It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “Just do what makes you happy!” Although it is such an easy thing to say, actually doing it can prove to be a difficult task. Sometimes the happiness of an individual person can interfere with the prosperity of someone else. The Luxe, by Anna Godbersen, is a historical fiction novel with a main motif of happiness. Two of the main characters, Elizabeth and Henry, are engaged to each other by the force of their families. Unfortunately, neither of them are pleased with this engagement, yet they agree to it in order to better the well being of their families and those around them. As the book goes on, the two begin to realize that if they continue with this engagement, the entirety of their lives will be dreadful …show more content…
In the beginning of the novel, Elizabeth saw Henry as someone who would benefit her family and provide them with a good image and high social status. As the book progressed, Elizabeth realized she had found love elsewhere and was not content with the bachelor, Henry Schoonmaker. “I’ve loved him always and finally realized that marrying Henry Schoonmaker would mean a lifetime of regret.” (p. 431), Elizabeth says, when she expresses her thoughts to her younger sister, Diana. While Elizabeth knows that this marriage would greatly aid her family, she makes the choice to call off the marriage with her …show more content…
One example could be found from a minor character in The Luxe, Penelope. In the novel, Penelope loved Henry and when she found out that Elizabeth was engaged to him she was furious and willing to do anything to break up the engagement. The author even said, “Penelope would have enjoyed tearing Elizabeth’s blond hair out of her pretty head. She would have liked to rip that expensive pink skirt to shreds.” (p. 268) This is a prime example of it being inadequate to value one’s personal happiness. Penelope is sabotaging almost everyone surrounding her in order to please
The book Blind, written by Rachel DeWoskin, is about a highschool sophomore named Emma, who went blind after being struck in the face with a firework. When she first lost her sight, Emma was placed in a hospital for over 2 months, and once she was released, she could finally go home again. DeWoskin uses the characterization of Emma throughout the beginning of the text to help the reader understand the character’s struggle more. Especially in the first few chapters, it was difficult for Emma to adapt to a world without sight. For instance, DeWoskin writes, “And sat down, numb, on our gold couch. And tried to open my eyes, rocked, counted my legs and arms and fingers. I didn’t cry. Or talk” (DeWoskin 44). As a result of losing a very important scent, she’s started to act differently from a person with sight.
The sentiment from Laila’s childhood, that people should not have more children if they have already given all of their love to their other children, informs her reaction to becoming pregnant with Rasheed’s child because she was worried that she would repeat history by not loving Rasheed’s child as much as she loved Tariq’s. Laila did not feel that her mother loved her as much as she loved her brothers. She felt as if her mother had no love to give her because she had already given it all away to her two sons. When Laila became aware that she was pregnant with Rasheed’s child, she contemplated killing it inside the womb because she did not believe that she could love
Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115.
Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115.
Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115.
Though everyone has their own definition of happiness and how it may be achieved, many still fall victim to society’s overwhelming standards and high expectations of how one should live. Throughout life, many that seek power may claim to have the answers one yearns for in order to gain the trust and loyalty they need to rule. However, by letting the ideas of the superior classes in society influence the course of actions one takes to achieve happiness, one automatically forfeits their natural right for the pursuit of happiness because how some may view happiness is not necessarily what one may want out of life. Various authors have portrayed this sense of absolute power through their writing as a way to bring awareness about the lack of control readers have in their own lives. Such may originate in the little control many have in their own lives due to them desperately giving their free-will to those that promise happiness.
Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115.
When Anna Close is first introduced in the novel, As We Are Now she is referred to as Mrs. Close. From what I gather, this was to represent a sort of formality between her and Caro because they were not yet acquainted. Not only this, but it also seems that it was Harriet and Rose's way of manipulating Caro to fear the worst out of Harriet's replacement. Caro knew better than to expect someone who would actually care for her, because of this she was surprised beyond belief when she met Anna.
A teenage girl, away at boarding school, decides to experiment with her sexuality. Popular among the boys, she soon finds herself in many unrestrictive, lust-filled sexual encounters. The conflict of the story emerges with her inability to find emotional fulfillment in her promiscuous affairs. Further, she is unable to reconcile her distorted belief that females are obliged to physically satisfy males against the empty and hallow feeling her profligate lifestyle creates within her. As a result, the teenager, along with many of her female peers, feel depressed and desolate.
Even after he fell in love with her and proposed to Elizabeth, he completely debased her family. Darcy realized eventually that he was going to have to change. He tried to look at his behavior. and analyze why he acted as he did. In the end, he fought his intense pride so that he and Elizabeth could be happy together.
Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the disposition of the parties are ever so well known to each, or ever so similar before hand it does not advance their felicity in the least (Austen 23).
Anna and Elizabeth both come from humble beginnings; however, Elizabeth marries for love, while Anna desires to marry solely for financial need. Elizabeth rues her decision to decline Darcy’s proposal once she becomes cognizant of her love for him. Elizabeth contemplates, "A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!" (Austen 308). Elizabeth progresses as a character as she is no longer naive to her feelings for Darcy and is wishful for another proposal. Austen emphasizes that love supersedes one’s need for social status as Elizabeth only accepts Darcy’s proposal once she genuinely knows she is in love and, as a result, lives a fulfilled life. Anna is the antithesis of Elizabeth as when she visits her family after her marriage, “Her father and the boys [look] at her in a peculiar way, as though just before she came in they had been blaming her for having married for money a tedious, wearisome man she [does] not love; her rustling skirts, her bracelets, and her general air of a married lady, [offends] them and [makes] them uncomfortable” (Chekhov 3). Anna parades her ostentatious new life, reminding her family of her fortune. Despite Anna’s apparent
She emphasizes that marriages can only be successful if they are founded on mutual love. Elizabeth and Darcy 's relationship is really different from all the others in the novel. Elizabeth does not care about him being super rich and he does not find her the most beautiful. At the beginning, he thinks she is “tolerable”. They do not like each other at the beginning, they argue a lot and are really sassy towards each other. They are the opposite of amiable. Their relationship is far beyond just physical attraction. Darcy secretly helps out with Lydia 's situation. He does not want Elizabeth to be hurt nor does he want her family to ruin their repuation. He helps Elizabeth and does not bring it up, let alone brag about it. Love is not boastful. This shows the reader how contrasting Darcy and Collins ' characters are. “Elizabeth 's heart did whisper, that he had done it for her...” She has a feeling that Darcy is the one who helped out but she is not one hundred percent sure. Elizabethis wistful about saying so many bad things about him and she regrets her little speech when she rejected him. Unlike every other character in this novel, Darcy and Elizabeth took things slowly. Darcy purposes to her after a long time, when he was sure about his feelings for her. Even when she rejects him once he did not ask her over and over again, unlike
Throughout the novel marriage is given a modern definition. Marriage is not meant to be a random pairing with mayhem, but a unit of coexistence with balance. Jane Austen depicts successful and unsuccessful pairs throughout the
Although Elizabeth is outspoken and judgmental, she has blameless intentions for herself. She seeks love in an innocent manner and for innocent reasons and as a result finds true love with Mr. Darcy. Catherine seeks love but also hopes to be showered with affection and to be provided with a higher social status, even though it may result in her marrying a man she does not truly love. Regardless of the difference in Daisy's and Elizabeth's personalities, appearance, and social status, each woman became content once they married. In the end, the morality of Elizabeth and Catherine led them both to live a wealthy life with their chosen husband despite the different obstacles they faced and the way they faced them.