Monday 14 January 2013

Girls Summer Dresses

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Girls Summer Dresses Biography
In The Girls in Their Summer Dresses, it is necessary to explore the personal differences that cause problems in the relationship of the couple. The details of the story will lead to a conclusion that for Michael the relationship could just be a mere convenience or an affection solely generated by his physical wanting of Frances, so with the way she looks and appreciates the girls of New York.
Frances calling the Stevensons shows her attitude which is passivity and lack of idealism to confront the relationship with his husband. She is going to call the Stevensons because, she and her husband have nothing more to discuss about.
Michael's way of looking on women as mere bodies could suggest a kind of degradation—which is to define a woman only as an erotic or sexual figure.
There is an irony in the relationship of the couple which is the bloodless horror from the truth expressed that somehow the things are not, and never have been, what they used to pretend about themselves.
It is clear in the details with Frances that she had an initial feeling of insignificance and she wanted to be loved and acknowledged by her husband. The sentence, "I'd do any damn thing for you" points to a certain desire to be recognized as a good wife because of some degree of sensitivity that a man is needed in the family as the head and without him everything is nothing.
The "desire to please her husband" could also be attributed to liberation—such that Frances tries to uphold herself among other women and not just allowing Michael to dissolve her in the common wave of women. Her crying could also point to liberation by showing that she controls her own desires.
The theme of the two stories revolves around the feminist issue of marriage. A common notion between the two short stories is that love is a failure and a mere comic when there is the failure to recognize the beloved as a person and not a mere convenience. The stories also deal with the 18th and the 19th century American...

“The girls in their summer dresses” by Irwin Shaw

In the short story “The girls in their summer dresses” by Irwin Shaw, a couple’s marriage is in danger. A scene is played out from the early 1900’s of a middle aged couple going for a walk after breakfast on a Sunday morning. Michael, the husband is seen looking at a girl and Frances, the wife becomes emotional instigating a fickle dispute over Michaels actions.
In their marriage Michael and Frances have different attitudes and expectations for a committed relationship; Michael is a stereotypical insensitive male who enjoys looking at beautiful woman and Frances is a stereotypical sensitive woman who’s actions are confused by feelings.
Their marriage is in danger due to their different attitudes and expectations. Michael reasons it is fine to look at other woman and assuages Frances by stating "I look at everything. God gave me eyes and I look at women and men and subway excavations and moving pictures and the little flowers of the field. I casually inspect the universe." Frances eventually implies Michael want’s other woman "You look at them as though you want them," Michael replies "in a way that's true.“ affirming Frances implication and furthering the altercation. Frances is emotionally confused Michael is looking at other woman, but Michael has been doing so before the marriage even started. This is clearly a cause for confusion as Frances did not bring up the issue until now.
Michael is the stereotypical insensitive male who enjoys looking at beautiful women. Regardless of being married, Michael still desires other women and blatantly stares at them in front of Frances. "Look out," Frances said, as they crossed Eighth Street. "You'll break your neck." What starts out as an adverse acknowledgement turns out to be the epidermis of a much greater problem that is negatively affecting their marriage. Michael admits wanting to be free after Frances demands the truth, but does nothing to console Frances...

Irwin Shaw's short story "The Girls in Their Summer Dresses" is about a couple's marriage in danger. The man in the relationship, Michael, desires other women. His wife, Frances, knows this and is confused about her feelings in their committed relationship. Michael and Frances are jeopardizing their marriage. Both of them have different attitudes and expectations for a committed relationship therefore leading to a failing marriage.

Michael desires other women regardless of the fact that he is wedded. This is shown in the story when he is eying other women so often that his wife realizes it. When Michael and his wife are walking down Eighth Street, he sees a woman that is so pretty she could "break [his] neck."(p.1) Frances thinks she's "not pretty enough to take a chance of breaking [his] neck."(p.1) This proves that he is constantly looking at other women in front of his wife. Michael considers what it would be like if he were free. When he and his wife are discussing the subject, he cowardly admits that he "sometimes [feels he] would like to be free" (p.4) after his wife has to pry it out of him by begging him to "tell the truth."(p.4) This shows that the thought of being free has crossed his mind. Michael says that one day he may make a move on other women.   After, Frances implies that her husband is "going to make a move" (p.4), he replies that he "[doesn't] know" (p.5) if he will, however, she thinks otherwise. He confesses that "[he does] know."(p.5) Upon realizing her husband's intentions, she changes her outlook about the relationship.
Frances is ambivalent about her relationship with Michael. At first she wants to be alone with him but by the end of their conversation, she doesn't. The Stevenson's invite them to spend the day in the country, however, Frances "wants [her husband] to talk only to [her] and listen only to [her]" (p.1) for that day because she claims that they never see each other. Despite this fact, by the end of the conversation she...

“The Girls in Their Summer Dresses”
Irwin Shaw’s short story “The Girls in Their Summer Dresses” talks about a young married couple who tries to enjoy a Sunday afternoon in New York City. Frances catches her husband looking at other beautiful women as they pass by which creates an argument between the two. During several rounds of Courvoisier, Michael confesses his hidden obsession with women and how he admires and loves to observe many different types of women. He does this in such a detailed way that he shocks Frances and forces her to question his love for her.   Frances asks, “You say you love me?” (Shaw 279). This statement shows how her insecurity affects the communication with her partner, and can harm the future of their relationship.
Shaw’s story reveals how marriages dwindle when faced with temptation to infidelity, and how spouses choose to ignore those unfaithful thoughts. In this brief story, Michael reveals to his wife that not only does he like looking at pretty women, "sometimes I feel I would like to be free" and that it is likely that some day he is "going to make a move" (Shaw, 279) Instead of acknowledging the problem, Frances appears to ignore it completely as she states, “Keep it to yourself. I’m not interested.” (Shaw 290). Shaw implies how relationships may fail due to miscommunication   and eventually turn into relationships based on what’s convenient and looks good.
Works Cited
Shaw, Irwin. “The Girls in Their Summer Dresses”. Analyzing Short Stories. 6th Edition.   Ed. Lostracco, Joseph and George Wilkerson. Iowa: Kendall Hunt, 2005
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