Life Is Not Always Easy In Spoon River

Words: 781
Pages: 4

One Life, One Chance
(A discussion on the theme “life is not always easy” in Spoon River Anthology)
Every person has individual beliefs that influence how they view and live their lives. An individual's beliefs also affect how they reacts to events negatively altering their lives. Some who believe that there is no life after death feel following such misfortunes that they have wasted or lost their chance at making their one life successful or even worthwhile anymore. Nellie Clark, Nancy Knapp, and Pauline Barrett, all of whom are believers is one life, demonstrate precisely the theme that “life is not always easy.” This theme is displayed through the variety of tragic events they each experienced and how they reacted to such times as a result of their beliefs.
Nancy Knapp’s life is an ideal representation of
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Nellie details, “I was only eight years old; and before I grew up and knew what it meant I had no words for it, except that I was frightened and told my mother.” Nellie Clark was not only raped but then wore her story on her sleeve in the eyes of those around her. “Nevertheless the story clung to me,” she continued, “but the man who married me, a widower of thirty-five, was a newcomer and never heard of it.” However, her husband found out eventually. Learning of her story after a full two years made him feel cheated and deceived. So he deserted her and Nellie Clark died that following winter. Her life clearly exemplifies the theme “life is not always easy” and her personal belief only hindered her further. She saw herself as a label. Like what happened when she was eight determined her whole life. The final nudge off the edge for Nellie Clark was her husband's departure. After that she gave up, just like Nancy. After she felt the label defined her and the rest of her one chance at this life, she let it lead to her