Runaway (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Alice Munro
- First Published: 2004
- Type of Work: Short fiction
- Time of Work: The late twentieth century
- Setting: Western Canada
- Principal Characters: Carla, Sylvia, Clark, Juliet, Eric Porteous, Christa, Grace, Maury Travers, Neil, Lauren, Delphine, Robin, Nancy, Tessa, Ollie
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: North America or North Americans, Wives, Mothers, Twentieth century, Marriage, Alcoholism or alcoholics, Domestic violence, Women, Canada or Canadians
- Locales: Canada
“Runaway,” the first story in Alice Munro's collection of the same title, concerns two runaways: Carla, whose abusive husband, Clark, inspires her to run away, and Sylvia, her neighbor who encourages Carla's runaway attempt. Sylvia's husband has passed away, and she comes to rely on Carla for help around her house and develops an obsessive concern for her abused friend. Sylvia's friends describe her affection for Carla as a crush. While Carla resents Clark's abuse, it seems apparent that without Sylvia's planning and urging she would not have taken a bus out of town, only to get off...
[The entire page is 1819 words long]
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