A Domestic Dilemma
Behind Closed Doors
In the story A Domestic Dilemma, Carson McCullers shows us what life is like for in the Meadows family. She informs us of the trials, tribulations and struggles that Martin faces while trying to take care of his family and deal with the fact that his wife, Emily Meadows, is an alcoholic. She also takes us in the mind of Emily, and how alcohol changed her life. In this short story, A Domestic Dilemma, Martin shows us that, even when there are many reasons telling us to walk away, we have to do the right thing and work through the problems we have with the people who means the most to us, no matter how hard it happens to be. Martin Meadows would be described as a loving, kind and patient man who loved his wife and kids dearly, but like all families, he has problem within the household. Like most families, Martin faces complications within his family. Martin has been dealing with his wife’s addiction with alcohol, and it is slowly tearing their marriage apart. In the story, Emily Meadows tries to hide the fact that she drinks alcohol during the day while her husband is at work, and Martin questions her about it and she replies “Because I drink a couple of Sherries in the afternoon you’re trying to make out as a drunkard” in a rather rude and inexcusable tone. Martin starts realizing that he cannot trust Emily to do the simple things around the home, such as cooking and watching the children, without her being intoxicated. Martin pleads to her, “If you could only realize how sick I am – How bad it is for all of us”, but Emily fails to understand that her addiction is not only affecting her, but it’s affecting her family as well. For example, at the beginning of the story, just as Martin has gotten home from work, he walked in to Andy yelling, “Daddy, daddy, daddy! It hurts. The toast was hot.” Andy was referring to how his mother had mistakenly put Cheyenne pepper on the toast instead of cinnamon, as she was meaning to, but fail to do so because
In the story A Domestic Dilemma, Carson McCullers shows us what life is like for in the Meadows family. She informs us of the trials, tribulations and struggles that Martin faces while trying to take care of his family and deal with the fact that his wife, Emily Meadows, is an alcoholic. She also takes us in the mind of Emily, and how alcohol changed her life. In this short story, A Domestic Dilemma, Martin shows us that, even when there are many reasons telling us to walk away, we have to do the right thing and work through the problems we have with the people who means the most to us, no matter how hard it happens to be. Martin Meadows would be described as a loving, kind and patient man who loved his wife and kids dearly, but like all families, he has problem within the household. Like most families, Martin faces complications within his family. Martin has been dealing with his wife’s addiction with alcohol, and it is slowly tearing their marriage apart. In the story, Emily Meadows tries to hide the fact that she drinks alcohol during the day while her husband is at work, and Martin questions her about it and she replies “Because I drink a couple of Sherries in the afternoon you’re trying to make out as a drunkard” in a rather rude and inexcusable tone. Martin starts realizing that he cannot trust Emily to do the simple things around the home, such as cooking and watching the children, without her being intoxicated. Martin pleads to her, “If you could only realize how sick I am – How bad it is for all of us”, but Emily fails to understand that her addiction is not only affecting her, but it’s affecting her family as well. For example, at the beginning of the story, just as Martin has gotten home from work, he walked in to Andy yelling, “Daddy, daddy, daddy! It hurts. The toast was hot.” Andy was referring to how his mother had mistakenly put Cheyenne pepper on the toast instead of cinnamon, as she was meaning to, but fail to do so because