Jack Hodgin’s “By the River” Research Essay
“By the River” written by Jack Hodgin is a short story of a Lady who is deeply in love with her husband and eagerly waiting for the return of him. “Crystal Styan” the main character of the story left her home with high ambition with her Husband, “Jim” who is clueless about farming but promises Crystal Styan for a better country life. As Jim does not know anything about farming his all attempt were unsuccessful. Later on he left his wife Crystal Styan in a puzzled life where she did not know what to do. Afterword, Crystal Styan has become delusional during the time and still believes that Jim will return on the train at any moment. During the trip towards rail station, she imagines ‘Jim’ sitting alone in the coach, backwards, and possibly bringing her a gift or surprise. When the train arrives and it is obvious that Jim Styan is not on board, she continues to smile until the conductor tells her that he is not on board. The train engineer hints that she has been coming to the station for the past six months and waiting for his arrival. It is obvious he will not return, she needs to understand that her dream of reunion with him will never be fulfilled. Crystal Styan was so high ambitious that she never give a second thought to leave her house with Jim. She thought that life with Jim will be more beautiful than her current life. She was so much in love with Jim that she left her house with Jim without thinking once. Jim tells her that they are going to live near the river and made their own firm. Jim also promised that he will give her a better life. Crystal believed him so much that she sacrifices her parent’s house and education for Jim. When Crystal was in grade ten, she gave up the opportunity of studying further and chose to live a wonderful and idyllic life with Jim.