Compare how the protagonist's relate to each other in each of these short stories. Consider while you are doing so what is expected of them in various roles. Does this reflect a change in the role of women within the institution of marriage?

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Compare how the protagonist’s relate to each other in each of these short stories.  Consider while you are doing so what is expected of them in various roles.  Does this reflect a change in the role of women within the institution of marriage?  Look at the methods used by the authors to enter the consciousness of their characters.  How do they do this?  Is it successful?  What is the overriding mood you are left with as each story comes to its conclusion?  What do they tell you about the nature of marriage?  

‘Samphire’ and ‘Weekend’ are two short stories, which show how couples interact within relationships and contrast and compare the roles of husbands and wives.  In ‘Samphire’ and ‘Weekend’ the female protagonist’s are seen as inferior when compared to the males, which are rather arrogant and patronising.  The women are more timid and more likely to follow their husbands views.  The men seem to expect their partners to honor and obey them but Martin in ‘Weekend’ is much more modern and does not expect as much devotion from his wife when judged against Lacey in ‘Samphire’ who expects his wife to ‘Love, honor and obey’ him fully.  However we can see that there is a change from the older more traditional story line of ‘Samphire’, towards the modernized ‘Weekend’.  Molly in ‘Samphire’ has no career or children and her partner expects her to treat him as her ‘Lord and master’ whereas we can see that Martha in ‘Weekend’ has a career, children to care for, is able to sort out the housework and yet still manages to organize dinner parties, trips to the countryside cottage and to spend a lot of time with her husband, who does not say as much but manages to make her abide by his rules.  

‘Samphire’ was written by Patrick O’Brian and comes from a book full of short stories.  It describes the tale of a couple who take a trip to a holiday hotel and whilst the male, Lacey is enjoying himself immensely, his wife is clearly not; ‘there was something in her throat so strong that she could not have spoken if it had been for her life.’   In fact, just by the second page of the story we can see that Molly finds him rather repulsive; ‘He laughed, excited by the wind, and put his hand on her shoulder.  Even then she writhed away’.  She also finds him arrogant; ‘jutting his chin’ and patronising; ‘Like a lazy puss.  He said, wagging his finger’.   Lacey is an immature man who talks in a very boyish manner; ‘jolly good Samphire’, and thinks that everybody wants to be involved in his life and be aware of his business when they clearly don’t; ‘The man nodded’.  This shows that he likes to think that people are intrigued by his actions and rather respect him, whereas analysis shows that onlookers just find him to be a pest, shown by a passer-by simply nodded and not bothering to make conversation.  Molly also finds him to be a great embarrassment;  ‘he sang, we are the boys that nothing can tire; we are the boys that gather samphire.’

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Molly is in a world of her own and is scared and very vulnerable to harm.  When she is on the cliff she is petrified of its height and as personification is used it creates an even more dramatic scene; ‘sheer, sheer, the white cliff rising’.  Unfortunately Lacey is very insensitive to Molly’s needs and is almost oblivious to her feelings.    

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‘Weekend’ was written by Fay Weldon and shows the relationship between a married couple; Martin and Martha.  Martin is very dictatorial and always seems to belittle his wife and patronise her; ‘“don’t get ...

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