EXPLORING EDWARD'S CHOICES

Edward and Florence get married, but suddenly they ended their marriage.

There are a lot of causes, but the intelligent reader can understand the main motives  analyzing the novel.

In this text I'm going to focus my attention on Edward in order to understand the causes of his behaviors in comparison with Florence's. I will analyze Edward following these elements: his social status, his relationship wit his mother, his behaviors outside home, his feelings.

Edward' s interest was in fanatical medieval cults a matter of fact he has a degree in history from University College in London, but he didn't find his ideal job, but he was able to find only a work like a groundsman at the Turville cricket club.

Moreover his family is a modest family, belonging  to the middle class . The narrator underlines the different social status between the two lovers. As a matter of fact " he had never stayed in a hotel before ", "his squalid family home in the Chiltern", " he reliably stupefied by science and technology",  his father " he cycled the five miles to work" "he bought a second car for eleven pounds in Christmas Common", " but there were many days when petrol rationing Lionel back on his bike", he lives in a disorganized home " it was possible to carve your name in the hard grey scum with fingernail".

This difference marks  his nature: "unlike some of boys at school, he did not loathe his home and family." Under a point of view he grows thank for his mother's experience. I think this experience makes the protagonist patient with Florence. His mother was brain - damaged . His family was confused by this illness. "She was a ghostly figure, a gaunt and gentle sprite with tousled brown hair... absorbed in her hobbies and projects ...fumbling her way through the same simple piano pieces", "She never washed or brush, or emptied the greenish water from the jam jars....", "his father instructed her never to interrupt her son's studies", "contributed much to the general disorder". So he had to support this situation became too patient and help his mother. Moreover he protected his mother " It was always something old, for Lionel's repertoire was narrow, but no one contradicted her, and ritually, at the end of every meal , the children and their and their father would thank her. It was  a form of make-believe that was comforting for them all". This make- believe continues also out of their home . So they would protect the woman "they were bound to protect her- in silence."  They masked her illness  as a matter of fact " The accepted view locally  was that Mrs Mayhew was artistic, eccentric and charming probably a genius". His behaviours with  her mother changed when Lionel confessed him her mother's illness: Edward continued to make the quiet transition from shock to recognition". He perceived his mother brain damaged like  an insult " The term was an insult, a blasphemous invitation to disloyalty."  " it coolly measured his mother by a public standard that everyone could understand ". So from analyzing the relationship between Edward and his mother, I have understand that he wants to evade from this reality. He lived in a fiction up to now and now " He was simply impatient for his life , the real story, to start" . His difficulties in conversation  derives from the problem in his families , he used to pretend and never speak clearly .

His behaviours are also influenced by the different relation with Florence and his companion.

He feels distant and different from his companion : " men of his age were leading explosive, untiring sex lives, rich with gratifications of every kind ". His relation with Florence constrained  him to restrain and so he and make him " nauseous with desire and indecision".

Summarizing Edward's behaviours in front of Florence depend on his education, his relationship with abnormal people and social restrictions.

So " The promise of marriage was his only relief".