In Irving's short story, "The Wife", he portrays women in a very idealistic way; they are described as loyal, caring, comforting and extremely supportive. Even though many would say women have many more responsibilities now, regarding employment and similar things, I believe that the marital values Irving displays are ones that are starting to disintegrate from modern marriages. Women are supposed to be loyal and supportive of their husbands, even if they have their own responsibilities. The idea of individual responsibility leads into the importance Americans place on the economy. In "The Wife', Irving describes the husbands fear to explain to his wife their sudden financial loss, mainly because he wants her to be treated like a Princess. The husband explains how he feels regarding pity by stating "if you have any pity on me, don't mention my wife; it is thought of her that drives me almost to madness". Once she does find out, she supports him with love and tries to make their new situation as comfortable as possible. Today, if many women found out that their financial situation was changing drastically, they would not likely be as supportive and understanding. This short story clearly displays the important connections between a women's character, marriage and economics and highlights how the emphasis on these topics has changed.
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