Theme Of A Field Of Wheat And A Garden Of Her House

The major irony for the wives in “A Field of Wheat” (Sinclair Ross) and “A Garden of Her Own” (Shani Mootoo) is that the isolation both experience in their marriages is also that which connects them the most. Although the two stories may be set in completely different locations and time periods, the underlying themes of loneliness, of loss, and of dissatisfaction with their husbands and with their lives transcend time and place. However, the motivations and coping methods employed by Martha (“A Field of Wheat”) and Vijai (“A Garden of Her Own”) are vastly different. Martha draws strength from her children, while Vijai reminisces about her happy family growing up and dreams of a happier life for herself. This essay will explore the parallelisms

Martha, who is spurred on by her love of her children, survives all but the harshest of storms. But when she finally sees “John sobbing there, against the horse” (Ross 179) and realizes the burdens he bears and the emotional turmoil within him, she finds even more strength in herself to push on and do everything she can to help ease John’s hardships. In “A Garden of Her Own”, Vijai relies on memories of her family growing up and the happiness she once experienced at home to comfort her during her lonely periods. She constantly addresses her Mama and Papa, talking about happier times gone by. Unfortunately this only seems to remind her of how bleak her present situation is. And so, just like Martha, Vijai’s ultimate comfort lies in looking towards the future. However, unlike Martha, Vijai’s dreams revolve solely around her instead of her children. She dreams of trips to “mountains, of touching them with the palms of [her] hands, of bicycling in them, and of hiking” (Mootoo 207); of a “drive in the country to see the pictures in the calendars pinned on the wall” (Mootoo 207); of canoeing “on a river or a big lake with no shores” (Mootoo 207). The reality that the futures that both these women envision are unlikely and mostly inaccessible to people of their fortunes does nothing to damper their hopeful

Conversely, the lack of communication and awareness between Vijai and her husband only serves to highlight their differences and to amplify the discord in their marriage. Everyone will face hardship in their lives, and everyone will experience turmoil in their relationship, but the biggest responsibility a married couple has is to try to understand their partner, and to work find a common cause to help them work through the rough