Reconciliation: analyse af Polly Clarks novelle

Friedrich Nietzsche once said “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” Marriage is precious; it is the promise of an everlasting love between two human beings. No matter how promising a marriage seems to be, love has no final answer. It is a feeling that is only able to exist as long as people are still in love with each other. But not every marriage ends with happily ever after. Marriage does not always turn out the way people had hoped for and sometimes even people who have been married for many year or even had decades of marriage will eventually get a separation which could lead to a divorce. Separation is usually a very emotional phase that you will be dragged through whether you would like it or not. It must not be mistaken for divorce, as it is not the same. In brief the great difference is clarification: When you are beside yourself, it is the separation speaking, yet when you reach a clarification, you will be ready to move on with your life as the new and divorced you.

In the short story “Reconciliation” written by Polly Clark in 2006, we meet Laura whose having a separation with her husband. She is in the middle of a separation, which brings her in the middle of her marriage and divorce. She is the main character. The short story is told by first - person narrator, so therefore we are able to know how she thinks and feels - even when she doesn’t know it herself. For months she and her husband have not spoken a word. She doesn’t know how to resume contact so she applies for a job as a temp at her husband’s office. Laura is a nervous person; she is showing nervous signals and doubt about herself. “I have forgotten my shoes.” “My trainers definitely will look weird with my skirt.” Not only is she forgetful but she also doubts herself, which is making her not able to thinking straight.