In reading every section, the reader is led to imagine a variety of endings and it looks very much within reach that the reader will encounter something different from A. In the story, every narrative loops back to the initial template (section A) for a happy ending. Instead, the author urges writers to “try How and Why” (Atwood 547). She conveys this message in a subtly satirical manner by suggesting that many plots today aren’t successful at intriguing readers. Atwood calls into questions the typical plots of many stories-usually a distinct beginning, a progression of events and ultimately a lacklustre ending which is seemingly predictable. Happy Endings is a serious work of fiction that urges one to re-examine how we create and write plots. From section B to F is a dynamic passage of time that incorporates new characters and different plots, thus evoking a different mood in every section. Section A serves as a template that is alluded to in every subsequent section. The absence of time and a specific geographic location enables the story to cater to a larger scope of readers. The author doesn’t explicitly offer a setting for the story. This technique is relatively more intriguing as the reader is challenged to link the incidents and recurring characters in different sections. She doesn’t cater to the usual expectations of a reader-single plot with a few characters.
#Happy endings margaret atwood work cited series
She opts for a series of interrelated plots that incorporate several characters. She urges writers to change their plots from a sequential tale of events happening one after the other to how and why they unfold in a certain way.Ītwood’s Happy ending is not an ordinary short story.
The story appears to end with Atwood addressing writers. She concludes that every scenario will ultimately end as in section A-death. Atwood says that if the narratives in the previous sections are conformist, one can try and incorporate unconventional characters. The last section, section F, addresses the reader directly. Madge devotes her efforts to charity until the end of A.
The next section begins with an ailing Fred who eventually dies. Fred and Madge eventually survive and lead the life described in section A. However, they are afflicted by a large tidal wave, which drowns thousands. They get along seemingly well and end up owning house. The next section-section D-focuses on Fred and Madge. The author concludes this section as in section A but only under different names. Madge ultimately ends up marrying Fred but only after a period of mourning. One day, James shows up to Mary’s apartment with marijuana, after which John shows up, finds the two lovers in bed together, and kills them, before killing himself. John has two children and is married to Madge. They meet at work but Mary is in love with another man, James. Here John, who is older, falls in love with Mary, who is twenty two years old. Much like Section B, it’s worth noting that a reader could skip from the opening lines of the story straight to Section C. We are again introduced to the same two characters in section C, John and Mary. The section ends with Mary’s death and the union of John and Madge in marriage as in section A. In a state of distraught, Mary decides to commit suicide, with a faint hope that John will get to her before she dies. Through her friends, she later finds out that John is seeing another woman, Madge. Mary anticipates that one day, John will eventually learn to love her. Mary falls in love with John but John only uses Mary for sex. It also features John and Mary, the characters from section A. Section B picks up from the second line of the introduction. Section A begins with two people, John and Mary, who lead generic lives and eventually die. The 5 narratives describe the basic plot-lines to achieve a happy ending when writing fiction. The story begins with three lines and then further breaks down into five sections labelled A to F. Happy endings is a short story by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood.
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