In Raymond Carver’s short story, “Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?” the protagonist, Ralph Wyman faces the hard decision of leaving or staying with his wife after his wife confesses to having an affair with a family friend (Carver 237). However, instead of making a decision right away, Ralph embarks on a journey which leads to four specific episodes: he goes to a bar called “Blake’s,” then he goes to “Jim Oysters House,” he gets into a fight and is knocked out, and then he returns home (Carver 238-247). Each of these episodes holds significance and influences his decision at the end of the story (which is to stay with his wife), but the episode where he is beaten up is the most ambiguous of the events, and it also the event which suggests a turning point for Ralph. He realizes he is not the young man he once was. He is no longer “Jackson,” the young man in college. He is Ralph Wyman. However, it is not until he returns home that he resolves his conflict with his wife, Marian.
Before delving into the event where Ralph realizes he is no longer “Jackson,” it is important to understand why he leaves his home at the climax of the argument with his wife. One can say he leaves because he was angry, but I believe there is more to why he leaves his house. I believe Ralph leaves at the height of the argument because he questioned who he was. He was a husband and a father, but after finally hearing his wife confess about her affair, he questions if he can still be the husband and father he once was, and that is why he goes on his journey. He runs away and tries to become Jackson once more (the fraternity brother who had a reputation of being drunk every night) (Carver 227).
In the first episode after leaving his house, Ralph goes to ...
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... making a mistake four years earlier. He realizes it would be impossible to leave Marian because with her, he understands himself. When Ralph was with Marian when he was younger, “Ralph felt like he understood himself-what he could do, what he could not do, and where he was headed with the prudent measure of himself that he made” (Carver 230). Marian was part of his identity. She was part of “Ralph,” she was what made “Jackson” into “Ralph.”
In conclusion, Ralph faces both an internal conflict and an external conflict, both of which affect his sense of identity. He tries to become Jackson once more, but realizes after being beaten up that Jackson was no more. Then he returns home and realizes his wife loves him and it would be impossible to change his life (by leaving Marian) because Marian is a part of who he is; Marian is what separates Jackson from Ralph Wyman.
In conclusion, Ralph and Simon were the two characters that were different from the rest. They were different in a good way. This just goes to show you that there is always good in whatever you do and wherever you are, you just need to express
He has the regular recognition that such a large number of youthful Americans have; the possibility that as a result of the nation they live in, their identity, and where they originate from, there are openings that are legitimately theirs and little can turn out badly in getting what they need for their future. For Ralph and numerous youthful Americans, this dream rapidly demonstrates false as they grow up and encounter life. In the novel, Ralph's impression of New York City and America changes practically as fast as it was initially shaped. He is quickly stood up to with a dialect hindrance, abandoning him lost and separated from his new world. Before sufficiently long, Ralph "was starting to realize what was
Ralph is the novel’s protagonist and tries to maintain the sense of civility and order as the boys run wild. Ralph represents the good in mankind by treating and caring for all equally, which is completely opposite of Jack’s savage nature. Jack is the antagonist in the novel and provokes the most internal evil of all the boys. Jack is seen at first as a great and innocent leader but he becomes t...
Ralph, in some ways, parallels a school teacher. He always tries to do what is in the best interest of the community, but sometimes is over powered by the majority and gives in. In over words, he does his best to keep order and peace, but of course can’t all the time because of disagreements, stubbornness and rebellion.
A flicker of light caught Ralph’s eye, but he ignored it. Somewhere deep in his mind, though, he sensed something familiar. A feeling of fear enveloped him and sent chills down his spine. He squeezed his eyes shut, and began rubbing the sides of his he...
The death of Willie Starks and the circumstances force Jack to rethink the way he thinks. He rethinks a belief that no one can ever be responsible for the evil actions of another individual over time. In a way Jack feels responsible for Willie’s death. Jack eventually marries Anne Stanton and he feels orthodox about his decision to marry her. Jack restarts his long lost hobby of working on a book about Cass Mastern.
The start of Ralph’s troubles came when he was supposed to renew his visa to stay in America, but he let it expire, and was unable to register for classes. After Ralph’s sister Theresa and his future wife, Helen came to America, Ralph finally started getting himself back on track in terms of his dream. He would go back to school and eventually graduate: but the dream did not end there. This is the main conflict in the story for Ralph, an inner battle with himself to do the right thing, in hopes of living a better, more prestigious life in America. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me” (p88), this is from a time in Ralph’s life when he ...
Ralph’s power at the beginning is secure but as the group succumbs to their savage instincts, Ralph’s influence declines as Jack’s rises. This is due mainly to the cruelty and violence that goes on in the story. This cruelty reveals that Ralph’s commitment to civilization and being rescued is so strong that he will not allow himself to change his morals and become cruel like the others. The cruelty in this novel also shows that Ralph is a very intelligent character. His intelligence can be proven because there was a point in the novel when he hunts a boar for the first time and he experiences the thrill of bloodlust. He also attends one of Jack’s feast where he is swept away by the frenzy and participates in the killing of Simon. This is a very tragic moment for Ralph because this is when he realizes the evil that lives within himself and every human being. It is the cruel acts that happen in this novel that reveals Ralph’s character of being intelligent and being able to think deeply about human experiences. He even weeps when getting saved because of his knowledge about the human capacity for
Ralph and Jack are characters that hold important symbolism in Golding’s novel and the significance of their relationship is quite evident as events begin to unfold. When Ralph gets elected as leader of their group, Jack Merridew is evidently mortified at the prospect of losing leadership against Ralph. In an effort to pacify Jack’s anger, Ralph negotiates with Jack and gives him authority over the choir boys. Satisfied with Ralph’s courtesy, both boys develop mutual respect and their relationship advances into acquaintanceship which only takes a matter of time to fall apart.
...This shows that the values of the two leaders, Ralph and Jack, impact a lot on the societies civilization and differ from one another.
first things that Ralph, the central character of the novel, does upon his arrival on the
Ralph shows what the boys need by the way he handles the then. Jack considers the boys lower to him, meanwhile, Ralph treats...
Whether it is because of the obligation, out of love, pity or kindness, Jane believes she visit Mrs. Reed and fulfill her last wishes. “Forgive me for my passionate language; I was a child then; eight, nine years have passed since that day.” (253) Putting the hardships behind her Jane gives her full apologies to Mrs.
...nd ego because he finds something that is not conventionally used as a contacting device and uses it to aid in sanity and survival. Also the idea of holding meetings and giving others a chance to express themselves is an adult like trait as well. All in all Ralph is a integral part of this haphazard society due to his perfect balance of ego and rationality and leadership skills, and may have possibly been the guiding figure in times of turmoil.
“The loss of innocence for which Ralph weeps at the novel's close is not, however, a matter of transformation from childish goodness to adolescent depravity, is not a growing into wickedness. It is rather the coming of an awareness of darkness, of the evil in man's heart that was present in the children all along,” (Boyd). At the end of the novel, Ralph cries for a few reasons. He cries because he has lost his friend Piggy. He also cries because he has lost his innocence. He now realizes that there is evil in every man.