Who wants to read a story with no drama, conflict, or themes? The story of Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Master, is the perfect example of climactic and suspenseful literature. The townspeople in the story are met with numerous troubles and situations throughout the novel. Many of the townspeople in Spoon River experience countless encounters of love, karma, and religion. One experience shown throughout the story is karma. Butch Wildy is portrayed as a person who embodies karma through his life's choices and the repercussions which follow. Butch quotes, “The Circuit Judge said whoever did it/ was a fellow servant of mine/ so he didn't have to pay” (Lines 16-18). The fact Butch’s life was destroyed by a random person and not by the many …show more content…
Dora experiences a sense of karma through her relationships, particularly with her husbands she kills for money. When Dora wrote, “I wed Count Navigato/ we went to Rome. He poisoned me” (Lines 18-19). Dora experiences the same fate as the spouse she killed, showing how her actions eventually came to her. Dora's life illustrates the consequences of choices rooted in societal pressures, whether marrying for stability rather than passion or sacrificing her own dreams for the sake of others. Both Butch Wildy and Dora serve as reminders of how one's actions reverberate through life, affecting not only the individuals themselves but also those around them. shaping their lives in often tragic ways. Although karma is something many of the townspeople face in the story, this is not the only encounter laced in the text. Another major experience in Spoon River Anthology is love. Minerva is a person who expresses her experiences with love and societal expectations. She is portrayed as a talented and intelligent woman who feels constrained by the norms of her time. When Minerva writes, “I thirsted so for love/ I thirsted so for life” (Lines …show more content…
Reuben grapples with feelings of unrequited love and disappointment, particularly about his affection for others. Reuben’s “deceiving kisses” show he is kissing someone but thinking about another. Reuben's life is marked by a sense of yearning and absence; he feels love eludes him or is ultimately unrequited. Reuben's reflections reveal the ways love can both inspire and torment individuals, illustrating how deep emotional connections impact one's sense of self. The experiences of love and karma entice the reader and give the story humor and drama, but they are not the only major experiences Spoon River Anthology contains. The third and final major experience the townspeople undergo in Spoon River Anthology is religion. Mrs. Meyers embodies the complexities of faith, morality, and personal struggle. Meyers states, “If your ways are ways of pleasantness/ and all your pathways peace/ Love God and keep his commandments” (Lines 9-11). Throughout her monologue, Meyers shares her experiences and feelings of disillusionment with religious warnings, highlighting the shortcomings of institutionalized religion and the struggles of women in a patriarchal