[Eduard Khanukayev]

3) A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason called “Shiloh”

A. In this story the main characters are Norma Jean and Leroy Moffit. The conflict is present due to the fact that Leroy is home because of a leg injury. With Leroy being home it makes Norma feel like it’s the beginning of their marriage. Along with this the rift that originated between them came about due to their son’s death.
B. The story mentions how Leroy likes to lay down on the couch and smoke a joint, along with this he listens to Norma Jean’s songs “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “I’ll Be Back.”
C. One thing that she does is to work out, which is strange because it’s not really a woman’s thing to do. She also cooks cleans and goes to a night school, this is all to not be around her husband.
D. Shilo is a battleground, where a civil war battle was fought. They went there because Norma’s mom recommended that they go there, and it symbolizes a death between two sides, in this case their relationship dying.
E. I do like to read about actual things because it adds insight to the movie that I am watching, or story that I am reading.
F. I am not understanding the meaning of “Bed Skirts”
G. This is a real couple that, just like in the story, drifted apart from each other, and this is why the author named them accordingly.

[Nay]

An essay by Judy Syfers called “Why I want A Wife”
A. The writer wants a wife to fullfill all the “wifely” duties that she currently fills. She doesnt want a same sex relationship but rather an acquiescent relationship where her wife does everything that she is asked off with no hesistation and to fullfill her needs before her own such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children.

B. Satire is “a technique employed by writers to expose and critize foolishness and corruption of an individual by using humor or exaggeration”. Which Judy was very sucessful in using by exposing what husbands expected of their wifes through the use of exaggeration. They expect their wifes to cook, clean, and take care of their needs before the wife takes care of hers. This essay criticises what women actually put up with back then and currently today in some cultures. The characteristics of what Judy wants in her wife is very much similar to the demands husbands ask of their wifes in many different cultures.

C. In the essay when a family goes on vacation Judy says “she wants a wife to “continue” taking care of her and her children when she needs a rest. She specifically uses the word “my children” to emphazise the accomdation wifes have to be to their children and partners needs.

[Nay]

An essay by Judy Syfers called “Why I want A Wife”
A. The writer wants a wife to fullfill all the “wifely” duties that she currently fills. She doesnt want a same sex relationship but rather an acquiescent relationship where her wife does everything that she is asked off with no hesistation and to fullfill her needs before her own such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children.

B. Satire is “a technique employed by writers to expose and critize foolishness and corruption of an individual by using humor or exaggeration”. Which Judy was very sucessful in using by exposing what husbands expected of their wifes through the use of exaggeration. They expect their wifes to cook, clean, and take care of their needs before the wife takes care of hers. This essay criticises what women actually put up with back then and currently today in some cultures. The characteristics of what Judy wants in her wife is very much similar to the demands husbands ask of their wifes in many different cultures.

C. In the essay when a family goes on vacation Judy says “she wants a wife to “continue” taking care of her and her children when she needs a rest. She specifically uses the word “my children” to emphazise the accomdation wifes have to be to their children and partners needs.

[Ashley Adhar]

3) A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason called “Shiloh”:
http://english204-dcc.blogspot.com/2011/05/shiloh.html
a) Who are the main characters? Why is there a conflict? What has caused a severe rift between them?
The main characters of the short story are Leroy Moffitt and his wife Norma Jean. Leroy is a truck driver. However, the conflict is that he got into a accident and now he is on disability leave. With him being home, it created a sense of awkwardness between them. The death of their child who has died years ago created a severe rift between them. They also have a rift due to the lack of communication between them and not knowing how one another feels.
b) What does the husband, Leroy, do to pass the time? Are these things we expect of a man to do?
Leroy makes things from craft kits along with building a miniature log cabin. In addition to this, Leroy tried building other things. These are things we commonly expect men to do.
c) What does the wife, Norma Jean, do to keep busy? Why do you think she involves herself in so many activities? Which one of them seems unusual for a woman to do?
Norma Jean works at a drugstore which keeps her occupied. She also used to play the piano in high school. She continues to play instruments.
d) Why do they go to Shiloh? What is Shiloh? Do you think it is symbolic?
Norma Jean and her husband go to Shiloh in order to give their marriage a new beginning. Shiloh is one of the first battlefields.
e) Unlike with much older stories, this one was written fairly recently, the 1980s and it has references to actual song and movie titles. Do you like to see and read about actual things when you watch films and read stories? What is the appeal of including such things?
I like to see and read about actual things when I watch films and read stories. It makes the story or movie more interesting and allows me to relate about certain things.
f) Notice the reference to a dust cover’s color (a bed skirt). What meaning does it have if any?
I am not sure what is the meaning behind the reference to a dust cover’s color.

