgment, especially a moral one, on other people’s choices.
Keith Kirwan-Welsh
ReplyDeleteMr. Bolster
Writing 106
2 March 2012
Females Place
When someone describes a mother or just a woman in general, he or she will normally describe her as a stay home mom, someone who loves to shop, and someone who gets their hair done. That is the general view of people on women. That general view has spread greatly spread. Now it is not just men who have a label on women as people who just shop and are house wives, but women themselves have also almost given themselves their own label. In the short story titled “Weekend” women are given another label. The concept in this story is not put through just the author’s words. There is an underlying viewpoint that the author possesses and shows throughout the story.
In the story, “Weekend,” George is constantly having female visitors to his and Lenore’s home, where they also have a child they both created. George pays very little attention to Lenore and the child, and the author in a way blames Lenore for the problems between her and George. Because Lenore is boring and emotionless, people see this as a fine reason for George to run off with these other women and ignore Lenore and his child. This is how society and even the author (Ann Beattie) view women in society. Everyone is quick to point fingers at the woman in a bad relationship or situation.
For example, the evidence of society blaming women when something goes wrong was very evident when a young woman went out to a club. This girl was dressed as what was described as “slutty” and was sexually harassed by a boy. People hearing this story disregarded the boy completely and were quick to attack the girl. “Well she was dressing like a slut, what does she expect?” was one of the many reactions stated about this girls harassment. Why wouldn’t society wonder what was the boy thinking? Why would he do that he has no right no matter how the girl was dressed? Society is very quick to point the finger at the female in negative situations.
Lenore is the blame of why George runs off with these other women and ignores their child. At least that is how the author portrays the story. The author acts as if it is Lenore’s fault for George running off. If Lenore was fun and exciting, George wouldn’t have to go interact with other women and ignore the child! That is the view in the story, and the view of people as a whole. It is not Lenore’s fault George is running off; it is George’s own decision to do what he does. Lenore’s personality does not give George the right to go out and hang out with girls like Sarah and ignore their child. But that is the way the author portrays the story; as Lenore being the one to blame, because she has a bland and boring personality. Because of the way Lenore is, society views it as fine for George to act the way he does. If Lenore was the one running off then what would you think? One would feel bad for George and call Lenore a “slut.”
Tami Corsi
ReplyDeleteChappell
106W
March 2, 2012
An abusive relationship is the best relationship
Anne Beatties short story "Weekend" is a picture perfect story of how abuse can be used to ones advantage in a relationship whether it is done consciously or subcounciously. Feminists may argue that George consciously planted his pictures for Loraine to find and taunted her with other women to keep her within his mental cage. However, these feminists overestimate George's mental capacity and realization of how his actions effect the people around him. George is in a child-like state of sublime, leaving him with the adventure of a younger woman and the security of a push-over.
Just because George is a college professor does not mean he is intelligent. He holds a facade of a grown man over his infant state of mind and action. He is better at avoiding problems than actually confronting them, leading him to his never ending emotional circle with Loraine. Although Loraine makes him out to be a complicated man, he is in fact just as simple as he claims she is. George holds himself to a high standard to lower Loraine's confidence not because he feels the need to keep her under control, but because he feels her as a threat to his masculinity. He takes pride in his ability to aquire young women but they mean nothing to him when he asks Loraine if he is still the man of her dreams. George's masculinity is held within his fragile state of mind. He expressed his distress of not knowing himself fully by experimenting with his anger and frustration. He takes photos of himself not because he is trying to show Loraine that he is upset, rather he needs the automatic comfort without any questions. If Loraine finds the pictures and realizes he is not happy, she will automatically change to comfort him and cater to his needs.
George does not do any of this consciously. All of his actions are more animalistic than conscious actions. He acts on primal instinct rather than plotting how to keep Loraine within reach but not attached to the point where his feelings are in jeopardy. George and Loraine's relationship is the bare minimum that is needed to keep two together and a family working. So is George and Loraine's relationship in fact mentally abusive or does it lean towards primal and practical? Feminists over examine George as the one deciding factor of this relationship while they do not focus on the fact that "Weekend" is from Loraines perspective. They do not weigh the fact that Loraine is a submissive person while George subconciously uses his passive aggressive nature to get what he wants. Their relationship is more natural than any man made law that constricts society's view of what is right and wrong. Loraine and George do not have much communication, neither do they have love. Yet they are together to bring up their kids and survive.
