“It’s beginning to hurt” is a short story written by James Lasdun. The story revolves around Mr. Bryar, who had just attended a funeral. It was his ex-mistress Marie who he met 10 years ago, through a solicitor.
They were secretly together for 3 years, behind his wife’s back - but then she abruptly ended it. Mr. Bryar, obviously lied to his wife, about going to the funeral, due to it was his ex - mistress’s funeral.
During the three years in which Mr. Bryar and Marie had an affair, he was happy and carefree. For him, the relationship with Marie was “an adventure”, and brought “reckless joys”. However, the relationship ended when Marie confessed that she had started to feel hurt by their affair.
Essay:
The short story “It’s Beginning to Hurt” by James Lasdun explores the theme of regret. This theme is explored through the main character, Mr Bryar, who becomes emotionally affected by the death of Marie, his former mistress. The death of Marie makes Mr. Bryar realize what he has lost and that after several years, he still loves her. At the funeral, Mr. Bryar weeps uncontrollably, a sign that he still loves her: “Throughout the service he had found himself weeping uncontrollably.” They have not been speaking for seven years, most people would have moved on, and they would probably not even attend the funeral. You would also think that after cheating on his wife that Mr. Bryar would be too ashamed to attend the funeral. But he comes and even cries, which indicates that he loves her. He is not ashamed; he wants to be there for her one last time, especially when he has not been there for her the last seven years.The reason why he loves Marie is that she brings out a different side of him: “Every home they entered was a different world”. With Marie he gets to be someone else, he is not bound by anything. It is interesting that Marie chooses to end the affair when she falls in love with Mr Bryar, rather than asking him to leave his wife. This is perhaps because she wants to avoid the pain that can come with romantic relationships.
Det er gratis at oprette en konto