Roman Fever Was Not Pneumonia Term Paper

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Mrs. Ansley would have been treated as though she were dirty and untouchable in those days because she let a man "have his way" with her when it was illegal to do so (they weren't married). No "decent" woman would have had anything to do with her for fear of being judged "loose" also. Women were supposed to be the ones who kept the lid on sexual feelings. They were responsible for anything that happened. So the pregnancy was her fault because she failed to control the situation. But in this story, the author portrays her sympathetically.

The so-called "good" woman is the villain. Mrs. Slade is rather hateful and always has been. She despised Mrs. Ansley when they lived as neighbors, across the street from each other, and made unkind jokes behind her back about her uprightness.
It is the "bad" woman, the one who was "loose," that doesn't hold a grudge and seems to be a nicer person. Mrs. Slade dislikes her own daughter for being "an angel" and looking after her in her old age! By making the two women old, past the age of sexual attractiveness, the author is able to bring out their basic characters without the distraction of physical appearance and society's beliefs about young women. By creating sympathy for Mrs. Ansley and showing that she is the better person, the author is pointing out that there is more to being a good person than keeping control over one's sexual feelings.….....

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