"Weekend" is not about cheating or betrayal. It is not about Loraine being obviously abused by George. It is about when all the action is over, what lies beneath is two people in a relationship that is more natural and real than what we as a society expect out of everyone.
Sacrifice
ReplyDeleteIn the short story “Weekend” by Ann Beattie, an example of pure sacrifice is exhibited through out the plot. Some sacrifice things such as money for love, or even love for money. But in this short story Lenore, the main character, sacrifices her happiness to be with the one she loves. The one she loves, George, is not a very faithful man and when questioned about his faithfulness he becomes edgy. “Before Sarah and Julie arrived Friday evening, Lenore asked George if Sarah was his lover. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “You think every student is my lover? Is Julie my lover?” (37). Through the shortness and snottiness of his answer, Lenore knew something was up.
On the weekends, Lenore and George have some of his former students stay at their home. The narrator explains that Lenore has no problem with this because without visitors, there would be no socializing. Besides Lenore talking with her children, there is no one there to talk to unless there’s company. This is why Lenore deals with having the weekend company; though she is always unhappy with the outcome of these weekends, she sacrifices her happiness to make George happy despite the fact something fishy is going on. If it weren’t for the visitors, though they are always young, single girls, then Lenore would have no socializing.
When Sarah and Julie finally arrive on Friday night, George and Sarah are very clearly sharing an intimate connection that everyone else notices. Things such as holding conversations between themselves only. The next morning, George and Sarah decide to go for a walk. While they are off, Julie and Lenore move to the bathroom through George’s study that he has converted into a dark room. There Lenore finds “high contrast photographs of George’s face.” (46). Lenore further explains the pictures of George’s face as being of “a man in agony, a man about to scream”(46). After Julie questions what Lenore is holding, Lenore responds with,”Pictures he took of himself,” Lenore says. She shrugs. “So I stay”(46). Lenore knows that George would not be happy if Lenore left him. After seeing the pictures of him with painful expressions on his face, she thinks how could she ever leave this man? This man who is in so much pain. That is why despite his unfaithfulness and his being rude, Lenore stays. She sacrifices her happiness to keep George, the one she loves, happy.
Christopher Harrison
ReplyDeleteIntro to Fiction
Mr. Bolster
3/1/2012
What it Takes to be in Love
Love is one of the most beautiful, amazing glorious and, often at times, complicated things life has to offer. Ann Beattie’s “Weekend” portrays the twisted love interest between single mother Lenore and former professor George. Beattie uses the features of trust, commitment, sympathy, compassion, and empathy in order to make the connection between Lenore and her past lover George. She also portrays how a couple having these features between one another have a true relationship.
Lenore lives with this man named George even though they aren’t a couple. They have been before in the past, but decided that it would not work for them. However, they do manage to have two children together. Most couples today would find this awkward and eerie, but Lenore and George have an established trust. For instance, George is always having these young female students come over for a visit every weekend and he goes on walks with them for hours at a time, but Lenore does not suspect any foul play. She is certain that this is just George’s way of trying to make her jealous. Which leads into the issue of commitment. George wants Lenore to suspect that maybe he won’t stay committed to her, and the reader will later find out that George really needs her.
It is found out that George needs Lenore when Lenore finds a box filled with old photographs of George before Lenore moved in with him. In these pictures he looks depressed and in turmoil. Lenore figures out that that is why she stays. To make sure he doesn’t have to hurt again. She is showing all three of the features of sympathy, compassion, and empathy by doing this. She is making sure that George will never return to that life again, for no one really deserves to be that unhappy. George, deep down, really cares for Lenore as well. He tries to reconcile with her after his students’ visit and his outlandish behavior. He lies with her and holds her, like a normal couple in love would do. Therefore, this is a couple that is most definitely in love, but just fearful. They have all the features a couple needs to stay together, but they are scared to be hurt by one another.
Victoria Weiss
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
English 100W
1 March 2012
Safe Love
One might think that love consists of only chocolate heart shaped boxes, holding hands, and being perfectly happy all the time. However, in this case, "The Weekend" shows a different view on what love could be. Ann Beattie shows that having mutual trust, understanding, and dedication can provide a stable and long term relationship, even if it's not intimate.
