Rabu, 18 April 2012

THE STANDARD OF LIVING by Dorothy Parker

           This story by Dorothy Parker tells the reader about the desirability of two people who want to be rich people. The story began when there were two ordinary girls as the main and protagonist character namely Annabel and Midge. They became best friends almost from the day that Midge had found a job as stenographer with the firm that employed Annabel. Annabel worked two years longer in the stenographic department. She got wages of eighteen dollars and fifty cents a week while Midge was still at sixteen dollars. Both of them lived with their family. From their performance, they looked similar like twin girl. It was in the shape of their bodies, their movement, their style, and their adornments. They wore sexy and bright dresses. They used gaudy make up because they painted their lips and their nails. They also darkened their lashes and lightened their hair. Their conspicuousness made them look cheap and charming. Then, they walked across to Fifth Avenue. They preferred to spend their leisure time by having fun like eating out in expensive restaurant and ordering expensive food as if they were a rich girl.
            The raising action happened when one day Annabel had found a game “what-would-you-do-if-you-had-a-million-dollars”. Actually, it was an ancient game but Annabel set new rules for it and made it stricter. The game was like this. Supposing like somebody dies and leaves you a million dollars but you had to spend it by yourself.
            First, Annabel offered the game to Sylvia, another girl who worked in the office. Annabel explained the rules then asked “what would be the first thing you’d do?” However, Sylvia showed that she wasn’t interested in it. Therefore, here Sylvia is just a minor and antagonist character. Then, Annabel offered the game to Midge. Midge could play the game interestingly. She could create many innovations for the game. She played with seriousness. Midge decided that the first thing that she would buy with her million dollars would be a silver-fox coat. Hearing it, Midge was disappointed because she thought that silver-fox coats were so common. A few next days, the girls spoke infrequently even they never once played the game. Then one morning, Midge did apologize to Annabel. She had changed her mind that she would not buy a silver-fox coat but select a coat of mink. Annabel was happy. After that, they walked again along Fifth Avenue. They wanted to find a coat of mink. Suddenly, Midge changed her mind again because she thought that a coat of mink was too hot and fur. She saw a shop window. There was a string of pearls. They were interested in it. Then Annabel wanted to know the cost. She challenged Midge to ask the price. Midge agreed and went into the shop. There was a doorman who guided them. He was very polite and helpful. Midge and Annabel walked with a bitter disdain face. When the doorman offered favor, Midge said that they wanted to know the pearl’s price. Surprisingly, it was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It was an exceptionally beautiful necklace. However, they refused to see them because they just wanted to pretend as if they were a rich person. Without apology, they turned to go. The clerk opened the door and bowed as they swept by him. Here, the clerk is just a minor and protagonist character.
            The climax happened when Midge and Annabel thought that the clerk was angry. They felt embarrassed. After a while, they realized that they just pretended him. They were faint.
            The falling action happened when Midge found her spirit again. She spoke clearly and directly to Annabel that Midge offered the same game to Annabel. So, what would be the first thing that Annabel does?

            This story uses surprise method because the reader can’t guess the end of the story that Midge and Annabel will be disappointed because they thought that the clerk was angry at them. This story also uses the plausibility method because it shows the real thing. For example, it shows that Midge and Annabel actually the poor and ordinary people because it states “Annabel had worked up to the wages of eighteen dollars and fifty cents a week; Midge was still at sixteen dollars.”
            This short story is included in closed plot topic because there is no resolution at the end of the topic. This story is just over when Annabel challenged Midge with the same game after both of them were disappointed. It is stated in the last paragraph of this short story.
            The method of characterization in this story is telling and showing. It uses showing method because the writer tells the reader about Midge and Annabel. It is stated in the sentence “They looked conspicuous and cheap and charming”. The writer also uses the showing method to describe that Midge and Annabel were sexy and beautiful. It is stated in the sentences “And their skin was like the petals of wood anemones, and their bellies were as flat and their flanks as lean as those of young Indian braves.”
            In this story, the writer uses third person point of view. The writer also uses the omniscient because the writer knows everything of the story. There are many pronouns “she” and “they”. There is no pronoun “I”. Therefore, they are the proof that Dorothy Parker uses third person point of view.
            In this story, the place setting is in restaurant which is known in the first paragraph that “they ate sandwiches of spongy new white bread greased with butter and mayonnaise” there. The place setting also happens in Fifth Avenue as stated “they walked across to Fifth Avenue with their skirts swirled by hot wind, they received audible admiration”
            From the story “Standard of Living”, we as the reader can get the value that we have to be ourselves. We can’t force ourselves to be another people because it will be painful at the end. If we are just ordinary people, don’t be arrogant and act as a rich people even make a game and imagine that we can get a million dollars by unknown crazy old man and spend his money by ourselves. We still have many ways to make people become respect to us. We can show it by our good behavior, politeness, and low profile.

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