Discuss how the writer explores conflict in Ernest Hemingway's "The End of Something" and Graham Swift's "Chemistry"
Discuss how the writer explores conflict in Ernest Hemingway’s “The End of Something” and Graham Swift’s “Chemistry”.
The definition of conflict is: A disagreement or argument or where there is conflicts of ideas or interests, people have a different idea or interest which cannot al be satisfied.
The relationship in “The End of Something” and “Chemistry” are quite different. The relationship in Ernest Hemingway’s “The End of Something”, is that between two people; supposedly in love with each other. The relationships in Graham Swift’s “Chemistry” are between three generations, father and daughter, mother and son and grandfather and grandson. The woman starts a new relationship and her son thinks that Ralph’; his mothers new partner; is trying to take the place of his father. The woman is living with her son and her father. Her father says that she doesn’t need work and she will not be expected to pay for anything. She begins to take advantage of his good nature. She begins to take more interest in her new boyfriend than her kind natured father. The family was close family before Ralph met his mother. They had a stable relationship even though there was an underlying current.
Both “Chemistry” and “The End of Something” are centred on the theme of water. The story of “Chemistry” is centred on a pond, where the young boy and his grandfather sail their toy boat. They both share the same interests and it is obvious that there is no animosity between the two. The way the young boy talks about his grandfathers is enough to show that he thinks a lot of him and respects him for who he is. The setting of the pond is also relevant because the young boy’s father died when his plane crashed into the sea, again a reference to water. The shape of the pond and how it is described, “…was circular, exposed…” This quote could have a hidden meaning. The shape of the pond is a circle. Strong relationships are classed as circles are they go on forever and are strong. This could signify the woman’s relationship with her son. The exposed pond could suggest that the relationship between the woman and her father is open and that the ties are frayed. There is clearly some hostility between the woman and her father. When the three of them are in the park the young boy senses a connection, “an actual existing line between Grandfather, myself and mother”. The woman on one side and the grandfather on the other with the one they love in the middle. I think that something has gone on between he mother and the grandfather and that the little boy I the only one that keeps the family together. This suggests underlying tension between the two. In “Chemistry” the more you read of the story the more the significance of the water is understood by the reader. The water signifies the loss of the boy’s father.