[Melina Tlatelpa]

“Why I want a Wife”

I believe that the author wants a wife because she wants more things being done for her then she can do. She is saying how she wants a wife so she can do certain things for her and her children. She wants to be helped because she has needs too

I believe that her essay is a successful expose of what husbands expect because she is including all things that are expected of a wife.

The author says my instead of our. I think that she is trying to show that the wife takes more care of the children.

[Melina Tlatelpa]

The story Of an hour
I believe that the wife’s first name isn’t said because the author wanted to let us know that she was married.

I think that they are around 20-25 years old. I don’t think they have children.

I was kind of disturbed because usually when someone passes away their loved one cry and grieve. But she didn’t,instead she was relieved and happy because she is finally free.

I think that freedom means to be able to do things without being called out for it or to not be captive.I do want to get married one day. I feel like we loose a little freedom because sometimes we can’t do things that we would do when we were younger. I think that her marriage was for emotional security.I think that people still get married because of emotional security. People want to feel loved and cared for with the right person
She dies because of a heart disease but other people think because of the emotions and sadness.
I don’t really understand the quote.

[Melina Tlatelpa]

3) A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason

The main characters are Norma Jean And Leroy Moffit. Thereis a confict because Leroy is home from his work due to his leg injury. Things are weird between them. They are not really close anymore.

He builds things like cabins. These are things we expect men to do.

Norma Jean likes to work out,cook,clean.Also bodybuilding She also goes to school in the night. I think that she involves herself so much so she can avoid and get away from her husband. It is unusual for someone to do body building.

They go to Shiloh to give their marriage a new try. Shiloh is a battlefield and also a cemetery. I think that it symbolizes their relationship not working anymore.

Yes I do like to read and watch about actual things.

Im not sure what it means.

[Nay]

The Story of an Hour
A. The wife’s first name is not said right away to show how women are sometimes disregarded and overpowered by their husbands when they get married.

B. I would say that the married couple is in their early twenties as it was said in the story that the wife was “young, with a fair, calm face”. I assume that they did not have any children as nothing was mentioned in the story.

C. I was not disturbed by her action to the news of her husbands’ death in the beginning as she reacted typically as any other person would which was by sobbing and becoming sad. But I was later disturbed as I realized her tears were more tears of joy and feeling a sense of relief finding out that her husband died.

D.I feel as if freedom to her meant finally being able to be her true self and being able to do whatever she wanted which is sometimes hard to do when you get married as you have to become adjusted to your parner’s lifestyle. I do want to get married one day and would like to be in a marriage where there is a balance between me and my partner where I would not feel as if I would lose my freedom when I do. People still get married to have a commitment with someone they truly see themselves with for a long time. Marriage can be for both a emotional and financial security.

E. Mrs. Millard died from being heartbroken and shocked in finding out that her husband was still alive while others thought that she died from heart disease as she did have heart trouble.

F. I do not think that the narrator is criticizing men but showing the harsh reality in how some women feel in their marriages which is the feeling of being trapped and not being able to be free and be their true selves.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Nay.

[Nay]

“Shiloh”
A. The main characters are Leroy Moffitt’s, his wife Norma Jean, and her mother Mabel. There is a conflict between the couple because they are not used to being around each other consistently as they do now since Leroy was always on the road. Distance and past trauma of losing their baby had caused a severe rift between them.

B. Leroy gets into the hobbies of making products from popsicle sticks, making a lamp out of a model truck, and string art. These things are expected in a man as a lot of men are always physically building things.

C.Norma Jean took bodybuilding classes, cooked different types of recipes, and attended night classes at a community college to keep herself busy. She involves herself in so many activities to be away from her husband which she was used to when he was always on the road. Bodybuilding was an unusual thing for a woman to do since this was mostly a man’s interest.

