Say Yes by Tobias Wolff analyze - Essay Example

When everybody congratulates Ann for having such a loving and caring husband, she is a bit unresponsive to them. When she put forward a question to which she already know the answer, the way in which he replies disturbs her. The story begins at dusk, a transition from light to dark, from white to black, from good to evil etc. The conversation is based on the discussion about interracial marriage. Ann’s husband is helping her to wash the dishes. She intentionally plunges into such a situation by asking him a question.

” I am black, but still me, and we fall in love. Will you marry me? . Ann expects a confirmation from her husband while asking the question. But instead of using any emotional elements, he logically states the matter.” With all things considered it is a bad idea.” He seems to know more about African American culture. He doesn’t want to act against his cultural beliefs by marrying a white woman. It is to be noted that his love has a racial undertone in it. But the facts he loves his wife dearly.

He is considerate in all deeds. But for Ann if there is love nothing will be an obstacle on the way to marriage. But for Ann’s Husband instead of being an endearing and thoughtful person, he gives prominence to culture and race. He says that because of the cultural difference they will fail to understand each other. The different symbols used by Tobias are so powerful that we should think that he is a racist. Ann believes so. But he wants to reject that statement before his wife and tries to convince her saying “I went to school with black.

And lived on the same street with black and we have often gotten long just fine”, “they have their own language …” I like them talk.”. When the verbal battle was strong Ann do her duty without much care. Her husband again puts the vessels into the silver ware. Tobias writes about it “The water had gone a flat gray”. Wolfs again makes think that the husband can see the world only in two colors, black and white. The writer conveys indirectly that the husband is indifferent to African – Americans.

Tobias mentions about a drop of blood that fell in the silver ware when Ann plunges her hand into that and cuts her finger. The drop of blood stands as a powerful symbol and reminds the readers that the race cannot be detected from that drop. A secure understanding of each other is a must for a powerful married life. From the beginning onward the readers know that there is no such deep relation between the husband the wife. Sometimes we think that the actions of the husband toward his wife are not because of such a well-built relation but because of compassion.

He rushes to upstairs to take a band aid for her and is willing to do the rest of the house hold duties. But she never takes that into account that and still cling on to the same matter of dispute. But every time the husband tries to describe his absolute love for her by reflecting about the past years they spend happily. When he says he “knows” her, his throat tightened and could hardly breathe. These show the contrast between his beliefs about culture and race and his humanity. Towards the ending of the story Tobias consciously uses dark night to set the problem.

The husband has no other means except giving her confirmation to her repeated question. The reason is obvious. They do not know each other. It takes the husband until the end of the story to