Revision of Reader Response Essay

The text in this article related to me in so many different ways. As a woman there are times when I feel “needy”, I want attention and for my fiancé to tell me I look nice, surprise me every once in a while, with positive comments. So yes, I think we all can be needy at times. We need to feel loved and that we are worth the attention given.

She goes back and forth with herself in her mind trying to make sense of his actions towards her, then defends him in some of those actions. In the process of condoning him she belittles herself because she doesn’t want to “rock the boat” per say. When she has finally realized her worth, the fact that she isn’t happy and what he is doing is wrong she packs up all her things, her dog and of course her dignity. Looking in the rearview mirror at what was to be the home they would live in as a married couple she sets out to find herself.

The Crane Wife goes back and forth from the past to present as she tries to talk herself through everything that has went on, like she is trying to prove that she is doing the right thing. There were little signs all through the relationship that she chose to look over at the time that are coming back to her as she reflects on the relationship. I myself have made excuses, condoned behavior I shouldn’t have and looked over the “little” things that in due time added up to huge things. We live and we learn, and sometimes we just need to find ourselves. She went on this scientific excursion to do just that and reflect on her life decisions in the process. She chose this excursion because of “The Crane Wife” from Japanese folklore, a tale about a crane who keeps plucking out all her feathers with her beak so the man she loves can’t see that what she really is. He doesn’t ever notice that she needs cared for, a creature with needs herself. She felt she had so many similarities with the story but once there she realized the biggest part of the trip wasn’t studding the bird, it was learning what it needed to survive.

I think we all go through times that we need attention, not just women. We all want to hear positive comments whether it be from significant others, coworkers or what not.