D. Shiloh is a county in Tennessee where the civil war battleground is located. The couple went to Shiloh as a promise to Mable which she thought would be a good way to strengthen their relationship. Shiloh symbolizes Leroy and Norma Jean’s deceased relationship.

E. I like to see and read about actual things as this makes the story more compelling and easier to understand.

F. The reference to the dust cover does not have any meaning.

G. The author named her couple after two famous American icons because the story was related to their life experiences.

[Wei Ni]

Why I want a Wife
a) What is the writer saying essentially: why does she want a wife? Is it because wants a same-sex relationship or is it something else?
No, it is because the author is saying thats what men want, they want a wife so they can do everything they need them to do, which is unfair to them. The reason the author said wife is because if they said husband it wouldn’t make sense. It’s unfair for women.

b) This is an example of satire. Please look up “satire.” Do you think her essay is a successful expose of what husbands expect? Is it funny or dated (it was written 50 years ago during the height of the Women’s Rights movement). Is what is says about husbands offensive or is it a criticism of what women actually put up with?
It’s 50/50, since not all husbands are like this. It’s not offensive to me at least, I don’t know if it’s offensive to others. And same goes with the women, not all women puts up with this type of issue, but some do.

c) Notice what she says about what is expected when a family goes on a vacation: whose children are being taken care of? (Notice the power of one word: is it “our” or “my”?
It’s ‘my’ and that’s the authors way of saying husbands are possessive and dominant.

2) A very short story called “The Story of an Hour”:
a) Notice that the wife’s first name is not said right away. Why do you think that is?
I believe it is because the author wants the reader to understand that the wife is being trapped by her husband. It’s proven a little bit when she went to the window and repeateatly said, “Free, Free, Free.” as if she was finally free from the grasp of her husband.

b) How old would you say this married couple is? Do they have children?
The story mentions nothing about children, I believe they are pretty young.

c) Were you disturbed by her reaction to the news of the husband’s death?
I was only slightly disturbed, Then I realized, what if she was married against her will or something, and this was not a marriage that she was happy with. Her husband was trapping her and his death was a freedom wish for her.

d) When she speaks of being “free,” what does freedom mean? Do you want to get married one day? Do you feel you will lose your freedom when you get married?
If marriage is being criticized, why do people still get married and why do gay and lesbian couples want to get married? Is marriage for emotional security or financial security?
She speaks of being free from her marriage. She says “Free! Body and soul free!” which shows her gratefulness of her husbands passing. I don’t want to get married but the pressure from the world is huge. I think you’ll only lose your freedom after marriage if you marry the wrong person. If you marry someone that you truly love, both of you can make out some arrangement and there would be no loss of freedom. People marry because its normal and it symbolizes a commitment. I think gays/lesbian couples marry for security reasons, and because their paths are tough, they can confide in each other during tough times. But I think marriage in general is for both emotional and financial reasons.

e) When Mrs. Mallard dies, why does she die? What do the other characters think is the reason for her death? (We know the real reason, but they do not.)
She dies because it was a mistake, her husband didn’t actually die, it was a mix up. so she dies from shock, because she has a weak heart and from learning that her husband was dead, she was overjoyed, so to see him fully alive put her to shock and she died.

f) Do you think the narrator, who shows the woman’s thoughts, is criticizing men?
But notice: she says, “There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.” Perhaps she is being fair to or critical of both men and women.
No, I do not believe the narrator is criticizing men, the narrator sounds like a female. and still managed to be fair to both sex.

3) A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason called “Shiloh”:
a) Who are the main characters? Why is there a conflict? What has caused a severe rift between them?
The main characters are Leory and Norma, husband and wife who had a infant with SDIS years ago. There is a conflict because Leory was involved in a serious accident from his old trucker job and now he’s at home everyday unemployed and wants to build a log cabin for his wife, but the wife refuses.

b) What does the husband, Leroy, do to pass the time? Are these things we expect of a man to do?
He plays cards, drive around, smokes, goes to the gym. I mean these are things that anyone can do. If it was only restricted to men that’s sterotypcial.

