Meredith Hall is mother is faced with divorce in “Killing Chickens”. Isolated by the betrayal of her husband’s adultery with her best friend, she tackles the chores he left behind while celebrating her 38th birthday with her two sons. Throughout the story she allows herself to feel hurt, angry, and lost; crying frequently but putting on a happy face in front of the children, but overall Hall comes off as strong. By the end of a nightmare of a day she’s adjusted into what you might call survival mode, getting everything done that needs done and preparing to face the hardships that her tomorrow will bring. She has a personal attachment to the chickens she kills, they have names and personalities, but she accomplishes the task regardless. Described …show more content…
She faces both tasks with strength and a touch of softness. Both difficult, uncomfortable, and unavoidable, the pace at which she kills the hens mirrors her emotional progress. First she is curt and methodical, but gradually she becomes more authentic to her feelings, and more gentle towards the chickens. “In that other world of hope and tight determination,” Hall describes her life before the news. Although the day was undoubtedly tragic, life for Meredith Hall will soon be free from suspicions about her husband’s faith to her, his moodiness, and the fights they endured. Killing old hens served the purpose of making room for new chicks. Perhaps even though her day was a horrid conclusion of an unhappy marriage, the theme is that the aching loss of her husband will serve to make room for some good in her life. When have to let things go that aren’t meant for us, even when it’s hard. In “Escapes” by Ann Hood, Caryn is looking after her niece, Jennifer, who is young and troubled. Caryn, an ambitious newly-single woman, feels burdened by the responsibility. After a few weeks of sharing a small apartment and visiting local attractions, the two ultimately learn more about each other and their perspectives on