D. Fred and Madge have no problems. They get along exceptionally well and are good at working out any little difficulties that may arise. But their charming house is by the seashore and one day a giant tidal wave approaches. Real estate values go down. The rest of the story is about what caused the tidal wave and how they escape from it. They do, though thousands drown, but Fred and Madge are virtuous and grateful, and continue as in A.
This stanza really catches my attention because of the larger issues it raises. All of the attention so far has been paid to couples and their love lives. All of a sudden, though, here is a reference to tragedy and widespread destruction -- but the love story continues on unabated.
I can't help but think of the tsunami disaster a couple of years ago or the recent tragedy in Haiti. We read the article or watch a short news blurb, but then settle in to our nightly diet of fake plotlines with manufactured drama, more moved by the death of a favorite television character than of real human beings. Surely there is more to the world than whether boy and girl are in love or lust; stay together or split up; remain faithful or cheat.
i am certainly not meaning to de-value love or relationships, it's just that the way this section of the story glosses over widespread death really makes me think about how we often use entertainment to block out the suffering and horror around us.
Anyway, it's late and I feel as if maybe I'm not articulating my point very well. Maybe, though, we should take Dane Cook's advice and have the mean leather-jacket guy chew us out during television programs about giving to the poor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvFFeJwnRUY. Listen around the 2:10 mark.
Matt Varnell
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