The First Wife
Introduction
Modern lifestyles have brought into the society many ills and practices that are beyond human intervention. The marriage unions as instituted and followed by the traditions have been disillusioned with new practices replacing the original beliefs. Just as Sneed (2012) states in her story ‘the First Wife,’ the famous are the same with the infamous but the two are not the same species. The writer in her own view writes about the way through which she through the character, Emma views the marriage traditions as per the modern world. The modern world has brought in new dimensions, in the marriage relations, and; as a result, divorce has increased especially among celebrities (Chaudhary, Anandalakshmy, & Valsiner, 2013). The story based on Emma, married to film star brings to attention the changes that are have had effects in the marriage unions with the unifying factor being wealth. The fantasy and fame have an effect on the marriage unions and the traditions that govern them (Harrington, 2011). However, this paper discusses marriage unions as per the current generation and the challenges that are related with the rich and famous with relation to Christine Sneed’s story ‘the First Wife.’
Sneed talks about marriage in the current generation from a view of the famous and rich people and relates it to the marriage unions of the standard couples. In her story, she addresses the lifestyle that many of the other girls do not understand but fantasize of how successful or good it may be. In a reflection of how Emma and Anders met, in different circumstance, each had a goal and dreams that he or she wanted to achieve. Anders already a rising famous actor and Emma still a student is dreaming about being a screenplay writer in the future. However, her meeting with Anders was a fantasy that she brags about as she compares herself with the people in the restaurant where they met. Describing their encounter Sneed centers on the instances when Anders encountered Emma, touching her hands. Many who had not known what it feels like to be in such a union envied the marriage. Emma’s expression of her view of Anders reflects the views of the other girls or even better of what they viewed the famous. Emma tries to imagine what the girls who were packing the flowers Anders sent her from time to time felt imagining if it were them receiving the flowers from the famous actor they had not met. Emma describes her previous relationships as unsatisfying to her and the man she was in a relationship with her vaguely describes them as compared to her description of Anders. The fantasy world as Sneed puts it plain to the modern world has its flaws that many have not realized. As teens grow, they believe what it feels like to be the wife of a famous actor but the reality proves otherwise (Cashmore, 2006). Nevertheless, Sneed foreshadows from the beginning the dissolution of the marriage.
The marriage relationships as per the description in the story ‘First Wife’ brings to the attention of readers a different side of the marriage unions that people have had less experience or knowledge. While many are fantasizing about how successful, the realities of the unions are unknown to many. The marriage of Emma and Anders serves as an example of the realities and the short-lived happiness of the celebrity and fame that the fantasy life brings. The union is what Emma and the modern teen’s dream of having but the ends are not what anybody dreamt to achieve from the union. While Anders was away in his trips to shoot, is when she meets with another woman whom she decides to be with and divorce Emma. Emma considers her predicament not new in her situation and thinks of other examples that she can recall. Describing Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward marriage, Emma compares to her marriage and still reflects on the idea that Paul Newman had to leave his first wife to have a relationship with Joanne. Therefore, Sneed exemplifies some of the broken relationships and relates it to the ordeal that Emma is to undergo as the wife of Anders, their untimely divorce, and the after events that come after their marriage is dissolved.
Written portraying the current life, the story ‘first wife’ reflects on the changes that inventions, new ways of life, and cultures have had an influence into culture. At the expense of making the best out of the relationships, marriage is a union with the married considering the benefits that they are to gain from the union before anything else. The fame and wealth that Anders had been a pull factor to Emma. Emma enjoyed the benefits that she was entitled to as a wife to a famous actor. Their first meeting after she had written her screenplay that he had sent to him at a restaurant, she was already fantasizing about the benefits that could come out of their bonding. According to Harrington (2011), the modern lifestyle depends much on fantasies that are hard to exist except in the formulation of an individual’s mind. The realities, however, of the situation leads to the dissolution of marriages with the notion if getting satisfaction outside the marriage unions. The film industry has had a major role in the spread of non-realizable dreams people see in films and movies. However, in a practical sense, these are just but ideas that a director or writer has put to play to describe his or her theme. The effect of the film and fantasy life has had a profound effect on the relationship roles and the marriage unions. Polygamy, divorce, and same-gender relationships all traced back to the different themes that have been adapted from the film and movie industries. Started as themes of portraying a message, they have become part of the everyday lifestyles.
The film industry portrays these aspects in a different way that creates an urge among its viewers on what the experience will resemble in the real sense. The influential characters as seen in the films and movies have played a part in the existence of these traits in the diverse cultures. Harrington (2011) asserts that, media and technology have led to the creation of a global culture that is joined by a number of different factors. The diversified traditions are altered in ways unimaginable and the dominant culture among the various cultures dictates the common practices. The inferior cultures are forced to adapt to the new practices that are new to them; as a result, the standard traditions they have been raised in are replaced. Therefore, the young generations as they grow with the influence of the film industries forget their responsibilities as per the cultures. Emma in the story ‘First Wife’ describes her adolescent years as a reflection of the modern teens. It is apparent that, at the tender age of thirteen, she is fantasizing about getting married to the older boys that she is acquainted with or the men that portrayed in the magazines (Edwards, 2013). The predicament is shared among the many teens with each is having their own different opinions or dreams that they so desire to achieve out of their lives as they develop into adulthood.
