Does “Love” Really Needs “Sacrifice” free essay sample

Most people believe that, for a married couple, living together till old and grey is a sign of true love. Like the neighbors in the novel of â€Å"A Sacrifice†, common people will not accept a separation for a loved couple, especially for an elderly couple (283). On the other side, special examples always exist: an old woman wants to divorce with her husband in order to let him marry with a young girl (284). No doubt, this will be striking news even in the modern society; let alone nearly one century ago, when Chinese man still maintain pigtails (288). This old wife’s idea is so â€Å"advanced† that nobody could really understand her real purpose at that time, even her husband (287). The author did not provide a clear conclusion for that, and the only fact for readers to consider is her statement about love: she would glad to sacrifice everything for her Xu 2 husband to see his happiness(284). Of course, love is overwhelming and sacred, but does it really need any possible sacrifices to lift up, even giving up ethics, reputation or conjugal relation? For ebullient ones, they believe true love may equals to doing anything for your lover: true love is altruistic and unconditional; true love is regarding your lover as the most dependent person in the world, whatever he or she is stronger or weaker than you; true love is trying to pick the star from the sky for your lover if she or he requires†¦In their points of view: love represents a kind of obligation to offer another one forever. For these unending efforts, the only reward is o see his or her happiness (284). In other words, your lover’s happiness is just your happiness, and you should be glad for what he or she is glad to. Once you fall in love with someone, it has been determined that you should give anything to your lover, even your life (284). This kind of pure love seems very fantastic: keeps offering forever regardless how the world changes. However, relating to the reality, this is kind of impractical that actually few of people can performance this ideal very well. Some of us give up on the halfway (it is hard to count how many international students have changed their originally lovers after the severe tests on time and distance); some of us overextended to become the thralls of love, and lost the heart in the study or work; some even transfer the love to hate, and finally make a love tragedy. From the novel, no reader will doubt how deeply that elderly couple love with each other, and how resolutely the old woman will sacrifice for her husband. Nevertheless, no one actually knows the final result for that old wife’s â€Å"sacrifice† for love. The author gives us an opening end that provides space for association (289). Xu 3 Has old woman really realized her purpose to let her husband happy? Even this is no clear conclusion; readers still could find some implications from the text: for the divorce and wedding, the old man is as perplexed as others (287). On the other hand, the author has emphasized several times that this â€Å"crazy† idea comes from the old woman (284, 287,288). It seems she has not really realized what her husband needs and wants before make that decision. Objectively, her starting point is impressive; however, she has created a grim atmosphere for her husband: â€Å"A thousand pointing fingers accuse, and a man dies even without a sickness† (284). She proposes and performances this idea, but her husband bears almost the entire curse as an evil, even he is good-natured and mild (286). Related to the ending, whatever her husband leaves the world with or without happiness, this story can hardly be defined as a comedy. The old woman has helped herself to fulfill her goodness, regardless other’s feelings, includes her loved husband. Focus on this point, her sacrifice is a kind of selfish at the same time. â€Å"Sacrifice† for love is worth to be praise, but it is also dependent. If your sacrifice can not really bring happiness to your lover, it represents you actually do not realize him/her, and you actually don’t know how to love with him/her. For many people, like the old woman in this novel, sacrifice is everything for love. This view lacks of consideration: for a couple, love is not one person’s thing; it needs both parties to take care of it. All assumptions the old woman has made, like her husband needs new wife or he will live better with that girl (284), are based on one side. For her cursed husband, his neighbors and readers will never know his real intension behind his snuff of tobacco (287); for the young girl, no one will know her tears at old man’s funeral drops for losing a lover or losing the living guarantee in the future (289). It may be too Xu 4 utilitarian to state that related to this sacred topic, but will it better to consider more factors and understand the consequences before make a sacrifice for love? From some particulars, it is not hard to surmise that the reason why this old woman choice the girl as her husband’s new wife is mostly depending on girl’s piteous background and poor condition (284,288). In fact, old woman’s sacrifice is not only for her husband, but also for the happiness of that girl. The satisfaction of applying universal love provides her power to arrange the divorce and wedding. However, readers may feel warmer if this elderly couple adopts the girl as their stepdaughter. Generally, the love elements expressed in this story is impressive: elderly couple’s constant love, old woman’s sacrifice for love, old couple’s promise after death. Behind all of these, there is a consideration about the relationship between love and sacrifice. Love admittedly needs sacrifice; on the other side, not all of the sacrifice will be praised. Creating love needs emotion, and maintaining love requires both emotion and rational sense. Considering what your lover really needs and wants, then offer what you have to reach the best result, this kind of sacrifice is really needed for nourishing love. Xu 5 Works Cited Isaac, Bashevis, Singer. â€Å"A Sacrifice. † The Best American Short Stories 1965. Edited By Martha Foley. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1965. 283-289