The Wife

林珍金 劉有福

1. The main idea of the story is about the comparison of the women and men, and about how they have to pass a problem. The main story is about a women who always be there for his husband through the thick and thin. Even when his husband is not in a good circumstances, she decided to stay and stand strong beside him, supports him in every way.

2. Because vine and hardy plant represents the "mutual dependency"; metaphor. The vine (woman) clings on the hardy plant (man) lifted by it into the sunshine (when the man have a great fortune, his wife will be able to also feel his fortune) and when the hardy plant is rifted by the thunderbolt(struck by sudden misfortune or disaster), the vine cling round it with its caressing tendrils, bind up its shattered boughs (comfort and always support the man).

3. The characteristics of women are intredipity and elevation to their character compared to men, a soft and tender female, who had been all weakness and dependence, in a mental force still decide to be a comforter and support her husband under all of the circumstances or misunderstanding, they decided to stay. They have strength, fortitude, and also resilience.

4. Agree, quoting from the proverb "behind a successful man, there's a strong woman." Which means that a man's success is also determined by how the woman(his wife) be have. Which means that both man and woman are mutually dependent. A woman will enjoy his man's fortune but she also has to be ready to always be there to support their man if a misfortune happened.

5. Yes, we agree with this sentence. Because married man has someone who will always support him no matter what happen, he could still feel all the love that his wife gives, and it can be a source of strength for him. A support from one person could change everything. And to have a family means that man has to stand on his feet, to keep trying to find the way out of the problem, becuse he has lifes that he has to cover. And usually, women are willing to go down with her husband, in all situations or circumtsnces that may occur. Women are the ministering angel.

6. Not really, because real life is much more unfair than it is in fairy tale. Even that we can always learn something from the fairy tale, but we can't expect that real life will be as smooth as the fairy tale. Taking example of this short story, in real life there is only small portion of woman whose willing to support her man at his lowest point.

7. Because she tried all her sprightly powers and tender blandishments. But the more she tried, the more he felt the pressure around his chest, he couldn’t bring himself to tell her that he’s about to make her life change. The more she tried, the more he felt the love, and the thought that he had to bring her down with him tortured him. He couldn’t bear the thought of her live in poverty, that the happy heart will be weighed down by the cares, worries and miseries of the world, just like his.

8. Because the husband is afraid that he broke his wife's heart and ruin her life because he dragged his wife down from the sphere with brightness (he used to indulge her) into the poverty. He can't bear the guilt and afraid that his wife might not be able to accept that.

9. The author said that she must know it sooner or later because she is is wife. In the end he also have to tell her about everything that have been going on. The intelligence may break upon her in a more startling way, either because he has been keeping or hiding it from her or because she hear it from the other first. He can’t keep it long from her, because it is better for her to know it from his own husband, than to know it from anyone else. It would break her heart, with many thought in her head about why would her husband tell her first. Was it because she couldn’t handle it? Or was it because he feel that she’s unreliable? And many thought would come to that tiny head of hers. And the other reason was because the author know that she would go down with him, will support him. He said that true love will not brook reserve. Besides, the author felt like Leslie depriving himself of the comforts of her sympathy, and also endangering the only bond that can keep hearts together. The author knew that Leslie loves his wife so much, to the point that he couldn’t bring himself to tell her about the problem that they were in, but he thought that it would be better for Leslie to tell his wife and go through it together. Leslie couldn’t bear it alone for too long, he would need his wife’s support. His wife also need to change the way of her living her life.

10. That author said it his self (page 15)

"My intimate friend, Leslie had married a beautiful...."

Leslie doesn't mind to share his marriage problem (which indicate that both of them are close to each other). And the author is not afraid to give Leslie a very bold suggestion (by convincing his friend to tell her wife everything) about Leslie's marriage life (which show the maturity of their bond).

11. In the end, the author persuaded Leslie. He told Leslie that she should know it, in order for them to take a proper change and action in the circumtsnces. They should change the style of living. He didn‘t have to bear this alone. He said that Leslie still has friends, that will always be there too, that wouldn’t think the worse of him for being less splendid lodged, and he said that it doesn’t require a palace for his wife and him to be happy. They could be happy in just a small house. The author also said that his wife would be the same with him, that it would be a asihrce of pride and triumph for her, that she finally could prove that she loves him for himself, not for his money of anything else.

12. Because the author is also not so sure whether his friend's wife will be able to accept the fact that his husband is poor now ("I must confess, notwithstanding all I had said, I felt some little solicitude for the result. Who can calculate on the fortitude of one whose life has been a round of pleasures?...").

13. Mary’s reaction after knowing the truth was like an angel, Leslie said. She seemed rather to be a relief to her mind, she hugged him, and asked him if this this was the one that made him unhappy. Eventhough he knew that she don’t have any clue about what change they must go through, about the humiliation that she must bear.

14. It means that we should not keep a secret especially to those who are very close and important to us. the more we keep the secret the harder it is to keep and the harder the burden will be on us. It is always better that our closest person know the secret from ourselves rather than they found out their self or told by the others. Because by directly telling them, it shows our good will to be honest and might give us chance to communicate it with them where at the other hand if our closest person to us discover out secret by their selves, they might feel undervalued and higher chance to make everything falls apart.

15. Leslie was never so rich because he didn’t even know about love. he never knew the boundless treasures of excellence that he possesses in his wife. He never knew about all the love and the comfort that she could give. That she loves him with all her heart, that she wouldn’t mind go through thick and thin with him, that he shouldn’t be afraid about her leaving her or anything else. He’s the winner in his life for having Mary as his wife. He should have realized it before.

16. It tries to tell us that being happy in life or even in a marriage life is not always mean that we have enough money to buy any luxury thing, or any of that kind of thing. Happiness comes from what we have. It only depends on how we deal with the given situation. We should be grateful for what we have instead of asking for what we don't have

17. Our comment about this story is that this story has a good and positive storyline. It tells us that not all women are crazy about wealth, that they don’t want to go down with him. Women often loves with all the heart, and you will be amazed by how women can handle things just right, women can be the comfort, give all the love and support.