It is generally agreed today that Friendships, who like and dislike the same things, that is indeed true friendship. But it is true? Friendship can share everything but when it comes to what you love most, it seems that friendship is in danger of breaking down. One of the same friendships we might see in Edith Wharton’s short story “Roman Fever”, he tells of a friendship of two women who grew up, playing together, share everything but there is one thing they can't share that is their happiness. That cause they are rival together in the envious of each person in Roman Fever. Is it a coincidence or intentional? Images of the two women and the Colosseum is a scene, looking like two boxers on the arena, they scramble for love as a trophy. Their friendship has been changed into enemies.
Alida Slade and Grace Ansley had been best friend for a long time. However, it was abnormal relationship. Both of them were not sincere with each other.
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First of all, let’s talk about Mrs. Slade. When Mrs. Slade was young, she had been a confident and dashing girl that was called “vividness” by someone. She usually flouted her close friend – Mrs. Ansley who in her opinion was bored and old-fashioned “Funny where she got it, with those nullities as parent… Museum specimens of old New York. Good-looking, irreproachable, exemplary”. However, most of Mrs. Slade’s life, she had envied that woman for her quiet way and sweetness. She even felt unhappy because her daughter was not excellent as Mrs. Ansley’s daughter. She was really afraid that Mrs. Ansley would be obstacle and block her way. That selfishness reached a climax when she sent to Mrs. Slade a Delphin’s false letter to get her out of the way and she gloat with what she did “I remember laughing to myself all that evening at the idea that you were waiting around there in the dark, dodging out of sight, listening for every sound, trying to get in”. Nevertheless, at the end, she numbly knew her groom was not only come to meet Mrs. Ansley that night but he also given her a child. Truly, life is full of surprise, and not all of them are good.
About Mrs. Ansley, was she really a true friend of Mrs. Slade? In her mind, Mrs. Slade’s image was drawn with slight and faint touches. She thought that “Mrs. Slade had a sad life. Full of failures and mistakes” and she always felt pity for her. However, there were not the worst. She fell in love with the man who she knew that would be her friend’s husband. This was impossible in a friendship. She did not care to lose a friend to have a night with him. Mrs. Ansley and Delphin - both of them betrayed Mrs. Slade. And when Mrs. Slade said that she was person who wrote this letter, she cried, but because it was not Delphin’s “Mrs. Ansley’s hand dropped to her knees, the face they uncovered was streaked with tears… It was the only letter I had.” After many year, she even never regretted with what she did for her best friend. People usually think about their own benefits before thinking of others.
Women are envy, selfish, and spiteful. At least this is the rather judgmental generalization made clear in Edith Wharton’s “Roman Fever,” from a feminist point of view. Women are known for envying and judging one another constantly. Two women “Each one, of course, had a label ready to attach to the other’s name.” Women very often have made up their minds about people before even becoming fully acquainted. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have considered themselves to be lifelong, intimate friends, yet they judge each more quickly than most and are surprised by how much they really don’t know about. And because of their gender, they will never change their spiteful, jealous nature and will continue to sit, knit, gossip, and silently judge.
Nelson Mandela said, “There is enough on Earth for every one’s need, but not for every one’s greed”. In my opinion, people nowadays are increasingly selfish, envy fulfilling their own desires at all costs. Think about it, children are angry when they don't get what they want, even if getting what they wanted would mean another kid had to suffer some kind of consequence. Frustrated, angry even if there are individuals who have bad habits when bringing their friend's success story to another direction when they don't have what the other person has. Especially for those of students who do not get good grades. So they often envy by going to say bad words behind you. In friendship as well, don't become a friend who is always on the lookout and count all the actions of your friend and then sink in sadness, worry ... even angry when you see they have more than myself.
Previously I had an awesome friendship. We are classmate in middle school. She has a good job at Shipping Line, she often asks me to go shopping with her, she choosed expensive items without looking at the price. As for me, the job was not good at that time, I almost looked at her buying things. She paid for almost meals when we meet. I feel self- pity!. Over three months ago, she tried to appoint me and invited me to attend her wedding. She was going to marry an American and after that she would lived there. I was jealous of her right then. Why does she have a perfect life? while I am still struggling to find a good job. I did not attend her wedding because of my lazy. She called me and cried….so I lost an awesome friendship. Selfish as well as envy had killed a relationship.
Instead of attending too much to the points of my friend why don't we improve ourselves by trying harder to improve ourselves more and take that goal to strive for ourselves, don't compare yourself with others to become self-deprecating and fall.
The envy of friendship if it is at a moderate level will help people to improve themselves, help friendship last forever and you will be friends to progress further on the journey. Be knowledgeable to see things through the wide-angle prism, don't confine yourself like a snail and should take care of yourself at all times.
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