Othello: Prose Story 'over'

May 2010/71

The extract from the prose story 'Over' is narrated by a woman telling a story about her life, while trying to understand the reasons behind her seperation from her husband.  The passage, told in first person, by the wife is somewhat unfocused. She describes the house in detail, gives hints to an incident which seems to have been crucial to her reality, and describes her husband in different lights.  The author Margaret Forester, uses the first person narrative in an attempt to draw a connection between the reader and the narrator, helping the reader to sympathsise with the wife. However, this is not the only reason. The scattered thoughts of the narrator emphasis the effect that the incident has had on her, thereby giving importance to this incident.

While she is still 'trying to understand' the reasons that may potentially end their marriage, the reader is able to pinpoint several. These reasons are all linked to the house and the incident that took place there.

Before they moved into the house, the married couple, were commited to one another. This is clear when the wife talks about playing tennis, saying that they thought the children might play,' later on'. This phrase shows that when they brought the house, they saw a future in it together.  However, the house was a result of several issues, issues that bring the couples marriage to a potential breaking point.

The issue that brought their marriage to a potential breaking point is the incident. While it is not clear what this incident may be, it is hinted at. It was this incident that brings all other issues between the husband and wife to light.  the tragedy is a breaking point because of the different way the husband and wife approach issues

The difference in the way they handle issues/problems/ is explained to the reader through a series of incidents which she narrates, the first  is related to their different feelings towards the house after they moved in.  She worried but he had confidence in it. This difference is later mentioned again, when he suggested moving but she objected.  This difference shows that there was a rift that had started to appear between them. It highlights how different they were in their approach to things, a difference which is later emphasised after 'the incident'.