How I Met My Husband By: Alice Munro

Presented by: Mohd Syafiq Mohtar Genysier Umam Muhammad Ridhwan Roslan

Authors Background.
Canadian short story writer Alice Munro is born in Wingham, Ontario, on 10th of July, 1931. Munro was raised on a fox and turkey farm. Her parents encouraged her to read, and she decided to become a writer during her childhood. She attended the University of Western Ontario but dropped out after two years to marry James Munro. The couple moved to British Columbia, had three daughters, and opened a successful bookstore in Victoria

 She later divorced her first husband, married a geographer, and settled in a town outside Ontario. Munro began publishing short stories in the late 1960s. Her first collection, Dance of the Happy Shades, appeared in 1968. Since then, she has published more than 15 books, nearly all of them short story collections, including The Progress of Love (1986), Friend of My Youth (1990), and Too Much Happiness (2009). Many of Munro's stories feature female characters living in rural settings.

 She has won several prestigious awards for her writing, including the PEN/Malamud Award for short fiction. The Love of a Good Woman (1998) and Runaway (2004) both won Canada's esteemed Giller Prize.

Plot Summary
How I Met My Husband introduces a young girls initiation into adulthood, as narrated by her mature self, and exemplifies the double vision frequently found in Munros work.

 When Edie, the protagonist who is a nave farm girl and highschool dropout, is hired as a maid by the new veterinarian, Dr. Peebles, she is awed by his homes modern conveniences: pink bathroom fixtures, an automatic washer, ice cubes. Edie is keenly aware of societys lofty attitude toward hired help and country people, yet she unconsciously exhibits the same prejudice toward shiftless Loretta Bird, an unwelcome neighbor.

 The Peebles family lives across the road from the old fairgrounds where one day a small plane lands, sparking all sorts of conjecture. That afternoon the barnstorming pilot Chris Watters, who offers plane rides for a dollar, seeks permission to use the Peebless pump and instead finds Edie trying on Mrs. Peebless long dress and jewelry while the family is gone. Edie is immediately smitten.

 When Alice, the pilots fianc and a former army nurse, arrives unexpectedly, Dr. Peebles follows local custom by inviting her to stay with them. Tension escalates as Alice tries to convince Chris to marry her, but he is clearly reluctant and soon disappears. Viciously turning on Edie, Alice flounces after him. As Edie waits for Chriss promised letter at the mailbox, she meets a young mail carrier who will soon become her husband. Unlike Alice, Edie decides, If there were women all through life waiting, and women busy and not waiting, I knew which I had to be.

Characters
Alice Kellingfiance of Chris Watters Chris Wattersa pilot who intends to sell rides on his airplane while living in a tent at the fairgrounds Joey and Heather Peeblesthe Peebles two children Loretta Birda working-class neighbor Dr. Peeblesa veterinarian who is married to Mrs. Peebles Mrs. PeeblesDr. Peebless wife.

Gender Theory
Gender theory explores sexuality and difference in gender discussions, as they relate to literary theory. Feminist criticism examines the ways in which literature reinforce or undermine he economic, political, social and psychological oppression of women.

Gender Theory Analysis

We think that the story How I met My Husband reinforce the matriarchal agenda. This is shown on how Munro depicts the female characters, especially Edie in the story.
First example is on how Edie, despite being a high school dropout, she is determined and show that she can still survive by being a maid to the Peebles Family. By doing this, Munro suggested that woman are strong and able to survive despite having faced hardship before.

 Second Example
She decided to settle instead of waiting for someone who wouldnt come back since he did not write a letter like he said. She chose to marry the mailman because she thought that was best for her. We can infer that she didnt want to be degraded by society or the pilot by waiting.

 Third Example
Edie patiently waited the mail from Chris at the first time. This suggested that women can be faithful to their partners if they choose to.

Setting
The story takes place in the country, about five miles outside an unidentified town, soon after the end of World War II. Critics assume the locale is Ontario, Canada, but nothing in the story explicitly indicates that. Rather, this story could take place in a rural area outside many small towns during the late 1940s or early 1950s, whether in the United States or Canada.

Thank You.