the analyzing of the standart of living

Standard of living by Dorothy parker

Standard of living by Dorothy parker told about the live of two girls, Annabel and midge. In the first paragraph, by good describing, the author introduced the character inside, Annabel and midge, and then we call it as an expository. Those two girls were friend from the day that midge had found a job as stenographer with the same firm as Annabel employed. Then, one day Annabel had invented a new game. Actually, she did not it just resented an old game. Based on Annabel version the game was you must suppose that there was somebody dies and gives you a million dollars before dying, yet you have something to do, you have to spend all your money. Then, by the role of element of plot, we can call this part as raising action that would lead us to the climax. After introducing the game to her best friend, midge, they did the game. There were little long series here, when this couple friend has different argument, what the first thing they would do. Finally, they got an agreement what they would do first, they would get a mink coat, although, when they passed the fifth avenue they changed their mind, they took it back, they would get a string of pearls based on midge suggestion. This part is the climax of the story, because this part is the most intense moment. Furthermore, for failing action is when Annabel and midge went out from the shop disappointedly, because hearing the prize of a string of pearls, which is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. After that, they felt embarrassing as if a disdains were in their faces. This part when Annabel and midge arranged their felling after leaving the shop to be normal is the failing action. There is no resolution here, because the reader can guess what the next story is. By the reason that this story is possible happened in the real life, we could call this as plausibility. Then, the author also gave the guideline before the series, so, it includes as foreshadowing.  There were some basic conflicts; they are Person vs. Person, Person vs. society, Person vs. fate and Person vs. self.

The author used both Showing indirect and telling direct as the Method of characterization. The characters in this story are Annabel, she is arrogant , glamour and beautiful. We can see in the First paragraph : “ Annabel and midge came out of the tea room with the arrogant low gait”, “ they had lunched as was their want “, the 16^th paragraph : “ they tendered thanks, icily, ………… but the girls wore expressions of bitter disdain, as if they stood in a sty, “ Annabel an midge said together, and in like freezing accent”, then, in the 18^th paragraph : “ suddenly midge straightened  her back, flung her head high, and spoke, clear and strong. Then, to show that she is also Glamour, let’s see the 4^th paragraph : “ they painted their lips and their nails, they darkened their lashes and lightened their hair………”. For Midge, Annabel’s comrades, she also had the characteristics same with Annabel. She is arrogant, glamour and beautiful, because the author said (in the 4^th paragraph) they looked alike in shapes, bodies and movement but not for their features. Both are protagonist and major character, because they are not only mean character, but also take significant role in the story. Then, they have flat or static character that their characteristics never changed.

There were some characters more to support and help the story running well. We call it minor character. One of them is Sylvia, their friend in the office, Sylvia is impolite and unfriendly. We can see when Annabel offered to play game to Sylvia. Sylvia’s answer showed that she was not fun with Annabel. The next characters are Doorman who is polite and clerk that is polite, patient and immaculate, it was shown by their acts in giving greeting while bowing. In addition, Dorothy parker also used telling indirect in showing the characterization. It can be proved in 16^th paragraph : by author => “ a slim, immaculate clerk come to them and bowed” in showing the characteristic of clerk. All of the minor or figurant characters are flat or static character.

How about the point of view?. The author used third person point of view. Who is omniscient or who knew the entire story. She described all the series in the story prettily. In addition, it is also caused that there was no pronoun “I” that is as the mark of the first person point of view. Therefore, Dorothy parker used the third point of view.

There are some elements of setting. The first is the actual geographic location, in this story the author describe the Fith Avenue was in the hot and glaring that made people drooped and shambled (in 14^th paragraph). Then, the occupation of the character; for Annabel and midge is stenographer and someone who was as clerk in the shop. This story was happened in September on summer. Then, the places were in tearoom, their office, Fifth Avenue and the shop.

Dorothy parker provided a satire in this story. Two girls wanted to life as rich people by what they wanted to eat or how their style and adornment, In fact, they were not. They got their salaries just around 16$ - 18.50 $ a week. Moreover, they had to use a half of their salary to support the necessary of their family, because they still lived at home. It meant that they were not rich. Then, to solve this, they created a game that they had to suppose there would be someone leaving a million dollar for them before he dies. Next, they had to spend all the money. Therefore, they could life as a rich people. Without realizing, sometime people use this act in our daily, people support their falsehood, just to make calm their selves, though that will not be longer anymore. Finally, they also have to receive the fact disappointedly. In short, Dorothy parker invited us to learn to face the world, the fact, the fate bravely, without pretending, without playing-act and without fictive.