Themes and message

The main themes of the short story “I’m Having Fun!” are the passage to adulthood, jealousy, and frustration. The author’s message is that, in romantic relationships, it sometimes takes risking losing someone to appreciate them, and that the passage to adulthood is often challenging and confusing.

Passage to adulthood

The short story follows a young character-narrator, Diane, aged 18, who is afraid of committing to her relationship with Neil and settling down with him, because she still wants to “have fun”, to enjoy freedom, and pursue other dreams.

Traditionally, getting married and forming a family is often associated with becoming an adult because of the responsibility this entails. However, some youths may be unwilling to make such a commitment too early for various reasons; they might want to travel more, to pursue professional development or simply enjoy their independence.

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Jealousy and frustration

These two themes are mostly explored in the short story through the male character, Neil. In his relationship with Diane, Neil first experiences frustration because the two of them desire different things. Neil is a traditional young man, looking to settle down and marry Diane, who is more interested in pursuing a modelling career. Furthermore, Neil’s frustration is enhanced by the fact that he and Diane do not have a sexual relationship. The two of them going on holiday alone makes it even harder for Neil, who sees his girlfriend flirting with Don.

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