Stupid Cupid and the Arrows (Eros) of Ouch

In "Seventeen Syllables" and "Men in Your Life", it may be difficult to discern the romance. While reading classical literature, it is easy to forget that the author is narrating from a perspective of her ethnicity and culture; therefore, when we encounter works from cultures that are not similar to our own or have less literary exposure, it may be difficult to understand the parallels or interpret specific conventions.

Yamamoto and Childress may seem unusual in terms of romance; but, I interpreted several traditional ideas at work. For instance, Rosie experiences the uncertainty of young love while her father experiences what seems to be a possessive jealousy. And though the narrator of Childress' work may seem angered and embittered, is not her loyalty, her continuous presence in the relationship, a popular ideal of love? She reminded me of so many that I've met- Clarance and his wife are possibly a foreshadowing of the moral: Innumerable women of this world love men they have no reason to love, and surely, at one time or another, they all ask themselves why.

As I understand, it is not unusual for a man to be possessive of his wife to a point of violence in Asian culture. I vaguely recall the idea that, in China, a man had the right to kill any man who dared to look at his wife's bare feet. If that doesn't scream "possesive", I don't know what does. In African American culture, I know far too many women who rant and rave about the evils of "their man" and yet throw funny looks at those who ask the obvious question, "Why don't you leave?" A lot of them are afraid to be alone. A lot of them cling to the ideal that a woman needs a man to have a complete family. A lot of them probably need to take this course.