“If guys were turkey breasts, you could put them in a 350-degree oven on July Fourth, and they still wouldn't be done in time for Thanksgiving.” That is, according to Dave Barry, author of the short narrative “Tips for Women: How to Have a Relationship with a Guy”. This quote pretty much sums up the theme and humorous flavor of Barry’s story- that men will never be ready to commit to a relationship. It is up to the woman to remind him, not so subtly, that he is in fact in love with her, and she with him. Barry offers valuable insight into the mind of a man, bringing a hilarious aspect to a dramatic situation. Barry’s situation does not start out dramatic. Actually, it is not Barry’s situation. “A guy named Roger” is in what he does not realize is a relationship with “a woman named Elaine.” He is attracted to her, he enjoys seeing her, and he is not with anyone else, so he must be committed to her. The only problem is, he does not realize that their six months of dating constitutes a relationship. That reminds him though, he is way overdue for an oil change. So Elaine, naturally, takes his lack of enthusiasm to mean that he is not happy with …show more content…
The story puts Roger in a tough situation to show that men mean well, but need a bit of help from women if they are ever to realize they are in a relationship. This is the main theme of Dave Barry’s story, which he shows through the use of age old humor techniques- misunderstanding, and stereotypes. It is not hard to connect with Roger and Elaine right from the start, thanks to Barry’s humorous personality that he writes with, and the universal situation he sets the story in. Barry’s words will stick with the reader, especially these wise words he imparts from the beginning; that guy are easy to have a fulfilling relationship with, provided that the guy is a Labrador retriever, and not a real