Happy endings margaret atwood pdf

Running head: MARGARET ATWOOD’S ‘HAPPY ENDINGS’ 1

Margaret Atwood’s ‘Happy Endings’ 2

Margaret Atwood’s ‘Happy Endings’

Robyn Canada

ENG 341: Studies in Literary Genres

Professor Heather Auger

January 27, 2014

Margaret Atwood’s ‘Happy Endings’

Margaret Atwood an iconic figure in the world of literature is one of the few authors whose work has sparked controversy among various readers across the globe. One of her most popular poems; ‘Happy Endings’ is a perfect revelation of this sentiment. The relation between the narrator and the author is obscured rather than revealed and this study aims at unraveling the truth behind this assertion by carrying out an explicit annotated bibliography on some of the most researched articles in this subject.

Annotated Bibliography

Howells, C. A. (2006). The Cambridge Companion to Margaret Atwood. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

Howells (2006) in his book contrasts Sasame’s sentiments by asserting that Atwood’s relation to the narrator is through the issue of death as exemplified in Version C, where John shoots both Mary and James and then himself after finding out that Mary was cheating on her. Howells also supports his sentiments through the death of Fred in version F. He basically relates the author to the narrator through death which is a stage that everyone must pass through.

Korolczuk, E. (2004). One Woman Leads to Another–Female Identity in the Works of Margaret Atwood. Retrieved from http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/30244098/Atwood_Korolczuk.pdf?

In this article, the relationship between the narrator and Atwood is that of the feminine nature. This is a sharp contrast from other writers although there are some profound facts behind the writer’s assertion. The narrator relates to Atwood by sharing the same sentiments of women being a target for violence (Korolczuk, 2004). The writer postulated that women were a representative of imprisonment and servitude through the weak nature of their body. This is also affirmed in version B of Atwood’s story where she describes Mary as a hardworking girl who strives hard to impress John with the hope that one day he will marry her, but despite all her efforts she is used as a sex object and eventually dumped.

Nischik, R. M. (2000). Margaret Atwood: Works and Impact. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge Camden House.

Nischik’s (2000) shares the sentiments postulated by Sasame as he postulated that the version A that was described by Atwood, is a version that happens to everybody around the world. Most people end up having happy lives after they marry if they marry those that they love and will most likely conquer challenges together along the way in a unified version like their romantic life.

Sasame, K. (2010). Food for Survival in Margaret Atwood’s Dystopian Worlds. The Japanese Journal of American Studies 21, 1-21.

In this journal, Sasame (2010) exemplifies how the author relates to the narrator through the three life versions that are depicted by Atwood. In the first version A, Sasame asserts that both relate to the smooth life of falling in love and getting married as is the case with almost everyone else around the globe. The story of Mary and John, who fall in love, get married, buy a good house and become endowed with children; is a story that relates well with both the author and the narrator. Life basically encompasses those aspects and Atwood is just trying to reveal the real picture of our lives in this world.

VanSpanckeren, K., & Castro, J. G. (1988). Margaret Atwood: Vision and Forms. New Jersey, NJ: SIU Press.

Castro & VanSpanckeren (1988) in their book relate Atwood’s vision and forms to the real world. The narrator relates to Atwood by accepting that all people must learn to accept that death is a bridge that everyone must cross and that every romantic life is not smooth despite the happy moments that expresses during the beginning. Couples must learn to fight and struggle together for a happy ending to be realized.