However, the experience that comes along the development stages shapes the future and the adulthood stages of every person. In her marriage, Emma faces a dilemma of when her husband is going to cheat on her or if he has already done so. The marriage union that existed between the two was pretence with each is expecting something in return from the other. At the time when Emma realizes that Anders wants to divorce her, she hesitates as every other woman would do but later on, she is desperate to how much she will be entitled to receive as the wife. She even goes on to mention the amount of money to under in her custody, the investments, and the villas that she wants to belong to her after they have divorced.
On the other hand, the story ‘the First Wife’ tries to bring to reality the issues that are prevalent in the marriage unions of the rich and famous. The rich and famous just like any other couples face the same challenges in marriages. Just as normal couples are unfaithful to one another, the same applies to the people who are rich and famous. At the onset of the relationship, everything appears to the couples as they have always dreamt about marriage but the reality comes later. As per the ‘First Wife,’ Sneed brings to reality the flaws that any marriage in the modern world faces. Economic constraints and challenges posed as the first challenge towards the dissolution of marriages. Divorce agreements are dependent on what benefit (economic) are the partners going to get when their divorce (Dnes & Rowthorn, 2002). Economic trends (successes) are the reason for the marriages that exist between the rich, economic trends have affected the natural marriage organizations. As per Clarke-Stewart and Brentano (2007) research studies, the conclusion is that the rich look for a spouse that they can love again and not that one person that they have already met and loved. When the intimacy is lost between them, they are likely to look for the same experience anew. They, therefore, will divorce and remarry for the reason of getting satisfaction from the relationships that they have.
Sneed also emphasizes on the realities that become apparent in the marriage organizations. The relationship between Emma and Anders was dependent on the fame and interest that both of them were in search of and not the primary purpose of spending life together. Soon after their union, the realities of the duties and responsibilities they both had in relation to their professions and social obligations dawned on them. Anders spent most of the time outside the house shooting in different parts and gave him a limited time to spend at home. To Anders his career life was taking him places and while Emma remained in the house most of the time. The only communication channel that they had was through the telephone. Weiss & Schneider (2014)assert that, technological advancements have replaced the intimate moments supposed to be shared among couples. Their indifference in the lifestyles portrays their incompatibility as wife and husband a context that has been eroded. Marriage is a union of compatible partners all who takes pleasure at the interest of the other without being displeased. However, the fantasy that the present generation has cultured into its lifestyle has eroded the necessity of such for the sake of economic and selfless gains.
Age difference is another aspect that Sneed addresses while expressing the marriage relationship of Emma and Anders. Emma is three and a half years younger than Anders is. According to OECD (2005) statistics, couples with less or zero age difference have a better chance of living longer together as husband and wife as compared to couples who have a large age difference between them. The age difference factor in the marriage traditions meant a lot to the community and the couples who were getting into marriage relations. However, the current generation considers not this important context. Consequently, wrangles and misunderstandings arise among the couples, a contributing factor to the increased number of divorce.
Additionally, it is evident on the unmet expectations that Anders discovered when he settled with Emma. In his work, Anders expected to enjoy every moment with Emma. During their first encounter, she asked Emma if she did act to express his desire to spend more time with her both outside the working environment and in the working environment. Therefore, when Anders realized that what he intended to meet from Emma, he decides to find another woman who might satisfy the expectations that he had. Both Anders and Emma had different visions of what they wanted to achieve in their lives. While Anders is building on his fame in the film industry, Emma who wanted to become a film writer loses her interest and directs her attention to other events in her life. These different success visions make them incompatible to remain as couples, in turn, they get divorced.
Conclusion
The evolution of technology and other advancements in the modern world have outstretched effects that have disrupted many cultural beliefs in a way unimaginable. Many cultural beliefs with substitutes of the fantasies adapted from the film industries and the movie artists. One such belief is marriage. Divorce is in the rise, in many parts of the world with the reasons still debatable. Tracing back to the early life situations, there are considerable differences that are evident tracing back to the influential roles of media. From her own perspective, Sneed addresses the different issues that relate to the increased number of divorce cases and relates them to the social ways of life. Irrespective of the social class, Sneed tries to give a perspective and experience from both sides. The differences and similarities relate to the contemporary world and they serve as a lesson to readers of her story. To an extent, Sneed related the incidence of divorce by comparing with other celebrities and bringing to play Otik a common and an infamous character.
References
Cashmore, E. (2006). Celebrity Culture. New York: Routledge Publishers.
Chaudhary, N., Anandalakshmy, S., & Valsiner, J. (2013). Cultural Realities of Being: Abstract Ideas Within Everyday Lives. New York: Routledge Publishers.
Clarke-Stewart, A., & Brentano, . (2007). Divorce: Causes and Consequences. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Inc.