Lenore and George are both different people with different ideas on life and live together under one roof. Lenore is independent where as George needs the comfort of other people to get by. Although they are not a real couple, they know many things about each other and overall have a genuine trust for each other. Throughout the story Lenore is known as the "simple" women who George can rely on. Even though this hurts Lenore she continuously remembers the pictures she found of George in the beginning of their relationship and is reassured that he needs her. However, some people do not agree with what Lenore deals with such as her brother. He explains to her that what she is doing is wrong and shouldn't tolerate it. Compassion overrides these feelings and is left untouched, pushing the idea of ever leaving out.
Even though Lenore and George's relationship is more open and used, their understanding of each other is always there. Lenore knows that George is just going for walks outside and George knows that Lenore will always be there when he gets back. It's a comforting kind of love knowing that someone is always there.
Ryan McDonald McDonald 1
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bolster
English 106W
1 March 2012
‘Some People Never Change’
In Ann Beattie’s short story “Weekend,” there is a central theme between the narrator Lenore and George. The conflict is that Lenore and George have a child together, live in the same house, yet have no apparent relationship. George who is portrayed as an alcoholic, self-absorbed older man who seems to not consider the feelings of Lenore. Lenore narrates in the omniscient third person point of view portrays a simple woman who shows little to no emotion when the father of her child brings home younger girls to the house. Although Lenore is not as simple as she leads on to George, she has a lot of emotion buried inside of her that she does not always show, and her character is a lot more complex after a second glance. Beattie uses “illusion” in this awkwardly confusing short story. “Weekend” embeds the reader into this imaginary relationship that Lenore and George lead, leaving the reader with a variety of opinions and judgments.
The fact that this story is told in Lenore’s third person omniscient point of view is critical in assessing this story. This point of view is significant in uncovering the complexities of Lenore’s character. If it were told through the eyes of George, the reader would then believe Lenore to be actually a “simple” woman. However because it is told through Lenore we understand her true feelings about this situation; “Lenore feels that she is like Julie: Julie’s face doesn’t betray emotion, even when she is interested, even
McDonald 2
when she deeply cares.” (Beattie 37) This quote establishes the fact that Lenore does truly care about George and although her external emotions would tell otherwise, she is disheartened with George and Sarah’s relationship. Another important quote acknowledging her care and concern, “maybe they took shelter under a tree,’ she says. ‘Maybe they’re screwing. How should I know?’” (Beattie 41) This is one of the few times that Lenore conveys emotion. Julie now can see that this relationship between George and Sarah bothers her and even hurts her.
Throughout this entire story Lenore remains complacent and portrays a static character. Lenore shows little to no change in the way she communicates her disapproval of Sarah along with the other girls intruding her life. Internally Lenore is a embarrassed, jealous, and lonely yet she does not have the will power to express her true feelings which results in no change. Beattie does a phenomenal job in giving illusion to the story by letting the reader make their own assumptions to the lifestyle Lenore and George are living.
Bryn Landino
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell/Mr. Bolster
Eng 106W
9 March 2012
Be Yourself, Not Your Image
While reading Andre Dubus’ “The Fat Girl”, I found myself very angry and disgusted at the way people look at themselves and other people. Reading about Louise’s struggles with her weight made me think about how society views the way women should look which, in turn, changes women’s views on their own bodies. It is unfair for other people to tell you the right way to look, act, and live and that goes for more than just weight issues. Society should not dictate how people feel they should live their lives.
It is obvious that people care about how they are perceived in other people’s perspectives. It is important, however, for everybody to have the freedom to look however they choose to look or be whoever they want to be. In “The Fat Girl”, Louise has issues with her body image. There are no real immediate dangers with her health; she is not obese, she is not jeopardizing her life with her eating habits, she is just a bit bigger than other women. That is not something to go crazy about.
Women have this role that society gives to us. For example, we have to be skinny and beautiful or we won’t find love. Such is the case with Louise and her husband, Richard. He gets very cruel when Louise gains some weight. She can never win. When she is skinny, she’s very unhappy. She is not much happier after she puts a little weight back on, because she knows how people will react and talk, but she is definitely happier being who she is meant to be.
While everybody has things that they are insecure about, it is not fair that people get judged and discriminated against for those things. It comes in all forms: gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, weight, anything. We as human beings all have the same rights as each other. I should have the same rights as a 7-feet-tall, African-American, gay male. He should be treated the same as a 5-foot-6-inch woman who weighs 300 lbs. Does that happen? No, not always. Should it? Absolutely. We need to start working with each other instead of against each other to make this world a safe, great place for everybody- no matter what they look like or what their lifestyle is. Society should not dictate how people feel they should live their lives.