c) What does the wife, Norma Jean, do to keep busy? Why do you think she involves herself in so many activities? Which one of them seems unusual for a woman to do?
She goes to nightschool, she bodybuilds, she’s taking a course a nearby community college. She involves herself in so many activities to get away from her husband and mother which have been intruding to her life recently.

d) Why do they go to Shiloh? What is Shilo? Do you think it is symbolic?
They went to Shiloh because her mother wanted her to go and also Leory wanted to go there because he thinks it could clear her mind a bit.

e) Unlike with much older stories, this one was written fairly recently, the 1980s and it has references to actual song and movie titles. Do you like to see and read about actual things when you watch films and read stories? What is the appeal of including such things?
Yeah, it feels great reading and watching film from real life events. Including dates help enrich the story so we can try to envision what we believe the world looked like back then.

f) Notice the reference to a dust cover’s color (a bed skirt). What meaning does it have if any? Note: good writing should include sensory appeal, words that appeal to our five senses. It is easy to appeal to our senses of sight and hearing, not so much to our senses of taste, tough, and smell. (In movies, we can see and hear beautiful and ugly things, but we cannot experience the other sensations.)
I think the dust cover represents the couples ability to put their issues and problems ‘under the bed’ which means to keep issues out of sight.

g) Google who was Norma Jean and who was the man that was called “The King” (Leroy means king). Why do you think the author named her couple after two famous American cultural icons. It is highly doubtful she just pulled names out of a hat.
I think the author used these 2 famous people names in the story because they were important to the location of the story? I’m confused on this question still.

[Valentina]

An essay by Judy Syfers called “Why I Want a Wife”

A) The reason the writer wants a wife is so that the wife will attend to her needs and the children, and the house’ needs before her own. She basically wants someone to be there unconditionally who will always do what they are told, and whose only purpose is to please them.
B) I believe her essay is a successful expose of what husbands expected from their wives back then. I also believe that it is more dated than funny. And I also believe that it is more of a criticism of what women actually put up with instead of it being offensive. She’s trying to say that the wife has to put up with all the chores and her husband’s needs. She also mentions that “I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife’s duties. But I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to explain a rather difficult point I have come across in my course studies.” She feels frustrated because she feels as though they are not allowed to have a feel or say in what they want.
C) I did not notice this when I first read the story, but looking over it right now I notice that she often says “my” instead of “our”. I actually think she does not say “our children” at all, it is always “my”.

A very short story called “The Story of an Hour”

A) I think the wife’s name is not said right away to show that she had a husband.

B) I would say this married couple is around 40 or maybe 50 years old. This is because of the heart trouble mentioned in the beginning of the story. From what I read, I don’t think they have any children.

C) I was not disturbed by her reaction, but it was not the reaction I was expecting. It surprised me and I also found it a little amusing.

D) When she talks about being “free”, I think she means that she will do as she pleases from now on with nobody holding her back. I think maybe I might want to get married one day, I’m not sure. And no, I don’t think I will lose my freedom if I get married. If I do decide to get married, then I would choose someone who really knows me for who I am, and will not hold me back from my choices and be there to support me. Even though marriage can be criticized a lot, I think many people would like to get married because of the nice thought about it (spending the rest of your life with that special person who always makes you happy), and the same goes for LGBTQ+ couples. I also feel like marriage is more about emotional security than financial security, but I know people can get married for many other reasons beside love or business.

E) She dies from shock, and happiness because she feels like she is finally free. The other characters think that she dies because she got really happy to find out her husband was actually alive.

F) I don’t think the narrator is necessarily criticizing men, but they are trying to show that sometimes women tend to get held back from things they want to do because of a husband or such. As shown in the quote, the narrator also explains that this situation can also happen with a woman and not just with men.

A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason called “Shiloh”:

A) The main characters in this story are Leroy Moffitt, Norma Jean (who is Leroy’s wife), and Mabel who is Norma’s mother. The conflict here is that Leroy got into a driving accident and he can’t drive anymore so he stays at home all the time due to his injury. Plus, their marriage seems to be falling apart, they lost a baby when the baby was just 4 months old and it has not been the same since then.

B) To pass time, Leroy mostly just stays at home. He likes to smoke and make crafty things from popsicle sticks as well. I guess these are not things we expect from someone who is mature.

