THE DISAPPEARANCE
List quotes from the story of WHY the wife might be so desperately unhappy with her husband. Show examples of what he says and what he does?
- “Quiet. That’s how she was, at least around him, although sometimes when he came home unexpectedly, he would hear her singing to her son, her voice slightly off-key but full and confident”. Unlike the people in love, the wife is somewhat meek in the relationship. This being an arranged marriage, she seems to bear a good relationship with the son and not the husband. The description of her body language shows a person who is not happy with the life she is having. Despite her husband being ‘good,’ she is still not free with him and adopts a meek stature when he is around.
- “Almost disinterested, almost as though she were wondering if he would make a suitable spouse.” A flashback to the time of marriage, we are shown a bride who feels so lowly of herself, and she is not anxious for the marriage. The husband eventually chooses her, but that does not light her up. At one point, the husband points out she was not interested. Arranged marriages are not always a source of happiness as some fall into the arms of people they loathe. She is a quiet individual and not quarrelsome, which might bring an essence of perseverance in her marriage.
- “Sex. She was always saying, Please, not tonight, I don’t feel up to it”. The husband didn’t mind that. It is common for a married couple to engage in lovemaking. However, she shields herself from his advances, often taking up jobs during the ‘time’ and always making up excuses. Although not highlighted, she is not happy to indulge in lovemaking with her husband.
What disclosures show his lack of concern for her?
Despite noting the meek stature of her wife, he does not attempt to indulge her in conversation. He is content with her being quiet and keeping to herself. Although he sees it as a good thing, it a strain in the relationship as it shows disregard of each other. He misses crucial clues that would have aided in finding her and even ponders whether to give the evidence to the police. The emergence of his mother pushes his wife’s thoughts quickly, and soon she is forgotten. The pictures of his wife are shoved off and replaced and his son’s clearing the thoughts of her for good. These small elements erase her presence in their lives. When his mother brings up getting married for the second time, he does not oppose it. He even forgets when a year passes by since she has been gone. Clearly, his concern was not that strong, nor did his love for her.
What reasons might there be for her willingness to leave her child?
Her disappearance does not point towards any reason. She truly loved her child, yet she left him in the hands of the husband. Unhappiness, in her marriage, left her dissatisfied with life, and this might have pushed her to run away. She had been unhappy for too long with a person she seems not to love. Understanding her financial position, she opts not to take the child with her because of love. She knows her husband will provide a better life for the child, something she cannot due to her economic constraints. Despite all the love she holds for her son, she cannot sustain him while running away but instead lets his father take care of him.
Works cited
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Arranged marriage: stories. Random House, 1997.