Identity, Voice or Self – Image: “The Other Wife” – Colette

This short story by Colette is about a couple, Marc and Alice, which were going to to have lunch at a restaurant. Alice wanted to sit on a table that had a beautiful view to the bay, but Marc made her sit in another table, in an area were most of the other people were sitting. Marc told Alice that he would explain later. They order lunch, and Marc later told her that the reason why he did not want to sit on the other table was because his ex – wife was sitting over there. Alice became really curious about her husband’s ex – wife and started asking him questions. Marc told Alice that he could never make his ex – wife happy. She was never satisfied, was difficult, and felt superior. After what Marc told Alice and her observations, she started to compere her to her husband’s ex – wife. That made her feel very insecure of herself and made her wonder if she really was satisfied with her husband. Women tend to compare themselves with other women, and that causes internal conflict and low self – esteem. Every woman should value their own virtues and stop thinking about the things they see in other women and they wished they had. Everybody is unique and should value itself more.