Short Story asessment, The Good Corn & Turned

Essay by mareeHigh School, 10th gradeA-, February 1997

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Discuss how cultural circumstances effect a character's reaction to certain situations.

There is one major difference in The Good Corn and Turned and that is the reactions of the

wives to their husbands actions. In reality what the two men did was the same but how the

two women reacted was entirely different. Mrs. Mortimer forgave her husband and Mrs.

Marroner up and left her husband. This difference in reactions is caused by the different

cultural circumstances that the two women were in.

Mrs. Mortimer from the Good Corn was a farmer's wife, she was uneducated and had not

known any other lifestyle besides her country one, her isolation caused her to become

dependant on her husband and besides him Elsie was her only companion.

Mrs. Marroner on the other hand was a well educated, high society woman. She lived in

Boston, an upper-class suburb, had a Ph. D.

and once lectured at university. Because of her

suburban upbringing and education she was a confident and independent lady who relied on

no-one. She was the more dominant person in their marriage whereas in The Good corn Mr.

Mortimer was the dominant partner.

In The Good Corn when Mrs. Mortimer discovered that Elsie was pregnant she was at first

upset but later realised what a blessing the whole situation was, she had been longing for a

child for so long and was hoping that Elsie would give the baby to her. Mrs. Mortimer was not

overly upset with Mr. Mortimer because she felt that because she was in a depressed state

concerning her infertility that she pushed him away and also the fact that if she didn't forgive

her husband she would be left stranded with no-money, no possessions and not knowing

anybody because of her isolated circumstances.

Mrs. Marroner...