Albert Einstein's analogy of life being similar to riding a bicycle and requiring constant progress to maintain balance is exemplified by the husband in Gayle Godwin's "A Sorrowful Woman." In the story, he skillfully handles his wife's irrational demands, including cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and taking care of their three-year-old child. Even though he has a regular 9-to-5 job, he willingly accepts these overwhelming responsibilities that most husbands would decline.
The story showcases the husband's exceptional qualities, but raises a troubling question - how could such a remarkable person make several misguided choices that ultimately drove his wife to suicide? Can these actions also be attributed to greed? Let's examine the initial poor decision, in which the wife is already scared after an incident where their child accidentally
...scratched her, resulting in bleeding.
The husband stays composed and contacts their regular babysitter to watch over the child until he returns home. A few evenings later, during dinner, the wife strikes the child while aware that the husband is watching. She then collapses to the floor, crying, causing the child to weep and hide. The husband, consumed with love for his wife, promptly tends to her needs but neglects his crying son who was unjustly hit. It is evident that the wife is purposely seeking the husband's attention, and she succeeds in doing so.
The husband's response indicates that he values his wife more than their three-year-old child, suggesting neglect towards the child. This behavior is typically disapproved of by parents who would reprimand their partner for harming the child and offer support to the little one. While it may not
be feasible for the husband to attend to both his wife and child at the same time, he suggests hiring a girl to take care of the child and handle household tasks while he focuses on his wife. This conduct might be seen as displaying some level of self-centeredness.
In the article "Defining Greed is An Indulgence of Its Own," Oliver Mark Hartwich, a business administration master's degree holder and Ph.D. in law, discusses how greed is responsible for global economic problems. Hartwich provides a definition of greed as "a selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed." The author explores the husband's greed, which manifests as an intense love for his wife. This excessive love blinds him to his wife's actions, and he does not become angry. Additionally, the husband continually gives the wife the draughts, which is another poor decision.
According to the story, the wife received the sleeping draught every night without having to request it. She had both a small and large glass placed beside her bed. This behavior from her husband could be considered as enabling an addict. Dr. Elizabeth Hartney, a psychology expert with a PhD, defines enabling as permitting an addicted individual to persist in their addiction by failing to set appropriate limits or acknowledge the issue.
According to Lisa Hann in her article "Are You Enabling an Addict? What you need to do to stop!", the husband's actions of encouraging his wife to drink every night are leading her to become an alcoholic. The difficulty of admitting to enabling an addict is comparable for both the enabler and the addict themselves
admitting their addiction. Despite believing that he is helping his wife cope with pain, stress, and sleep issues, the husband's actions are actually making her problem worse. This situation showcases how greed can manifest as he continuously tries to fulfill his wife's desires.
He consistently gives her the necessary space, along with satisfying her newfound craving for drinks. In addition, the husband expresses his desire to provide everything she needs by stating, "I want to be big enough to contain whatever you must do" - which aligns with the definition of greed as an excessive and self-centered desire for more. Another issue arises when the wife informs the husband that she can no longer see him or their son, confining herself in the white room all day. Understanding her wishes, the husband agrees to communicate through written notes slipped under the door for her to read.
The husband's refusal to take his wife to the hospital for professional help despite her evident condition is allowing it to persist. His excessive desire for her approval has gone too far, as he fails to engage with her and even prevents their child from seeing her. Although he compensates by writing notes each night for her to read, this could negatively impact the child's upbringing. The mother's neglect of their child may have severe consequences.
Child neglect, according to The Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, refers to a situation where a parent or primary caretaker fails in their duty to care for, provide for, and adequately supervise and monitor their child. This neglect can have long-term effects that harm the child's development. While the child's needs
are met by the husband, knowing that his mother does not want to see him can greatly impact his childhood. Can we attribute this circumstance to the child due to the husband's greed?
The husband's constant efforts to meet his wife's wishes and fulfill her every desire have led to her deteriorating mental health and choice to separate from their family. Although he attempted various home remedies, one day the husband comes home to find a tidy house with food prepared, believing that his wife has improved. However, he soon discovers that she tragically ended her own life in the room where she had isolated herself. Ultimately, the husband's misguided decisions and relentless longing for love from his wife drove her to commit suicide, leading her to abandon their family.
The husband's actions and decision-making skills are now under scrutiny as he realizes the seriousness of his actions. Despite being seen as a kind and generous person, his accidental greed has ultimately led him to make unwise choices that have resulted in the tragic death of his wife. By examining and clarifying the possible indications of greed in the husband's behavior, it is left to the reader to decide if this greed affected his decision-making and ultimately caused his wife's demise.
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