ANALYSIS OF “THE STANDARD OF LIVING” BY DOROTHY PARKER

by  : Sumti Chusna (10320009)

Being a dreamer is good because it creates big motivation in our life. But, what will be happened if we dare to dream high without any supporting features? Dorothy Parkers had answered in his short story The Standard of Living. The standard of living is also tells about the modern life style which believes in hedonism, materialism, and self- indulgence. Hedonism and materialism allows humans to get much fun for their life without thinking others. Glamor life is the most urgent thing in human’s lifestyle who believes in hedonism and materialism. In addition, hedonism and materialism is contrast based on my Javanese culture. Moreover, according to my Javanese culture that still exists in its origin idea “the simple life is the most prestigious and wisdom life”.

There are two characters that develops in this story; major and minor character. The minor characters are clerk, devil, shopkeeper, and Ms. Sylvia. However, Annabel and Midge are the major char`cters in this story. They are best friend. Both of them have some similar characters. Annabel and Midge are hard workers who spend their whole time in the office (many of their evenings and most of their Sundays were passed in each other’s company). Both Annabel and Midge are stenographers who dedicate some of their wages to support their families’ life. Annabel and midge are perfectionists and fashionable. They never let their performance looked like other girls which are common. They also make up their performance like rich girl in the glamour life although their social status is middle class.

In the beginning of the story which is exposition, the third person point of view or the author explored much about Annabel and Midge life. He started to explain their life style and the habits of Annabel and Midge. After explaining more about Midge and Annabel’s life style, the story began to enter the rising action. The conflict started by Annabel’s game invention. The game is an Annabel short question, “what would you do if you had a million dollars?” . That question was a starting point of the conflict. Annabel said that the first thing she would buy is silver fox-coat. After listening to Annabel, Midge stated her disagreement because the silver fox-coat is so common. After having a disagreement, the relationship between Annabel and midge was not good which is signed by the sentence their conversation was careful and infrequent, and they did not once play the game. In the next day, Annabel came to Midge and she stated to agree with Midge that silver fox-coat is so common and finally she choose a mink coat. After that, Midge changed her mind to buy a pearl when she was taking walk in front of pearl shop. Midge interested in buying a beautiful pearl. That idea finally was agreed by Annabel too. They dared to enter the shop although the shop was closed in the afternoon. After having short conversation with the clerk, Annabel and Midge were surprised because the double rope pearl necklace was very expensive. It was two hundred and fifty thousand dollar. They were surprise of it price, then they went out from the shop. After that, Midge strengthened herself and tried to make a new game by asking the same question if there is an old rich man leaves his money, what would be the first thing you’d do? There is no conclusion in this story which is called open plot.

There are three conflicts. The first conflict is Annabel versus Midge. It’s happened when Midge disdains Annabel idea to buy silver fox-coat. The second conflict is Annabel versus herself. Annabel creates her problem by arranging the imagination question. So, she creates the confusion in herself. The next conflict is midge versus herself. Midge is like Annabel believing in imagination and glamor lifestyle.

This story takes a place in the Fifth Avenue, office, and pearl shop. It was on September afternoon. Fifth Avenue is located in Manhattan New York which contains of a number prestigious and expensive shop in the world. September refers that the short story happened in the summer day when people enjoying their time to refresh their mind by traveling along day.

This story used omniscient third person point of view. The narrator is the author who knows the detail character of all the characters that develops in this story. This story used third person point of view because the author wanted to tells the middle class social phenomena who wanted to life glamorously.

The value of this short story is simple life is better. Moreover, sharing and taking care to others is meaningful than we live in imagination that never be happened in our life.