Summary

The short story “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood starts with the statement that two people, John and Mary, meet. Then the reader is given various options about what happens next, with the claim that only A contains a happy ending.

In option A, John and Mary both fall in love with each other, get married, buy a house, and live happy and fulfilling personal and professional lives. They eventually die, and this is considered the end of the story.

In option B, Mary falls in love with John, but John does not love her back. He only comes to Mary’s house to have sex with her. Mary cooks for him and John never takes her to a restaurant. Mary becomes increasingly unhappy but believes she can change John, despite her friends saying he is not good for her. One day, John criticizes Mary’s cooking, and Mary’s friends tell her he was at a restaurant with a woman named Madge. Mary kills herself, and John marries Madge. John and Madge live...