Thoughts on “The Lady with the Dog”
October 21, 2010 by nc102092
What is it that scares people from pursuing what they really want? Is it the fear of change? The expectations of family or peers? The standards of society?
Well, in the case of Gurov & Anna, all of the above apply, and I feel like the same can be said about many people in today’s society. I mean, there’s a reason why I see plastic smiles or bored expressions on the faces of most people I encounter. In general, most individuals tend to hide the one thing that brings them true happiness, due to the fear of the consequences of exposing that secret. But despite their miserable state, why are people still so hesitant to do what will make them happy?
Does the importance of maintaining one’s public status really outweigh the benefits of achieving happiness? And in actually achieving true happiness, why does it always seem to take place in private? Also, why does it always become so difficult to balance our well being with living in the public world?
I’m not saying that these two characters should rush into the process of exposing their affair, because that would only lead to chaos. I also understand why their efforts to make their relationship public will be a struggle. However, this type of situation made me think of how people could be experiencing the same today, or how people continually struggle to break out of their shells and improve their lives for a change.