Margaret Atwood's Happy Endings

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Happy Endings
The Author Margaret Atwood in her story ‘Happy Endings’ describes six different stories. The stories are based on two main characters; John and Mary, who, in story A lead a simple life, whereas in story B their life gets complicated by lustful desires and a third person. Story C describes the anger and aggression that John falls prey to, when he anticipates something unexpected of Mary. Story D is about the difficulties that may arise because of the things that we cant control of, whereas story E states that you may end up having tragedies in life even when your intentions are kind. The final story depicts the focal area that the author tries to explain; that is there death is the ultimate end of all the stories.
In story A, Atwood …show more content…
Mary does her best to keep John happy, by having sex so that it will make him used to her. It is Hope that makes her do this, as she thinks that John is a different person from within, and that John will return to her and they will have a fairytale ending as A. She has a blind faith (despite her friends tell her that John is a pig) in him that makes her take sleeping pills with a thought that John will eventually wake her up and marry her. Atwood tries to prove that one sided love is not enough to make happy ending, as the story end John’s way as he marries …show more content…
This is the message that underlines story D. As Fred and Mary continue their happy life together, the yet face a tragedy in the form of a tidal wave. In story E, Atwood states that Fred has a bad heart, and writes “If you like it, it can be “Madge,” “cancer,” “guilty and confused,” and “ birdwatching”- which are the many reasons that may make Fred’s and Mary’s life miserable. She points out that if not a tidal wave, there has to be some kind of disastrous situation that will be coming in your life to make things worse.
It is only in the Story F where the author makes final illustrations about the whole meaning of Happy Endings. Whether you become a revolutionary or a counterespionage agent, you will have to face the only thing that is certain, that is Death. She writes, “ the only authentic ending is the one provided here: John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.”
She brings all the the previous stories back, where the ending is the same for all. She points out that no matter how you live, whether you are an aggressive or selfish character like John in story B or C, or an affectionate Fred in D, you will have to face
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