Is marriage really important? There is a lot of controversy over marriage and whether it is eminent. Some people believe it is and some people believe it is not. These opposing opinions cause this controversy. “On Not Saying ‘I do’” by Dorian Solot explains that marriage is not needed to sustain a relationship or a necessity to keep it healthy and happy. Solot believes that when a couple gets married things change. In “For Better, For Worse”, Stephanie Coontz expresses that marriage is not what is traditional in society because it has changed and is no longer considered as a dictator for people’s lives. The differences between these two essays are the author’s writing style and ideas.
“On Not Saying ‘I do’” and “For Better, For Worse” have diverse writing styles. First, Dorian Solot’s essay is in first person. Solot states, “I must have missed the day in nursery school when they lined up all the little girls and injected them with the powerful serum that made them dream of wearing a white wedding dress” (490). This sentence is an example of how Solot’s writing style is mostly in first person. However, Stephanie Coontz’s essay is in third person. Coontz states, “As late as the 1960s, two-thirds of college women in the United States said they would marry a man they didn’t love if he met all their, often economic, criteria” (497). This is an example of a sentence where Coontz’s writing style is in third person. Second, Solot’s writing style is very personal. Solot discusses her personal ideas, experiences, and focuses. Solot explains, “In my early twenties, about three years into my relationship with my partner, Marshall, the occasional subtle hints that my family and friends were ready for an engagement announcement became decided...
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...t a couple should not live together nor engage in sexual activity until they are wed. If I had to agree with one of the authors, I would agree with Coontz because society does not focus on marriage anymore. Most of the people I know do not put marriage as the main goal of their daily lives. Also, I agree with Solot and Coontz about gay marriage. I do not support that gay marriage is a correct way of living, but I do believe they should have the right to love who they please. Overall, these essays were enjoyable to read because they provoked emotion and opinions out of me.
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