Kristina Kruse
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
ENG 106W-01
9 March 2012
This is a Man’s World:
But, It Wouldn’t be nothing without a Woman
It is in the stark reality portrayed in “Weekend” by Ann Beattie, that we realize that strong man have an equally strong woman behinds them, supporting them. Although the story may appear to be about deceit and infidelity, it is instead about the insecurities of men, and the women who support them unconditionally.
The story is written from the perspective of a third person narrative, however focuses mainly on the actions and emotions of Lenore. Rather, if we look deeper into the context of the story we can see that George is our real focus. He is described not as an exceptional man but a “variation on a type” (34). Physically he is appealing as well; he is “tall and handsome,” sometimes showering twice a day so that he always looks refreshed showing that he cares about his looks and he rarely admits his insecurities. However, as we read we begin to see these insecurities unfold and Lenore is always there to lift him back up. “A few times…he has asked, ‘Am I still the man of your dreams?’ And when she says yes he always laughs … as it he didn’t care. She knows he does” (38).
Every weekend they have visitors. This weekend they are Sarah and Julie. George’s enjoyment of their company is just a façade, and Lenore knows this. When Sarah and George engage in conversation, he is always displeased. Sarah “talks too much of the past, and this upsets him, disrupts the peace he has made with himself” (36). And when she exclaims that she wished her father was more like George he can “barely [disguise] his dismay at the comparison” (43). He has these younger women over– mostly students – to make him feel younger and better about himself. But, Lenore knows how he truly feels about himself at that is why she stays. Lenore found pictures that George took of himself; “he looks very serious and sad… his eyes are narrowed in pain. In one, his mouth is open. It is an excellent photograph of a man in agony, a man about to scream” (46).
After reminiscing on a time when he felt good, a game of cat and mouse with Lenore at the beach, George had tried the same thing with Sarah and it had not worked. Lenore knows that she is the only woman that cannot only tolerate his immature nature but also the only one he can “go too far with” (48). The security that Lenore gives to him is what ultimately makes him a strong well-minded man.
Brian Corbin
ReplyDelete106W
Professor Bolster
March 7th, 2012
Friend or Foe
Ever since Louise was nine she struggled with her weight. She also struggled with outside opinions of her weight and how to manage it. It’s difficult finding your own identity, when other people try and find it for you. Louise was never depressed about her weight. God made her Louise and that’s all there was to it. However Louise was constantly thinking about her weight. For example, Louise was fascinated with overweight actresses, and felt comfortable being around her friends because she was the only overweight one. Louise had two weight loss proponents in her life, her Mother and College roommate, Carrie. Carrie put a lot of time and energy into Louise’s weight loss. Which some were lead to believe that Carrie had the wrong intentions for Louise weight loss. Like there was some selfish underlying reason she pushed so hard for Louise’s diet. However Carrie had nothing but good intentions for a friend in need.
In Carrie’s defense its never easy approaching somebody and inquiring someone to go on a diet. Also Carries approach was questionable, more or less stating that this diet was so the boys would like Louise. Some readers may find that offensive and intrusive. However it all tickles down to Louise losing weight, getting healthy and having a better self-esteem. Which would lead to an overall healthy well-being. Carrie put a lot of her own time in cooking and keeping a regimented account of Louise’s weight in her personal log. What Carrie did for Louise was very noble and admirable. Carrie is truly a dime a dozen, and truly had nothing but good intentions for Louise. No one should dare undermine Carries efforts for a friend she truly loved.
Chynna Burroughs
ReplyDeleteBolster
Eng 106W
8 March 2012
Conflicts in “The Fat Girl”
In “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus, Louise faces several types of conflicts when dealing with her weight issue. She deals with a singular type of conflict when conversing and interacting
with her mother and her husband Richard. Louise deals with a larger conflict scope between herself and the society that is present around her. Finally, and what is probably the most important conflict is the one between Louise and herself. All of these factors and the conflicts they create help shape Louise’s struggle to come to terms with her weight and her own identity.
