LITERATURE: Parker

The women in Parker’s stories have much in common, whether from the high side of society or the low, and they differ only in their knowledge and handling of their situation of status.  It is the purpose of these women to catch men and keep them by being amiable and lovely.  Stiff upper lips, gaiety, good sports about everything and anything thrown to them by their men.  It was a need of the era; women were financially dependent upon men for the most part, and therefore felt obligated to please and be pleasing.

Parker depicts their maneuvering within their world in a sometimes bitter, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes poignant manner.  But the reader becomes involved in either cheering on the spirited, or sympathizing with the downtrodden, or even, I suppose, screaming at the bloody idiots who compromise themselves beyond the need.

But when Parker has laid out a fairly good relationship, whether the man and woman within it are real or not–they may each find contentment in getting back what they give to it–she finds another to heap unhappiness upon.

In "Horsie", the victim is a rather horse-faced nurse who stays with a young couple for eight weeks after the birth of their first baby.  Here, however, both husband and wife are unnecessarily cruel although outwardly properly polite to the nurse.  It is reminiscent of Daisy in "The Great Gatsby" that there is a self-centeredness and disdain for the nurse that is shown in their private conversations and derision of her appearance.   Meanwhile, the nurse is oblivious to their amusement and is thrilled by a gardenia corsage the husband brings her truly because he is so happy she is leaving.

There is a lot of feeling and underlying emotion within this story, especially when we as readers see something that the characters do not realize is going on.  The couple is oblivious and unaware of the nurse’s person, and the nurse is blissfully unaware of any need of our sympathy.

It is another well executed look into people’s minds and hearts as presented to us by Parker.