Rhonda Massengill "The Other Two" by Edith Wharton

In the story called “The Other Two” by Edith Wharton it is based on the values of marriage. Years ago marriage was considered sacred and it was taken seriously. This story undermines the value of marriage and portrays a woman that has been married three different times.
Her first marriage was to a man named Mr. Haskett and they had a child named Lily. Mrs. Waythorn, Lilies mom, was on her honeymoon when she received a phone call that her daughter was sick. She returned back home quickly and found out her daughter had typhoid fever. Mrs. Waythorn had called Lilies dad to inform him that Lily wouldn’t get to see him this weekend. This is when problems started flaring up in her new marriage. Mr.Waythorn is really jealous of his wife’s passed relationships. Her passed relationship with Mr. Haskett worries him the most. He knows that Mr. Haskett has the right to see his daughter and lets him come to his own house.
Her next husband was Mr.Varick and he had a business relationship with Mr. Waythorn. One day Mr.Waythorn’s boss had gout and he was supposed to meet with Mr.Varick to close a business deal. At that time Mr.Waythorn was Mr.Sellers’ assistant and he had to take over the business. Mr.Varick had come across some money and he wanted to invest it in some stock. Mr.Waythorn set up the meeting and they sealed the business deal. He had to be awkward for Mr.Waythorn to help his ex-wife’s husband on investing his money.
Mr. Waythorn is her last husband and he goes from overlooking her pass to letting it overwhelm him. In the beginning they cut their honey moon short because the little girl is sick. This is when he starts to question his marriage. When he had married Mrs.Waythorn he thought the pass would stay in the pass. This didn’t happen because she had a child with her first husband. In order to make sure the child was taking care of he let her dad come to his house. Next he has a run a in with her other ex-husband over a business deal. Between her first and her second husband he starts to wonder if there was enough of her left to sustain him. He knew that with every marriage there was a piece of his wife that was gone. At the end he realizes that he loves her for who she is.
This story is a typical issue that American’s still face today. Many people that have been remarried suffer the most with those that have children. With Mr.Waythorn when the child was involved it was harder to accept the marriage was over. I know with parents they have a special bond after having kids together that causes problems.