Louise deals with negative conflict on a one on one basis with two very specific people in her life. One of the main reasons Louise is so insecure about herself is an early and dominant
attitude by her mother that it is important to be thin. Louise’s mother is one of the first people in her life who makes her feel less than and who places high expectations on her. Her mother starts when Louise is very young, telling her to watch what she eats. Louise’s mother frequently becomes tense around her daughter because of what her mother views as a weight issue. Her mother also perpetuates a common societal image upon her daughter. She says to Louise, “If your fat the boys won’t like you; they won’t ask you out” (158). Louise’s mother’s behavior manifests itself, creating a barrier that prevents them from having a good relationship. When Louise starts losing weight, her mother’s attitude changes drastically. She actually says to Louise, “You’re beautiful”, she takes Louise out shipping, and has a photographer over to take pictures of Louise. (167). This type of shift can create quite conflicting feelings. Louise has to question why her mother didn’t just treat her the same before she lost the weight. Richard is another person in Louise’s life who becomes a very judgmental figure in Louise’s life. Richard meets Louise when she is thin, but it’s really not the real her. When Louise starts to gain back the weight she had lost, Richard gets very hostile. He starts out with suggestions. He says Louise should watch her weight because she’ll want to get into her bathing suit come summer. Richard’s attitude eventually takes a more belligerent tone. Richard basically tells Louise that she repulses him and says, “I don’t want to touch you” (170). Louise wonders how he could be so cruel.
Carrie, her mother, Richard, and the other people around Louise perpetuate an image they would like her to have, with no consideration to how Louise wants to be. Louise’s mother wants
the perfect daughter and thinks no boys will want to date her if she isn’t a certain way. Louise’s relatives only pay attention to her when she returns home and has lost weight; “for days her
relatives and acquaintances congratulated her, and the applause in their eyes lasted the entire summer” (167). Carrie furthers this perception when she offers Louise help and says, “I want you to be loved the way I love you” (163).
Louise never feels completely good about her weight loss. She experiences a conflict within herself about it. The acceptance she gets from others is gratifying to her. The way her mother finally accepts her, the positive reactions from other family and acquaintances, and the initial love from her husband Richard all create assurances linked to Louise’s weight loss. But, internally, Louise doesn’t feel complete. Louise feels unlike herself where during her dieting she has “lost herself too” (166). Louise feels like a different person who is “going to another country or becoming a citizen of a new one” (167). Louise suddenly doesn’t know how she got to where she is and at times is “assaulted by the feeling that she had taken the wrong train and arrived at a
place where no one knew her, and where she ought not to be” (168).
Nick Coutant
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
ENG 106W
9 March 2012
The Fat Girl
The one thing that most everybody can agree upon is that everyone wants to be happy. Some people will go to great lengths to achieve this goal. In Andre Dubos’s short story The Fat Girl, Louise is very unsure of herself and what will make her happy.
Louise grew up overweight and was aware of it. It was almost impossible for her not to be aware of it with the constant reminders from her mother. Her mother would constantly tell her “You must start watching what you eat, I can see you have my metabolism” (158). Louise was actually completely fine with how she looked, and was almost happy with it. Once she went to college she felt free from her mothers criticism only to eventually find more of it.
Her best friend and roommate Carrie loved Louise very much. She loved her so much that she felt it necessary to change who Louise is and make her what she sees as normal. Louise goes along with and loses the weight, in hope that she will be more accepted by the ones that love her and maybe she will find more happiness. She does get accepted and even gets married and has a child. Even through all of that she was miserable, and decided the only way she would be happy would be through going back to the way she was.
Throughout the story you could tell that Louise was the happy one all along, because when you see some of her friends, mostly her high school friends, they were skinny but they were not happy. Louise finally realized that she had to stay true to who she really was and to ignore the criticism that was being thrown at her, even though it was from the ones that she loved the most. Living miserable is no way to live, you have to do what makes you happy.
Nicole DeFosche
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
EN 106W
9 March 2012
Hungry for Attention
In Ann Beattie’s short story, “Weekend”, the reader’s can see how attention plays a huge role and how the main character, Lenore craves for attention and begs to be noticed. Lenore and George live together and have a child together. Throughout the story, Lenore is always staying at home with their child while George is out with all different types of women. This starts to become a problem with Lenore, but George doesn’t know of this problem he has created.
