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Comparing Joyce Carol Oates's 'Ladies And Gentlemen'

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Comparing Joyce Carol Oates's 'Ladies And Gentlemen'
Professor Clary
Writing Research 109 Sec. 03
15 September 2013

“Ladies and Gentlemen” By Joyce Carol Oates

Ever go on vacation or to a movie and it takes a turn to the unexpected? That is exactly what the passengers in Joyce Carol Oates’ story “Ladies and Gentlemen” are experiencing. They signed up for a fabulous, top of the line, tropical cruise, however what they received was an old, run down, beaten, vermin filled cruise ship destined for the dry docks. Not to mention their “tropical island” is none other than their final destination. The passengers realize that they are on a one-way cruise to nowhere. Their captain reveals to them that it was all their children’s idea. Their children are tired of waiting for their parents to …show more content…
Cruises are thought to be big and fancy, with fabulous meals and decorations, a wide range of people all looking to see gorgeous tropical islands and have a wonderful staff to accompany them all on their journey. Although in Oates’ story it is the complete opposite. Oates reveals to us that it is a rundown ship destined for the dry docks, with rooms that are falsely depicted in the brochures. The Ariel is one disaster after another with its toilets that malfunction or those that are out of order all together, or the loud throbbing of the engine that keeps everyone awake at night. The rude service, improperly cooked meals along with the high prices on beverages and cigarettes add to the disaster that is the Ariel. As the captain states “the reported sightings of rodents, cockroaches, and other vermin on board the ship…” (Oates 374) slow just how poorly it was taken care of. The Ariel is far from being a typical cruise …show more content…
He continues to tell them that it is their own fault their children have done them in. The captain speaks of how their children do not have enough money and desperately want to inherit their parent’s estates. He states that because of them spoiling their children all their lives with the “Expensive toys and gifts of all kinds; closets of clothing, ski equipment…trips to the Caribbean, to Mexico, to Tangier, to Tokyo, to Switzerland...(Oates 377)” is the reason their children have done this to them. The captain blames the whole thing on the passengers. When reading this story we are completely caught off guard about how the children are revealed to be towards their parents. The norm is for children and parents to love each other no matter what the circumstances are. However in this case it is the complete
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