Dnes, A. W., & Rowthorn, B. (2002). The Law and Economics of Marriage and Divorce. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Edwards, L. H. (2013). The Triumph of Reality TV: The Revolution in American Television. Santa Barbra, California: ABC-CLIO, Incorporated.
Harrington, J. L. (2011). Technology and Society. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
OECD. (2005). Society at a Glance 2005 OECD Social Indicators: OECD Social Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishers.
Sneed, C. (2012). The First Wife. In L. Furman, The PEN O. Henry Prize Stories 2012 (pp. 1050-1343). New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Weiss, R., & Schneider, J. (2014). Closer Together, Further Apart: The Effect of Technology and the Internet on Parenting, Work, and Relationships. Carefree, Arizona: Gentle Path Press.
Annotated Bibliography
Cashmore, E. (2006). Celebrity Culture. New York: Routledge Publishers.
Cashmore describes the culture that is associated with celebrities. The book, a case study of the lives of celebrities, presents a closer look at the different lifestyles that they live and the things that they take interest. A book published in 2006 provides current information regarding celebrities and their lifestyles. In relation to the research essay, Ellis presents the conception of artists regarding marriage’s relations and their meaning to celebrities.
Chaudhary, N., Anandalakshmy, S., & Valsiner, J. (2013). Cultural Realities of Being: Abstract Ideas Within Everyday Lives. New York: Routledge Publishers.
The diverse cultures hold different values for marriage relationships. Chaudhary, N., Anandalakshmy, S., and Valsiner, J. present a number of religious beliefs related to marriage relations and thee values that they hold to the society. However, about the evolutions that have been instigated by social and cultural changes these values are lost. A publication of 2013, the data and information regarding the current trends are credible to justify the information presented in the research material.
Clarke-Stewart, A., & Brentano., (2007). Divorce: Causes and Consequences. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Inc.
Clarke-Stewart and Brentano provide a number of causes and consequences that divorce has on the family units and the societal groupings. Their research work and explanations based on psychological perspectives present a new dimension to the concept of divorce. Additionally, the book addresses the effects of divorce to the normal family units with the current generation and challenges. A book published in 2007, gives a credible resource of information that can be used as a reference for developing a research study.
Dnes, A. W., & Rowthorn, B. (2002). The Law and Economics of Marriage and Divorce. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Marriage and divorce according to Dnes and Rowthorn have their ups and downs. However, in the book, they focus on economic issues that are related to marriage and divorce. They present a conclusive research on what the legal regulations on economic factors that might affect marriages and the consequences that it presents in the case of divorce. A book published in 2002, presents a contemporary legal and cultural regulations regarding marriage and the economic considerations.
Edwards, L. H. (2013). The Triumph of Reality TV: The Revolution in American Television. Santa Barbra, California: ABC-CLIO, Incorporated.
The world is becoming a single cultural globe with many cultures mixed together to form a multi-culture. However, according to Edwards, there are imbalances in the dominance of the cultures in this multi-culture pool. The most dominant cultures thrive at the demise of the less dominant. The American television systems have had a profound effect on the cultures of different parts of the world. Published in 2013, Edwards presents the current issues and effects of the television and media on the diverse cultural practices.
Harrington, J. L. (2011). Technology and Society. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Harrington presents a unique perspective on the effect of technology to the cultural practices. Though the effect is not realizable, the long term effects are the ones that Harrington focuses his book. Many cultural practices have been replaced, but the modern methods that technology eases the effort to accomplish in a way unimaginable in the past. The research materials that Harrington presents in his book are credible to be uses for reference since they are a current publication of 2011.
OECD. (2005). Society at a Glance 2005 OECD Social Indicators: OECD Social Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishers.
OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) conducts research regarding the economic and developments of different aspects in the contemporary society. Their research on the divorce rates in the Western countries presents a credible information that is integrated into determining the effects and reasons that are leading to divorce. Their publication of 2005 served as a credible source in the compilation of this paper with latest statistics carried relating to divorce rates.
Sneed, C. (2012). The First Wife. In L. Furman, The PEN O. Henry Prize Stories 2012 (pp. 1050-1343). New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Sneed the author of the story, ‘the First Wife,’ presents a number of issues relating to the issues of divorce and the celebrity lifestyles. In her story, Emma married to a famous actor Anders, faces the challenges that most women married to celebrities have to undergo. Written in 2012, Sneed addresses the modern society and the changes that have been introduced into the society ways through the evolution of culture and technology. Despite the fact that she addressed other aspects in the book, she clearly depicts the societal differences regarding the rich and famous and the ordinary society members.
Weiss, R., & Schneider, J. (2014). Closer Together, Further Apart: The Effect of Technology and the Internet on Parenting, Work, and Relationships. Carefree, Arizona: Gentle Path Press.
Weiss and Schneider discuss the effects of technological improvements on the methods of parenting, work, and social relationships in the modern society. In the place of face to face conversations, technological devices have replaced the essence of the physical meeting with computers, mobile phones or tablets taking their places. Every year, there is a new improvement into the technological world each having its own unique significance and role to play. Weiss and Schneider’s book published in 2014, addresses the very current changes in the parenting, work and relationships and technology.