George brings back many different types of women back to his home. This makes Lenore jealous and upset. She wishes they can be married and raise their child together, just like a family is supposed to be. Lenore says, “To her, though George is usually kind. But she is sure that the reason he has not married her, and when he recently remarked on their daughter’s intelligence (she is five years old, a girl named Maria) she found out that she could no longer respond with simple pride; now she feels spite as well, feels that Maria exists as proof of her own good genes” (34). After seeing all these girls George brings back to the house, it makes Lenore feel useless and very jealous.
The girl’s George brings back to the house aren’t just girl’s her randomly met. George used to be a professor and the girl’s he brings back are student’s he used to teach when he was a professor. He has the girl’s spend the “Weekend.” When the girl’s would come and spend the weekend, he would do all different things with them, for example, go on long walks or he would take them out to drink. While this is all going on, Lenore just sits at home with the kid’s and takes care of them. I can see how this can get frustrating and how jealousy can be stirred up. Lenore is constantly seeing all these young girls come in and out of her house with her child’s father and it makes her feel useless. George doesn’t treat Lenore like the way she should be treated and this is what causes the tensions and problems between the two.
George has two of his students over one weekend, Julie and Sarah. George takes Sarah on the walk while Julie stays back with Lenore. Julie questions Lenore and asks if Lenore ever wonders or questions what George is doing. Lenore doesn’t care to know what George does with the girl’s he brings home. The more Lenore lets George get away with his actions, the more she will be jealous.
Brie Brown
ReplyDeleteProf. Chappell
Eng 106W
9 March 2012
A Very Unhealthy Relationship
Every person has some sort of relationship with another person whether it is a friendship or intimate relationships. In today’s society, most healthy and true relationships include some sort of intimacy. When a relationship between two people does not include some form of intimacy, it will most likely be a very unsuccessful relationship. This lack of intimacy usually leads to unfaithfulness. In the short story, “The Weekend” by Ann Beattie it expresses the relationship between a couple with a not so healthy relationship.
In the short story “The Weekend,” a woman named Lenore and her boyfriend-like, significant other, George, have a child with each other and live in the same house. Initially, they had a good relationship that was good enough for the two of them to have a child together, however, as the years went on George came to realization that just maybe Lenore was not wife material. However, Lenore is the kind of woman that will stay by George’s side no matter what because she loves him. The only problem with this is that George does not love her. This is a relationship that is eventually going to fail, especially because George continues to have his affairs with other women while she is in the house.
In a healthy relationship, a couple will not cheat on each other. However, in the complicated relationship between Lenore and George, there is a fair amount of cheating on Lenore. The audience understands that George has been cheating on Lenore when it says, “…he loves to talk to the young women. He will talk to them on the phone for as much as an hour…The lovers the young women bring with them always seem to fall behind; they give up and return to the house to sit and talk to her” (Beattie 35). This quote also explains exactly what George does when he has his female students over at his house. The quote also explains how much George enjoys the presence of a young, college women in his life rather Lenore.
Couples do not only have problems with just cheating, but also with communication. Lenore and George and have a huge problem with communication, so bad that they barely speak to one another. The audience understands that there is a lack of communication between the couple because at one point it mentions how George put a post-it on the refrigerator simply to state that dinner the night before. The only time the two really converse with one another is when George wants to know if she still finds him to be attractive. Their lack of communication causes the problems they do have in their relationship.
In conclusion, Lenore and George do not have a healthy relationship because of a serious case of cheating and the lack of communication. Because George cheats on Lenore constantly he does not look at her the same and does not want to be sexually or intimately involved with her. He has not even asked her to marry him, which for her would be a sign that she is just there for comfort. Because of their lack of communication, they do not talk about things that bother one another. This is a couple that has its problems and although Lenore is always there for George, George does not meet her halfway.
Alyssa Downey
ReplyDeleteDr. Chappell
Intro to fiction
9 March 2012
Constructive Criticism?
In “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus, Louise is associated with two people, Carrie and Richard. Both of them have a large impact on Louise’s life. Carrie is her best friend who sees her inner beauty, and Richard is the first guy to want to be with Louise. However, both of them hurt Louise. Although Carrie pressures Louise into dieting, Richard hurts Carrie more in their marriage.
Carrie set Louise up for a situation like Richard. She makes her lose the weight in order for men to be attracted to her. This will attract men who only value looks, such as Richard. Also, Louise does not feel like she needs to diet. She embraces her weight and just needs to find people who accept that. Carrie makes Louise undergo a difficult change. However, she pressures her only for Louise’s benefit. Louise now has a chance to find a good guy.
