In the story the “The Best of Everything,” Richards Yates tells us a story about two characters who are about to make a life long commitment of marriage. This is something that these characters are obviously not ready to do. Ralph is a guy that is more about himself than anybody else. Grace is a woman who is not very independent and doesn’t know how to put her foot down. Ralph has this fantasy that he will marry Grace and through that will have a better life. Yates tells us that couples should make sure that they are mature enough and have their act together before they make the ever-binding journey through life, together as one, through marriage.

Yates, shows us how men like to use women as their trophy. If I had a man who bragged about my features to his friends, I would feel cheap. I want a man who is proud of me because of who I am, not how I look. Sure it’s nice to look good, but that’s not why I would want someone to marry me. I would want someone to marry me because they are so madly in love with me. Someone who can’t stop thinking about me. I want someone to brag about how smart I am or what I’m accomplishing in my life.

Grace is a character who is a weak and

“Anyway, I’m fulla beer.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “And then

“Oh, Ralph. Don’t go. Stay.” “Ah, I promised the fellas, Gracie.” He stood up and straightened his clothes. “They’re waitin’ fa me, out home.” She blazed to her feet, but the cry that was meant for a woman’s appeal came out, through her tightening lips, as the whine of a wife: “Can’t they wait?” “ Whatdya- crazy?” He backed away, eyes round with righteousness. She would have to understand. If this was the way she acted before the wedding, how the hell was it going to be afterwards? “Have a heart, willya? Keep the fellas waitin’ tonight? After all they done fa me?” (805.)

This story is a lot like my parents marriage. My mother got married when she was 18 and I was born shortly after that. My dad was exactly like Ralph and Grace definitely resembles my mother. My dad was a big baby! Every thing had to be his way. My dad was very selfish. He would do whatever he wanted and my mother, (who is a lot like Grace) never said anything. Like Ralph, my dad had a lot of growing up to do. My dad cared more about his car and how sharp it looked to his buddies. My dad’s unwillingness to grow up cost my parents their marriage.

Ralph like materialistic things. He sees a suitcase and wants to buy it. It’s something that he doesn’t necessarily need but he wants it anyway as a symbol of the better life he wants after he marries Grace. Marrying Grace is not going to give him a better life.

Almost normal now. “We had steaks; we had French-fried potatas” his head

He contin

Some topics in this essay:
Don’t Stay”, Richards Yates, Grace Ralph, Marrying Grace, Ralph Grace, , proves doesn’t, “the everything”, grace ralph, parents marriage, yates tells, grace life,