Слайд 1The steps of writing
an academic essay
“The roots of the
tensions in the married couples’ relationships
in the stories by
William Trevor and F.S. Fitzgerald”
Слайд 2STRUCTURE
Introduction
Body:
‘The Teddy Bears’ Picnic’
‘The Rough Crossing’
Similarities
Differences
Conclusion
(600-1000 words)
Слайд 4Sentence 1: The “hook”
Literature has always taken interest in the
eternal problems of relationships such as love, mutual respect, and
devotion.
The controversial topic of romantic relationships between a woman and a man has always been intriguing.
A relationship between two people is an eternal theme for many literary works.
Love is the most amazing feeling in the universe that is why its uniqueness and inexplicability have attracted masters in all times.
For centuries love and relationships between loving people has been an attractive theme in literature.
Слайд 5Sentence 2: Transition between the hook and the thesis statement
Following
the tradition of global literature, the 20th century masters -
William Trevor and Francis Scott Fitzgerald - depicted tensions between the young spouses in their stories “The Teddy-bears’ Picnic” and “The Rough Crossing”, respectively.
It has been explored by writers in all epochs, including the 20th century masters.
Such tendencies can be seen in the 20th century literature, as a decent number of novels are dedicated to interpersonal relationships.
Like the best representatives of the generation of the 20th century writers, W.Trevor and F.S Fitzgerald vividly illustrated this phenomenon in their stories “The Teddy-Bears` Picnic” and “The Rough Crossing”.
However, western literature of the 20th century worked out a new approach to depicting marital relationships.
Слайд 6Sentence 3: The thesis statement
The two famous authors of the
20th century focused on depicting the development of conflicts between
men and women including married couples in their stories as well as revealing their roots by putting the characters in tense situations and adverse conditions.
Thus, the two authors of the 20th century worked out a new approach to depicting the roots of tensions in the relationships of the married couples by putting them in extreme circumstances and adverse situations.
So as to reveal the roots of tensions in the relationships between the spouses the authors created the similar circumstances which all marital relationships experienced in the 20th century, i.e. inconvenient circumstances and unstable situations.
By putting the spouses in adverse conditions and stressful situations, they investigated the roots of conflicts which seemed to embrace the spouses’ personal traits, their social background and marital roles.
Nevertheless, the writers applied a new approach to revealing the roots of the conflicts in the main characters' relationships by subduing their protagonists to challenges.
Слайд 7Paragraph 2: “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic”
Слайд 8The topic sentence
As for the relations between Edwin and Deborah,
a newly married couple, in “The Teddy-bears’ Picnic” by W.
Trevor, it was quite immature, rough and unstable.
In the story «The Teddy Bears’ Picnic» by W. Trevor the relationship between the young spouses - Deborah and Edwin - can be described as immature, selfish and changeable.
The distinguishing feature of the relationship between Edwin and Deborah in W. Trevor's stor "The Teddy-bears' Picnic" is a rough, immature and changeable attitude of the newlyweds towards each other.
In W. Trevor's story “The Teddy-bears' picnic” an immature, rough and changeable relationship between the spouses is deeply rooted in the childish attitude to marriage, their personality traits and background.
The relationship between Edwin and Deborah in William Trevor's "Teddy-bears' Picnic" represents a constantly developing conflict, the root of which lies with the main characters' personality traits, their background and immature nature of the marital relationship.
Слайд 9Supporting sentences (possible)
Support 1: frequent quarrels about silly things
Support 2:
from quarrel to passion, from love to fear
Support 3: childish
behavior of each spouse
Слайд 10The concluding sentence
Thus, all the tensions in Edwin and Deborah’s
relationship take their roots in their immaturity, romantic view and
distorted perception of each other as well as their childish behavour; all these underlying causes become disclosed due to an insignificant stressful situation – the teddy bears’ picnic.
In sum, their distorted and unrealistic perception of each other is the root of the conflict.
Based on these facts, the root of the conflict lies in the imaginary and unrealistic perception of married life by the both spouses.
As a result, such discrepancies and distortions in the perception of each other formed the greatest ordeal they faced, and became a fertile ground for the tensions in their relationship.
It is obvious that the conflict evolved due to the differences in the newlyweds’ personality traits, their background and up-bringing.
Слайд 11Paragraph 3: “The Rough Crossing”
Слайд 12The topic sentence
Unlike the changeable relationship of Edwin and Deborah,
the marriage of Adrian and Eva in the story “The
Rough Crossing” had been cloudless until it faced a formidable challenge.
Adrian and Eva in the story “The Rough Crossing” by F.S. Fitzgerald find themselves in a critical situation where their stable and strong marriage is tested for strength and devotion.
In the story “The Rough Crossing” the married couple of Adrian and Eva had lived in harmony and mutual understanding until their relationship entered “the zone of the storm”.
Unlike Edwin and Deborah, the characters of F Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Rough Crossing”, Adrian and Eva, demonstrate quite a devoted, stable and loving relationship that faces a tremendous blow caused by the intrusion of strange people and adverse circumstances.
As for F.S. Fitzgerald’s ‘The Rough Crossing’, after “a seven-year-long dream”, the relationship between Eva and Adrian, is faced with extreme circumstances that test their marriage for strength, devotion and affection.
In contrast to the previous couple, Eva and Adrian from "The Rough Crossing" have a smooth, stable and long-lasting relationship which is exposed to the rough environment.