Richard sees how pretty Louise is. He sees her as the trophy wife and wants to have a perfect family with her. However, when Louise begins to gain weight after having her son, Richard sees a different person than the Louise he married. Since he only marries her for her looks, there is nothing else to love about Louise. This makes Louise feel being skinny is the only aspect people see in her. Getting married and having a child are big commitments to someone. The fact that a few pounds makes Richard want to end it is hard to deal with. Richard offers to help Louise get back to the weight she used to be. However, Richard is pressuring her for his own benefit, not what makes Louise happy.
Carrie and Richard both put Louise through much trouble and stress. However, Carrie tries to help Louise while Richard tries to help himself. Richard reflects the way American society being overweight. There is a push for the perfect family image, and anyone who does not embrace that is looked down upon by many peers.
Naomi Alphonso
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
Writing 106W
March 9th 2012
The Fat Girl
It’s one thing to hate yourself and another to be ostracized by society. It is understandable that there are certain ideas and beliefs that people call norms. These so called norms are ways in which one might choose to live and soon become a trend. However, the idea that society forces one to do certain things is not true. There are forces in society that market certain ideas, but no one is forced.
Ones appearance is a personal choice. However, it appears to be a difficult task to be happy, when media and advertising promote the idea of losing every ounce of fat one has. Louise lives in a bubble. She pretends to care about her weight and appearance but truly doesn’t (160). Louise did not realize that her weight was an issue until her mother and friend Carrie brought it to light (165).
Whether one accepts it on not, the majority of society has a bias towards thinner people. These people are credited as being more attracted and accepted. If this weren’t true, there wouldn’t be such an extensive amount of people with gym memberships, sweating themselves away on the treadmill. One might say people do this to be healthy. Again, thinner people are credited as being healthier.
Carrie and Louise’s mother wanted to make her aware of the fact that appearance is everything in the society we live in (163). It would be a lie if anyone said this isn’t true. People judge others by their appearance. This is proven through the story when her husband falls in love with her when she’s thinner and immediately dismisses her when she gains weight 169). Louise has become complacent with the
“fat” life she was living. Louise didn’t want to change. She pretended like she did when she ate small portions in front of other people (167).
Louise has subjected herself to this. However, she has built a shield around herself. She’s almost amused by the fact that everyone cares so much about her appearance. The reader can see that Louise doesn’t get a lot of attention throughout the story. She doesn’t get attention from young boys (170). Also, the attention she gets from her family and friends is negative. Louise notices her father hugging her with a look of pity in his eyes (160). It is evident through out this emotionless story that Louise over ate and gained the weight because she enjoyed the negative attention she got. After all, that was the only attention she got.
Chris Reagan
ReplyDeleteMr. Bolster
3/8/12
Response to “The Fat Girl”
The reader follows the life of a girl named Louise in Andre Dubus' short story, The Fat Girl. Louise is a girl who has to deal with the fact that she is a little overweight, and from a young age people such as her mother have been pressuring her to lose that weight. Throughout the whole story Louise eats food in secret, never wanting to reveal the fact that she is doing so to her friends or family. Later on Louise goes on a diet and loses almost 70 pounds; however, her husband Richard starts to scold her when she continues to eat and gain weight. Louise is burdened during her entire life about the fact that she is overweight, but the only reason she even worries is because of the pressure she has been under from her mother, Richard, and society as a whole.
There's many examples of the put-downs Louise receives that cause her to have inner pain. “Wasn't that good, her mother would say. In five years you'll be in high school and of you're fat the boys won't like you; they won't ask you out.” (158) Louise is a nine year-old girl, and most mom's tell their daughter at that age how pretty they look, or how some day they will find a guy to be with. She also faces problems with her husband Richard, who says things such as “have you looked at yourself?” (170). It's because of people like this that Louise and feels uncomfortable about her eating, weight or appearance in the first place. Had Louise not lived in a society filled with the idea that girls should always be skinny in order to be pretty, she would never have the problems she deals with throughout her whole life. She could have been happy, just as she was.
