The use of contrasts
The short story “The Other Couple” by Sandra Marslund makes frequent use of contrasts. The main contrast in the story is between the narrator’s happy memory of her pregnancy and her current, depressed state (ll. 63-66). This contrast highlights the narrator’s pain and loss.
The story also presents the contrast between the man and woman in the imaginary old couple. He is “richly tanned” (l. 2), well-dressed, and “dapper” (l. 3), his movements sharp and decisive (l. 4). She is pale and has a careless appearance (ll. 4-5), and “her hands tremble” (l. 6). The old man has a “sprightly frame” (l. 35), the old lady a “quiet stoop” (l. 35).
The contrasts in their physical description hint at a power imbalance in their relationship. As the old couple ...