Nguyễn Trương Trường Thơ

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Class: Friday – Shift 2

REFLECTION – ADVENTURE

When Alice was 16 years old, her lover Ned planned to go to Cleveland, she did not hesitate to ask to go
with him. Her decision shows the breakthrough in the thinking of a girl at that time. What a woman
should have done was stay home and wait for her man to return. Is Alice afraid of society judging her?
She did have. An illustration for this is that when they went to a new place, no one knew her and pointed
fingers for her action. However, she didn’t want to become a burden for Ned, she could sustain life by
herself and not require Ned to marry her right now. All she wants is to be with the person she loves.

The year Alice turned 27 was the time when she was engulfed by loneliness, isolation and emptiness.
When Alice was 22 years old, she started attaching to inanimate objects. That she didn’t want others to
touch her furniture symbolizes she didn’t want others to have a relationship with her. She rejects her
connection to society, and it seems that only Ned is her fragile connection to humans. When she was 25
years old, her mother remarried, adding to her already existing loneliness. Because she always pursued a
loyal love, she always turned to one direction – that is Ned, and her mother remarriage is something
contrast with her belief. One day, Alice couldn’t bear the loneliness anymore, Alice wanted someone to
help her escape this loneliness and loss. Therefore, she didn’t deny the drug clerk to take her home. But
once again she was stuck in social norms and reminded herself to be in love with Ned. As long as she had
a little intimacy with someone of the male other than Ned, it was considered unacceptable. Loneliness is
the most terrible thing, Alice cannot bear it anymore and external catalysts push her to embark on an
adventure to wash away all prejudices and her old self. She wanted to reconnect with society, find
freedom for herself, she wanted to hug someone in the same situation as her. But ironically, it was a deaf
old man. Gender gap makes him unable to understand Alice's aspirations and he represents the face of
society, they do not care and ignore what Alice has to endure. Once again Alice closed the door tightly
and maybe this door wouldn’t be opened again. Every time she rose up, every time she faced failure.
Alice is a girl more pitiful than blameworthy.

1. Alice is characterized as 'damaged goods'. Do you agree? Explain.

No. Because:

First, she is not a commodity, she is a very normal woman in society, not a commodity for anyone
including Ned. She has the right to be free and do what she wants, not depending on anyone. Second,
she was not damaged, and it did not become a stain on her in particular or women in general. In society
at that time, the belief that a single woman should remain faithful to her first love and not explore any
type of relationship with another man. That is an extremely strict society standard for women. For men,
the specific example in the article is Ned, he found the new interest with other women when he
immigrated to Chicago. He couldn't resist the attraction and novelty of the girls in the new land - that
was accepted and forgiven by society. From there, libertine and infidelity are formed in the male
personality. In contrast to women, because of the harsh standards that society imposes on them, things
are formed that are deeply engrained in the subconscious. They cannot change their hearts towards
their men. Alice is a very vivid and realistic example. She accepts living in loneliness and social isolation,
Alice stayed away from other young man to maintain her loyalty to Ned. Every time she wanted to
overcome the barrier; social norms pulled her back to reality. She is always cautious and reminds herself
"Oh Ned, I am waiting". She never did anything against social norms. On the contrary, it was social norms
that damaged her, forcing her onto a lonely path.

2. Alice is the one to be blamed for her tragedy. Do you agree? Explain.

No. Because:

First, Alice is clear-sighted to realize that Ned would not come back with her. However, she accepted to
wait in loneliness and hopelessness. The reason is that women were placed in a passive position in love
affair in the 19th century. She had no choice except to wait for Ned. Alice wasted 11 years and possibly
her whole life waiting in vain, she lost her youth and vitality. She once wanted and acted to escape
loneliness, but because there was no official farewell to Ned, she felt guilty about her actions. She always
reminded and warned herself to wait for Ned until he returned. Therefore, we could say that it is social
norms are deeply ingrained in Alice's personality. Society cruelly trampled on Alice's desires with
indifferent eyes. After the “adventure”, Alice once again closed the door tightly, perhaps the door will
never open again. Second, it was Ned's selfishness and indifference that brought Alice into tragedy. He
broke his promise to Alice by not returning to her. He was just immersed in pleasing himself with new
and exciting things in the new land. He only remembered Alice when he felt lonely in Chicago. He did not
realize that in his hometown there was still a girl waiting for him in extreme loneliness. How pitiful for a
girl who always had her heart set on him.

3. What does Anderson mean by the ending line 'to face bravely the fact that many people must
live and die alone, even in Winesburg'?

He wanted to reflect the truth of society. He wanted to express his disappointment and sadness when he
saw that the society where he was born and grew up, where he was connected like blood and flesh, was
a place that brought loneliness and loss to the souls of so many people, including him. They had no
choice in how they lived and enjoyed life, they had almost no opportunity to do those things. They must
have lived according to the wishes of society, must have accepted it as a matter of course. People were
lonely in their souls, in their own homes and in the society where they were living in.

4. Explain the significance of the title 'Adventure' by Anderson.

“Adventure” represents mainly through the three stages of Alice’s life. First, when she was 16 and had
love affair with Ned. This is Alice’s first adventure full of vitality and enthusiasm. The color of life at this
time is very vivid for Alice, expressed through the details of her and Ned talking about what they would
do in life in the future. Her love was innocent, and, at that time, she had already planted the passion to
pursue freedom when she wanted to follow Ned and have a new life with him in a new place. Second,
when she was 25 years old, her second adventure began. She realized the depth and poignancy of the
loneliness and loss during the days waiting for Ned to return. She gradually wanted to connect with
people, she wanted to be loved. She sought freedom and tried to escape the overwhelming loneliness
and isolation that gripped her. Finally, the "adventure" came with freedom, leaving all shackles of society
began when she was 27. The chase to find herself in society, to be comforted and shared by people in
the same situation "find some other lonely human and embrace him". Alice chose the time for her
journey on a rainy evening. The empty house was also the catalyst for her journey. She was empty. She
was naked – she was exposing all her weakness, loneliness and loneliness, without hiding it. She rushed
into the rain to cleanse herself of all social prejudices and her own subconscious. “Adventure” shows the
breakthrough of Alice, a person who is extremely careful in her behavior and relationships with others
but does something unexpected.