William Arndt
ReplyDelete3/14/12
Fictional Writing
Bolster
The Fork in the Road
For all people, the main goal in life is to be happy. This sounds simple, but the truth is there are infinite ways to be happy. All people have a different idea of happiness and have the ability to make their own choices. In Andre Dubus’, “The Fat Girl” Louise, the main character has problems with managing her weight throughout the story. Louise faced the predicament of choosing the life as the skinny girl or the fat girl. We learn throughout the story that the “fat” girl is the natural side of Louise in the way she’s comfortable with her self and lifestyle. But to the outside world, that image is “unacceptable.” Her Husband is upset with her weight because he feels it is an insult to him, by lowering his social appearance. I personally don’t blame him for being angry with her by letting herself get fat. As a woman, if your were good looking at one point, its expected to maintain your image. She would hide and eat food and candy when she was alone. Carrie reaches out to help her because she cares and wants Louise to do whatever it takes to be happy. “Louise did not realize that her weight was an issue until her mother and friend Carrie brought it to light” (165). On the other hand, Louise has a skinny side to her that looked good but it was evident that Louise’s diet as the skinny girl made her unhappy deep down because she knew it wasn’t her. One line in the story says that with the weight she lost, she lost a part of herself. Dubus shows us the importance of decisions and that finding happiness and pleasing others can be difficult to do.
Cassie Ferraro
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
English 106W
29 March 2012
Accepting Yourself
Despite the maturation period adolescents and teenagers go through, people may still feel inadequate and have low self-esteem throughout their adult years. The way we look at ourselves is directly influenced by society and what those surrounding us tell us what we should look like, how we should conduct ourselves, and what we should think. In Andre Dubus’ story “The Fat Girl” we watch the protagonist Louise overcome societal pressures and find true happiness which comes with accepting herself as she is.
In the beginning of the story, Louise knows she is heavy. Yet despite this realization, she does not seem to have a problem with her weight. When Louise goes to college, she feels the pressures that society has placed on young women about how they should look. She sees the girls in her gym class clad in their volleyball shorts and thinks “I hated my body.” (Dubus 159) Louise would not have thought this had she not had been compared to the other girls at her school and had her mother telling her that she needed to lose weight.
Once she meets Richard, a husband who says harsh things such as, “Have you looked at yourself? (Dubus 170) Louise realizes that she did not lose weight and change her body because she wanted to. She had only changed her image at the will of others. Louise had no problem being overweight, in fact, Louise mentions more things that she enjoys about herself while she is heavy as opposed to when she has lost her weight.
By the end of the story, Louise has put her weight back on and is sneaking her sweets. This is the Louise that has accepted who she is and does not care what others say about her body. She has accepted that society has views about how she should look and dress, but she does not adopt these views as her own. In the end, Louise is a stronger woman for turning down society in favor for her own happiness.
Zach Westfall
ReplyDeleteProfessor Chappell
Intro to Fiction
May 6, 2012
Personal Image
Society as a whole through media and many method of information puts stress on that of physical image. Advertisements on television try to sell products by making people feel insecure about how they look. The stress put on the youth of today to be fit starts at an early age. Through Television kids these days see the world outside of where they live and set the standards of looks on that. This creates a problem with self-image putting doubts about appearance in their heads to look like a supermodel while in reality not even can. Personal image is what is important how you view yourself as a person is the most important thing. When being forced to believe that to be happy you need to dress look and act a certain way this makes it close to impossible for most teens to be happy with themselves. Advertisements play on the flaws of people to gain profits.
In the Short Story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus the struggle of self-image is shown through the life of Louise a young girl that has always struggled with her weight. Louise mother wasn’t too supportive of her weight and even warned her if she didn’t watch what she eats that she would become fat. Throughout her life up until her college years she was overweight. All of her friends didn’t have this problem and didn’t really understand her. When she went away to college she met Carrie who helped her overcome her weight problem. After college she met a man and had a child. Once she was pregnant she let herself go and because of this her husband didn’t have the same feelings as before. I don’t think Louise was being herself she was being who she thought would make her happy a skinny girl with a loving husband and new born child. This wasn’t the case when she put back on the weight her husband’s true colors showed and she knew this. After her realization of the lies the marriage was built on she learned that her child would love her no matter what she looked like. The child would only care if she was a loving other that was there for him.
Society puts stress on the need to look good making people feel bad about the personal image they have of themselves. This however isn’t important to being truly happy. With the relationship between mothers of son looks play no role it all about the kind of person you are. That is what true happiness is the knowledge of the person you are and liking it not what you look like on the outside.