SUMMARY:

On their plantation, Mrs. Baroda discovers that her husband's friend Gouvernail is staying with them. She is dissatisfied with this because she had hoped for a break and they had been having a lot of fun. Despite hearing numerous positive things about the man, she had never met him. She immediately develops a romantic interest in him after seeing him. But she notices that he has a mystery about him that she can't explain but that she frequently tries to solve. She assures her husband that she will be better once he leaves because the man's visit is unlike any other, which bafflingly puzzles her. She decides not to return until he has left.

That evening, she sits on a bench outside and wonders why he makes her feel so uneasy. She is visited late at night by Gouvernail, who informs her that her husband gave him a scarf to give to her while she is away. After exchanging a few words, the two of them sat in silence. He begins talking, however, she doesn't focus since her body is attracted to him. She wants to hug him, but she can't because she thinks she's "a respectable woman." Due to this sensation, she starts to move away from him. She eventually leaves and goes back to her house, debating whether to tell her husband. She also doesn't want to and goes to her bed. The following morning, she left before the others have even gotten out of bed.

She comes back after Gouvernail has left, and at first, she doesn't like that he's back. However, to her husband's surprise, she supports his visit within a year. She simply states that she will treat him nicely and that she has overcome all obstacles.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW.

a. Why wasn’t Mrs. Baroda happy to know about Gouvernail's visit to their farm?

Mrs. Baroda wanted to spend quality time with her husband, Gaston Baroda, after their hectic winter. In addition, she may have thought that Gouvernail would ruin their holiday and also, although she had heard a lot about him, she had never met him.

b. How was Gouvernail different from what Mrs. Baroda had anticipated?

Mrs. Baroda had unintentionally built an image of him in her mind based on her husband's description. He had pictured him as tall, thin, and sarcastic, with spectacles and his hands in his pockets, and she didn't like him. Nonetheless, Gouvernail was slim enough but neither tall nor cynical; he also didn't wear eyeglasses or carry his hands in his pockets. And she liked him when he initially introduced himself.

c. Mrs. Baroda makes a comparison between Gouvernail and her husband.

Mrs. Baroda connects Gouvernail to her husband in terms of their openness. Mr. Gaston Baroda, her husband, was open and conversational, while Gouvernail was reserved.

d. Why and how did Mrs. Baroda attempt to alter Gouvernail's habit of being alone?

Mrs. Baroda attempted to modify his lonesome tendencies by keeping him company on his aimless strolls to the mill and walks along the river.

e. In what way does Gaston disagree with his wife about the character of Gouvernail?

Rather than agreeing with his wife that Gouvernail is a less interesting and reserved figure, Gaston points out that he is a remarkable, interesting, friendly, and talkative figure.

f. At the story's conclusion, Gaston is surprised by his wife's expression, why?

At the story's conclusion, Gaston is taken aback by his wife's surprise when she proposes on her own to have Gouvernail come back to them before the year is out, something he had never anticipated from her.

REFRENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. What is the reason for the struggle in Mrs. Baroda's brain? What role does Mrs. Baroda play in the story as "a respectable woman"?

Despite her initial impression of Mr. Gouvernail, she is attracted to him. She is a married woman and she is restricted to express her feeling to another man while she is still committed to her husband. This conflict troubles her mind. Eventually, realizing her responsibilities to her husband and commitment to the promise she has made to her husband she refrains from expressing her liking to her husband’s friend showing the character of a respectable woman.

b. Sketch Gouvernail's personality and compare it to Gaston's. (Describe Gouvernail)

The short story "A Respectable Woman" reveals that Gouvernail is a journalist. He isn't as friendly as his companion Gaston since he doesn't seem to give sufficient consideration to the individuals around him. Gaston describes his friend Gouvernail to his wife as "intelligent" and a "man of ideas," expressing his deep appreciation for him. He was reserved. On the other hand, Gaston is expressive, interesting, and talkative.

c . Why does Mrs. Baroda not tell her husband about her feelings for Gouvernail?

Mrs. Baroda did not tell her feelings about Gouvernail because she may have thought that her husband would not understand her and by doing so she may hurt him. In addition, she is a married woman and societal norms do not allow her to fall in love with another man while she is still in commitment to her husband. If she did so, she could have been labeled a characterless woman rather than a respectable woman.

d. The last three sentences of the story bring a sort of twist. How do you think Mrs. Baroda feels about Gouvernail after reading these three sentences?

