Happy ending (Kurt Marti)

The short story Happy End by Kurt Marti from 1960 is about the fragile relationship of a couple who threaten to break up after a movie with a happy ending because the man and woman become aware of their sad realities.

action

After the romance turned out well, the man abandons the woman and escapes from the cinema into the dark night. The woman follows him until she catches up with him, panting. She is then confronted with the reason for his flight. This leads to a discussion between her and the man. However, it does not solve the underlying problem. The short story Happy End ends without a happy ending.

interpretation

The couple are confronted with reality through the happy ending of the movie, which ends with a kiss. Both are first drawn into the beautiful film illusion and then (possibly too abruptly) brought back into ugly reality. The man cannot cope with this situation and escapes from the cinema. In doing so, he tries to escape reality in order not to have to face the personal problem. The woman's emotional reaction to the end of the film gives him an opportunity to hide the real problem underlying his escape. So he diverts from his real motive to an advanced one. The real cause of his behavior is made clear by his thoughts. Obviously, he no longer wants to endure the looks of his partner. The actress in the film is an ideal for him. His partner does not fulfill such wishes. But because he does not want to endure reality, he plays it over and pejoratively gives his partner another reason. She reacts shocked to his quick disappearance and tries desperately to catch up with him, which takes a lot of effort. When she catches up with him, she receives an unfriendly response in an aggressive tone. She then instinctively submits to him and tries to justify herself. Your emotional reaction to the film is based on unfulfilled longings. She too is confronted with reality and reacts to the disillusionment after the film. She is reminded of her longings based on the tenderness that the actors exchange. She misses love and security in her relationship. When she realizes that the man continues to ignore these needs, she gives up trying to justify herself.

analysis

The narrative perspective is chosen so that the narrator also communicates the thoughts and feelings of the woman and man to the reader. This authorial narrative situation makes it possible to look inside both persons and thus to be able to interpret the motives for the respective behavior more closely. As a rhetorical stylistic device, the author often uses metaphors (for example "what a chunk of man") to clarify the feelings of the people.

The moral of the story

The combination of the plot and the stylistic devices suggests the hidden message of the short story. It clarifies the couple's relationship situation to the reader. The cause of this situation crystallizes in the course of the short story. Both do not talk about their problems, wants and needs. The movie reminds both of them and behaves accordingly. The author wants to make it clear that in a partnership it is important to talk openly about problems, wishes and needs in order to prevent the partnership from deteriorating.