Слайд 13Supporting sentences (possible)
Support 1: Eve’s feelings towards her husband, the
way she treats him, transformation of her attitude driven by
the circumstances, what she is ready for for the sake of love.
Support 2: feelings and behavior typical of Adrian, cherishing his wife, being tender, kind, caressing and caring; the cause of the behavior transformation and how soon he returns to his sober senses; what he is ready for for the sake of love.
Слайд 14The concluding sentence
Thus, the cause of their conflict was emergence
of the worst sides of the both spouses’ traits under
extreme circumstances.
Thus, the root of the problem of this couple is connected with their personality traits which became evident under adverse circumstances and threatened to ruin the relationship.
The root of their tension is the manifestation of the vicious sides of their personality traits under extreme circumstances.
All in all, the root of the conflict between Adrian and Eva lies with extreme conditions, which test their relationship for strength.
The root of the conflict lies with extreme circumstances where the worst traits of the two spouses’ personalities are revealed.
Слайд 16The topic sentence
So as to add to the analysis of
the roots of tensions the similarities between the two couples
should be taken into consideration.
Despite the fact that the tense situations in which both couples find themselves are different in time and attending circumstances, there are obvious similarities in the characteristics of these marital relationships.
Like most young couples, these marital relationships have similar features.
The relationships between the spouses in the two married couples have common characteristics.
As a rule, the majority of young couples are quite similar in many aspects, as they have quarrels about silly things, happen to be jealous, belong to the same social class.
On the one hand, the two couples have much in common; they are young, belong to the same social class, and have complicated relationships.
Слайд 17Supporting sentences (possible)
Support 1: age and social background
Support 2: how
they feel toward each other. A more confident and self-centered
spouse feels more jealous.
Support 3: quarrels about silly things
Слайд 18The concluding sentence
However strange it may seem, the distinctions between
the spouses do not prevent them from falling in love
and getting married, which can highlight a typical characteristic of marital relationship in the 20th century, as well as reveal the roots of tensions.
All these features make them representative of the 20th century’s upper-middle-class couples in the western society.
All these features taken together shape a clear idea of a typical married couple of the 20th century and considerably contribute to the exposure of the basic causes of tense relationships between the spouses.
All these similarities make them typical representatives of the 20th century married couples in western society.
All these commonalities are consistent with the previously identified causes of tense relationships in these couples.
Слайд 20The topic sentence
On the other hand, the relationships between the
partners in the married couples have crucial differences.
Nonetheless, there are
quite noticeable differences between the two married couples.
Despite certain similarities between the married couples in these two stories, the differences, though, disclose the roots of conflicts much more obviously and vividly.
Along with the obvious common features, there are a few significant differences in the relationships of the two couples.
Despite the common features, there are a number of significant differences in the relationships between the spouses in the two couples.
Слайд 21Supporting sentences (possible)
Support 1: initially the social status of every
spouse is different
Support2: inferior-superior roles in the couples
Support 3: interests
and aims in life
Слайд 22The concluding sentence
All these individual peculiarities contribute to the emersion
of tensions between the spouses.
All these discrepancies clearly outline the
scope of issues which make up the basis for tensions in their marital relationships.
And finally, Adrian and Eva raised children, which indicates a much greater degree of maturity of the relationship. This particular feature radically and dramatically distinguishes them from a love-and-hate relationship between Edwin and Deborah.
However strange it may seem, the distinctions between the spouses do not prevent them from falling in love and getting married, which can highlight a typical characteristic of marital relationships in the 20th century, as well as reveal the roots of tensions.
One more distinction is that Edwin and Deborah thought only about themselves and pursued their own selfish interests, whereas the Adrian Smiths overcame difficulties to save their love and marriage.
Слайд 24Why is the theme of intermarriage relations attractive for the
authors in the 20th century? Do writers disclose the true
or imaginary roots of tensions? Sum up the body paragraphs and re-state the thesis statement.
In sum, the relationship between a man and a woman is an eternal subject for investigation. This theme was also attractive to the authors in the 20th century, as it was the time of instability and profound changes in the society which greatly influenced the marital relationships. So as to disclose the true roots of tensions in the ties between spouses, they are exposed to severe situations. Inconvenience and instability of events reveal that men and women’s personal traits, their background and upbringing – all can become the underlying causes of conflicts.
The 20th century is a century of turmoil, which had a huge impact not only on the world, but also on people’s lives. The authors of the 20th century raised the question of how people who loved each other would go through “the storm” of the 20th century. Following this objective, they depicted the roots of tensions in young couples’ marital relationships by investigating the personal traits of the spouses and what these traits could reveal if men and women were exposed to adverse circumstances and inconvenient situations.
Summing it all up, it is worth noting that the roots of tensions in the relationship of the married couples are tightly linked to the disturbing circumstances they find themselves in. Consequently, these adverse situations reveal such dark sides of the spouses’ personalities that nearly undermine their marriages. This stylistic device of the both authors is responsive to the historic period and those calamities which the 20th century witnessed.
Given it all, the theme of tensions in marital relationships is widely pronounced and recognized in global literature. For the 20th century writers it became especially relevant and topical since the tough times of the world wars and crises had left an imprint on human relationships. In conclusion, it should be said that the roots of the main characters’ tensions lie with the adverse circumstances which disclose their worst traits and nearly ruin their relationships.