Frankie A Girl In The Streets Character Analysis Maggie

In Stephan Crane’s Maggie: A Girl in the Streets, Maggie Johnson grows up in the Bowery neighborhood of New York's Lower East Side surrounded by abuse and poverty. Her mother, Mary, is an alcoholic, as is her father Mr. Johnson. Jimmie was Maggies’ brother who had always had a rough start in his behavior. Jimmie Johnson is the first character we meet in the novel, engaged in a battle with the urchins of devils’ row for the honor of Rumalley. “A very little boy stood upon a heap of gravel for the honor of Rum Alley. He was throwing stones at howling urchins from devil’s row who were circling madly about the heap and pelting at him” (Crane,3) Mary was always a very violent woman from what we observed, whether she was beating the kids, screaming

her head off or chasing her husband out of the house. Mr. Johnson was always either working, at the bar drinking himself into oblivion, or falling into a catastrophic fight with his wife Mary. “They had a lurid altercation, in which they damned each other’s souls with frequence” (Crane,8) There’s clearly no respect in this marriage, nor is there any true sign of love being prevalent. Both Mr.Johnson and Mary are nothing more than the product of the Bowery resulting in being violent, angry and abuse people.
In The Awakening by Kate Chopin, we observe the estranged marriage between Edna Pontellier and her husband, Leonce. Leonce is kind and loving but constantly preoccupied with his work. His constant obligations to his business work leaves his relationship with Edna feeling quiet empty. Having so much time away from her husband Edna spends most of her time with her friend Adele Ratignolle. Throughout her friendship with Adele, Edna starts to discover a new found sense of awakening and self-discovery. Later on in the story Edna meets a man named Robert. Although this acquaintance starts off innocent it turns into much more when Edna starts realizing what love, independence and freedom truly is. She begins to fell depressed when she’s around her husband, and much happier when she’s alone or with Robert. “There was no one thing in the world that she desired. There was no human being whom she wanted near her except Robert” (Kate, 108) The Pontelliers marriage was most definitely not based on love, Edna hadn’t even known what love was until Robert came along. Nor was it based on respect because Edna ends up engaging in adulterous affairs, not only with Robert. There wasn’t much communication in this relationship either because Leonce rarely had time to engage with Edna and just seeks the guidance of the family physician, Doctor Mandelet when he grew concerned about the changing attitude and increasing disobedience of his wife. This marriage seemed to have been over before it ever started because Edna never really knew who she was, and what she wanted from her life.

Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God also gives us an example where a relationship was not based on love, mutual respect and open or civil communication.

The only difference with this story is, that Janie finds true love with her third spouse Tea Cakes. She becomes free throughout her life from her abusive and and unhappy relationships with Logan and Jody. On the other hand, her relationship with Tea Cakes allow her to experience fulfillment with her life, and finally learning what love really is. Janie’s first relationship was arranged by her grandmother because of the financial security it would offer Janie.” Ah placed you. Ah wanted yuh to school out and pick from a higher bush and a sweeter berry. But dat ain’t yo’ idea” (Hurston 13) Logan pampers Janie for a year until he starts asking her for help on the farm. At this point she’s feeling used and unloved, so she leaves Logan for Jody Starks. There was no communication in this relationship, and it seems Janie nor Logan could ever really express themselves to each other. Her relationship with Logan was never based on love, but more on convenience and security. Janie’s second husband came from Georgia to Eatonville to grow as a business man and expand his power. He buys 200 acres of land and turns quick profit by cutting up the land into parcels and sells them to prospective incoming families. Joe Supervises the construction of roads, the buildings of a town store and post office, and oversees the lamp-lighting ceremony. He

becomes