C) To pass time, Norma likes to do bodybuilding, she also cooks and cleans sometimes, and attends classes at night. I think the reason she does so many activities is to not be at home, and to move on from her past. What seems unusual for a woman to do is bodybuilding.

D) They finally go to Shiloh towards the end of the story after leroy has a conversation with Norma’s mom. I think that he thinks it would be a good trip to maybe go and do a different activity with his wife and try and build up their marriage. I think it might be symbolic in the way that the mother has urged them to go for so long, and then when they finally do go Norma decides to end things with Leroy.

E) I do like to see and read things when I watch films and read stories. I think it’s very interesting when I see a story have connection to something in real life.

G) Norma Jean was Marylin Monroe. I got multiple results on google for Leroy or “The King” so I am actually not sure what it is referring to. I do not know much about Marylin Monroe beside the basic stuff, but I am assuming that maybe this was a story between Marylin and a lover she had? I am not sure.

[Jaden W]

1) “Why I Want a Wife”
a) What is the writer saying essentially: why does she want a wife? Is it because wants a same-sex relationship or is it something else?
The writer says she wants a wife because she wants someone to do all the things she’s obligated as a “wife” to do. It goes to show how much a wife really does and how convenient life is when you have a good wife; she simply is saying she wants that convenience in her life.
b) This is an example of satire. Please look up “satire.” Do you think her essay is a successful expose of what husbands expect? Is it funny or dated (it was written 50 years ago during the height of the Women’s Rights movement). Is what is says about husbands offensive or is it a criticism of what women actually put up with?
Her essay is a successful expose of what a typical husband would expect. It is a bit funny just because of the irony of what she says. I don’t believe that what she says is in any way offensive and it is more of a criticism of what women actually put up with. In some relationships wifes have to put up with a lot just to keep a family functional even if the husband is the breadwinner.
c) Notice what she says about what is expected when a family goes on a vacation: whose children are being taken care of? (Notice the power of one word: is it “our” or “my”?
The husband’s; although the children are of both the wife and husband, she does this to emphasize how men regard their children. They claim that it’s their children when in reality the wife is the one who solely takes care of them.

2) “The Story of an Hour”:
a) Notice that the wife’s first name is not said right away. Why do you think that is?
To show she was married
b) How old would you say this married couple is? Do they have children?
In their twenties with no children.
c) Were you disturbed by her reaction to the news of the husband’s death?
Yes; it’s kinda sick that once her own husband died she says she’s “free”.
d) When she speaks of being “free,” what does freedom mean? Do you want to get married one day? Do you feel you will lose your freedom when you get married?
If marriage is being criticized, why do people still get married and why do gay and lesbian couples want to get married? Is marriage for emotional security or financial security?
Her being free means she isn’t lockdowned to this one man anymore. I feel like marriage would be the way to go in the future to properly raise a family, so I do want to get married one day. I wouldn’t be thinking in terms of my freedom, I would only marry when I deem it’s the right time for me. If I marry that’s my decision, that’s my freedom. People marry due to religious beliefs and to show that they are in a relationship that involves no one else. Gay and lesbians marry for the same reason another couple may marry, to show hier relationship and declare that no one else will be involved. Most times I feel like marriage is an emotional security and a financial security when one leeches off the other.
e) When Mrs. Mallard dies, why does she die? What do the other characters think is the reason for her death? (We know the real reason, but they do not.)
She dies when her husband returns, from being “dead”; because all the freedom and hope she gained when she believed he died was lost and made her heart give out.The other character believes she died due to heart disease.
f) Do you think the narrator, who shows the woman’s thoughts, is criticizing men?
But notice: she says, “There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.” Perhaps she is being fair to or critical of both men and women.
No the narrator is not criticizing men.

