Literary Draft

Thesis statement:
You're getting a clear picture of Margaret and John's relationship. Based on this
exchange, and what you've read so far, what can you guess about their relationshi p?
By looking closely at the story’s ambiguity aspect and Margaret’s point of view and also analysis
of Margaret’s character, we can see that the couple doesn’t really get along and that their
relationship isn’t very affectionate.

Body:
The situation between these two lovers, maybe not so very much, is very complex and has a lot
going on. It sounds like the two had an affair in the past that affected their relationship till this
day, their affair in the past was probably the source that pushed them to split up and go their
own separate ways. Margaret was feeling nervous around her husband not only due to the fact
they haven’t met in a long time, but something else, something much more. The problem isn’t
the husband, but Margaret herself. Another theory that made them go their separate ways was
the fact that Margaret had changed mentally, the meeting between John and Margaret once
again was probably after that occasion. Margaret probably already had an affair even before
her incident. John and Margaret were perhaps on good terms for a very long time ago but the
relationship between the two remains strange and awkward.

Another factor that proved their behavior during their meeting that seemed pretty odd was
namely the way they acted when they were meeting each other. They acted as if they knew
each other, but in reality, they didn’t. Just like in this passage: “Unlike his wife and children, he
looked utterly prepared for his return” (63). This passage seems to prove that probably the
husband possibly knows the secret behind Margaret’s state, but the meeting was probably after
Margaret got her mind altered. She acted as if she didn’t know this person, we can see from
this line: “why, it is not my husband” that this event was probably post psychological alterations
of Margaret. The fact she was very frightened during their meeting, it shows in this passage: her
heart was beating violently, her hands were shaking, and her fingers were cold.”(66) tells us
that she wasn’t her usual self around her husband. The way she was acting around her
husband, more precisely, she was shaking and nervous possibly means that she is trying to find
herself again. And, the fact that she was around her husband made her feel this type of way
because it is someone very important to her. She was basically breaking out of her shell trying
to find her old self again. The husband, John, appears to act relatively normal and calm. it
appears John might be aware of Margaret’s state and is trying to bring her back.

Margaret’s character seems very complicated and tricky to deal with. She seemed to have had a
very hard past. She might even already have a lot of issues and problems even before. Margaret
appears as a very reserved person, she seems to hide most of her thoughts and problems, but
doesn’t resolve them. Here she thought: “he said, and again she was angered at the warmth in
his tone;”(65) meaning she, Margaret had trouble expressing herself at this moment, but it
sounds like it isn’t the first time that she was like this. Like in this passage for example: “Being
lonely is worse than anything in the world. She said” refers to being alone herself. To be more
specific, she is referring to the fact that she has trouble expressing herself and always has been
like this. This also might be referring to her the trauma or incident that she experienced in the
past. In several parts of the text, she is going through a lot of emotions and tensions but she
can’t seem to show or express them. This case can also be related to the fact that she is a single
mother, she doesn’t have anyone to talk to and the only people who are close to her are her
children. The children are still very young, therefore this type of conversation isn’t suited for
them. This many thoughts will have a very significant impact on psychological changes which
has probably happened or is happening to Margaret. The title The Beautiful Stranger seems to
refer to Margaret instead of the husband, meaning she is a stranger to herself. That said, after
the incident she is trying to find herself, her husband is the first source to finding herself
because it is someone important to her. This book, The Beautiful Stranger consists of Margaret
going through a journey to find herself again, and maybe even improve and become a better
person than she was before.