Wishful Thinking: An Analysis of Dissatisfaction Among Three Women Taylor Parks College

During the 18th and 19th century, Nella Larsen, Edith Wharton, and Truman Capote published renowned literary works that gained vast praise and recognition for them all. Each work explored unique themes such as isolation, racism, love, and the effect of society. Also, each work uses various themes to create a unique meaning of its own; however, dissatisfaction seems to resonate in all works and unifies certain characters in each. Common knowledge holds that dissatisfaction surfaces when one’s expectations are not met, which can contribute to a rally of emotions including depression, impulsivity, anger, and hopelessness. In Nella Larsen’s Quicksand, Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, and Truman Capote’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s, each audience meets a character who is disappointed with the circumstances of their life and ultimately must face the consequences of their decisions. Specifically speaking, Helga Crane, Ellen Olenska, and Holly Golightly express dissatisfaction throughout the novels they are written in. The disappointment and dissatisfaction in each character allow each literary work to convey a sense of realism and emphasizes the importance of expecting an unhappy ending. Each character experiences disappointment as a...