The last three sentences, “I have overcome everything! You will see. This time I shall be very nice to him” is an ambiguous statement. She had been going through a conflict between choosing her feelings and the rules of society. Since this expression brings a twist to the story; it can be safely guessed that she chose her feeling for Gouvernail and that she “overcame” the norms of being a respectable woman and her focus on being “very nice” could be being very friendly with him.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

A. The introduction of an outsider into a family has been a common theme in literature and movies. Tell a story, real or imagined, in which an outsider destroys the intimate relationship between a husband and wife and causes the marriage to end without anyone being directly responsible.

Once upon a time, John and Sarah were a happily married couple. They had been married for five years and had a lovely daughter named Emma. Sarah stayed at home to care for their kid while John worked as a high-profile executive.

A pleasant and beautiful man named David moved in next door one day. He instantly made friends with John and Sarah, and they frequently had dinner parties.

David was a wealthy businessman who had toured the world, learning about other cultures and lifestyles. Sarah was captivated by his stories and was pulled to him. She appreciated his self-assurance, intellect, and sense of humor.

Sarah began to spend more time with David than with John, and John began to notice. She would frequently invent reasons to see him, and they would speak for hours on end. John first ignored it, believing Sarah was simply searching for a new companion.

Yet, as time passed, John grew increasingly envious and angry. He was afraid of losing Sarah to David and didn't know what to do about it. He attempted to express his sentiments to Sarah, but she ignored them, accusing him of being paranoid.

When John got home from work one day early, he found Sarah and David on the couch, laughing and joking. He was filled with rage and jealousy, so he confronted Sarah about her emotions for David. She denied that they were having an affair, but John didn't believe her.

John decided to leave Sarah and file for divorce since he couldn't stand the tension and jealousy any longer. Sarah was heartbroken and pleaded with him to reconsider, but he was too upset and angry to listen.

b. Before even meeting Gouvernail, Mrs. Baroda has expectations about him. Imagine that you are a mature girl or boy and those members of your family are putting pressure on you to get married. Describe in approximately 200 words the characteristics you hope to find in your future spouse.

My future spouse will undoubtedly be one of the most essential connections in my life. To guarantee a healthy and long-lasting relationship, it is critical for me to carefully pick my future mate. With that in mind, there are several characteristics that my future spouse should and should not have for us to have a happy and loving future.

To begin, my potential partner should exhibit qualities such as honesty, loyalty, hard work, and dedication. My potential partner should also be able to communicate well in both happy and sad situations. While passionate relationships need work, maintaining a good relationship requires a different sort of effort. An honest and trustworthy connection is one of the most critical components of laying the groundwork for a successful and long-lasting relationship. I expect my future partner to hold no secrets and to express themselves openly and honestly to me. Another attribute that my prospective companion must have is loyalty. A dedicated spouse should remain committed to our partnership despite external temptations and barriers.

Furthermore, I feel that certain characteristics must be possessed by my companion. They should be willing to put in the effort and time required to create and sustain our relationship. I respect a spouse that seeks to improve themselves by studying and gaining new abilities since it makes our lives better. Commitment is also necessary for a good relationship, and I want a partner who will stick with me despite our differences and arguments. Trust and security are essential, and I think that effective communication is the foundation of every successful partnership. An excellent listener who can speak and express their feelings well is an ideal relationship for me.

But, there are some characteristics that I do not desire in a potential marriage. I want a partner who is not addicted, as this might strain our relationship and stymie growth. Possessiveness and jealousy are also bad traits since they can lead to a lack of respect and communication difficulties. Additionally, I would never tolerate abuse or disrespect from a potential partner since it would result in a poisonous and terrible relationship. I value financial responsibility because it le to stability and trust. Above all, I respect honesty and integrity, and I would never want a spouse who lies or is deceptive since it would harm our relationship.

To summarize, it is critical for someone to carefully pick their future spouse to create a successful and long-lasting relationship. A potential spouse should be honest, hardworking, loyal, committed, and capable of efficient communication. They should also be free of addictions, possessiveness, abuse, financial irresponsibility, cheating, or dishonesty. With these characteristics in mind, a successful and joyful relationship is possible.