"The Cold Equations" written by Tom Godwin, and "Boys and Girls," written by
Alice Munro, are very different stories, but so similar. Both short stories have characters
who face death and discover something valuable in the process. In two stories characters
realize they are powerless to stop a death . This recognition changes them in different
ways.
While reading "The Cold Equations" I began to understand how Marilyn felt, and
how she coped with her problems. At first Marilyn was shocked to find the out about the
outcome of what would happen to her after she hid on and EDS ship. " Her words trailed
away, and he turned his attention to the viewscreen, not wanting to stare at her as she
fought her way through the black horror of fear toward the calm gray of acceptance."
That quote explains how Marilyn was finally beginning to accept her fate.
Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)
Map of Marilyns in Britain and Ireland
English: Crypt of Marilyn Monroe at Westwood Villa...After she had
accepted it, although she was still very frightened, she put on a brave face. Marilyn was
able to talk to her brother which seemed to calm her, and put her at peace.
"Boys and Girls" confused me in the way that the author presented it. The girl in
the story, who was the narrator talked about her life. She had gotten attached to a horse
named Flora. In this story, the girl knew that Flora was going to die, but once she realized
how much she would miss her, and what was going on, she did not want to give the horse
up. She refused to accept something that could not be changed, so the girl let Flora get
out of the gated area. Unfortunately, her father found her later on and then shot the horse,
as he had planned all along. The girl...