3) “Shiloh”:
a) Who are the main characters? Why is there a conflict? What has caused a severe rift between them?
Leroy Moffitt, and his wife Norma Jean. There’s a conflict because when Leroy suffers a leg injury and is now at home, he and his wife are around each other much more compared to when he was trucking and almost never home. The time they never are around each other and the loss of their baby both plays together to cause them to be on edge versus each other.
b) What does the husband, Leroy, do to pass the time? Are these things we expect of a man to do?
The husband builds things from popsicles such as miniature log cabins. Yes they are things we expect a man to do.
c) What does the wife, Norma Jean, do to keep busy? Why do you think she involves herself in so many activities? Which one of them seems unusual for a woman to do?
Norma likes to workout, cook and clean. She does all this to avoid her husband. Bodybuilding seems unusual for a woman to do, although there’s nothing wrong with it.
d) Why do they go to Shiloh? What is Shilo? Do you think it is symbolic?
To give their marriage a fresh start. Shilo is a battlefield and cemetery, and its symbolic for their marriage; the war (arguments) coming to an end forever (grave),
e) Unlike with much older stories, this one was written fairly recently, the 1980s and it has references to actual song and movie titles. Do you like to see and read about actual things when you watch films and read stories? What is the appeal of including such things?
Yes I do like to see and read about actual things when you watch films and read stories because you can learn so much from them.
f) Notice the reference to a dust cover’s color (a bed skirt). What meaning does it have if any? Note: good writing should include sensory appeal, words that appeal to our five senses. It is easy to appeal to our senses of sight and hearing, not so much to our senses of taste, tough, and smell. (In movies, we can see and hear beautiful and ugly things, but we cannot experience the other sensations.)
Use this as a suggestion to include specific details: real places and real brands, visual details when you do your own writing. Think of creating pictures in the minds of your readers.
There’s no meaning.
g) Google who was Norma Jean and who was the man that was called “The King” (Leroy means king). Why do you think the author named her couple after two famous American cultural icons. It is highly doubtful she just pulled names out of a hat.
She named them after two famous American cultural icons because in their relationships they both drift apart from another.

[Saba Chaudhry]

1) “Why I Want a Wife”

a) Syfers argues that women and men in marriage are not equal. She states that women are the bottom in a relationship and wanting a wife will mean equality in a relationship instead of conformity to a man. This ties into her all around theory that a woman’s role in a marriage is inferior to that of a man’s.

b) This is a successful satire because she constructs her criticism well that there are gender inequalities presented in relationships. The book goes in-depth about how peopled in society see other’s roles specifically men and women. it sets a scene of men work and women are the house keepers.
c) The use of my when she states “my children” is showing the roles and responsibility of her life. She’s at home taking care of the kids, she birthed them. It just reflects the time period her words come from. At the end of the day, they technically were her kids.

2) “The Story of an Hour”:

a) The author refrains from naming the lady because it shows she is married. It kind of deems her worth. All she is and known for is who she is married to.

b) they are probably in their early 20’s the story mentions her face to be young and no sign of a child.

c) I don’t think it was disturbing, personally knowing my culture and what women can go through even mentally through marriage, it seems she just got her life back. It is sad that he had to die for her to be free. If he had understood her she wouldn’t; feel happy at his death.

d) She is free of her marital and societal duties as a woman. She does not have to cater to another’s feelings. I would love to get married one day. I believe if you are marrying the right person you will never feel as if you’re losing your freedom. If you do feel that way you aren’t ready to get married and that is perfectly fine as long as you are honest with your partner.

e) She died because she had a literal heart attack seeing her husband.

f) I think the author is not only criticizing men. I think in actuality she is criticizing mindsets. It takes two to tango. Meaning for a marriage to work two people must be on the same page. She is criticizing how times were and the harsh truths of a marriage at the time.

3) A short story by Bobbie Ann Mason called “Shiloh”:

a)The main characters are Leroy Moffitt and Norma Jean Moffitt. The two don’t know each other and don’t seem to like each other even though they are in a relationship together; married.

b)He smokes weed and drives around which aren’t stereotypical of a man.

c) . Norma is way more productive. Shed works out she is in night school, she is also taking care of their house. She often urges Leroy to seek job opportunities.

d) Norma’s mom told them to go to Shiloh. It is where she went for their honeymoon. It can appear as Leroy’s dream of building a life with Norma.
e) I like Non-fiction, I also like fiction. There is no comparison for me. I enjoy both. Historical movies are some of my favorites, as are imaginary ones such as Harry Potter.

f) the details let us picture the dust cover like the sky. It helps us see the color of blue for both.

g) The story of the two is like of the ones in the story, a couple who were together and drifted away