Can-Can (Arturo Vivante)

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Can-Can Literature Essay Writing

2016

Lâm Đức Chí

Ck 17.01

11/10/16

Vietnam National University

University of Social Sciences and Humanities

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1. Analyze the man’s psychology on the first page?

The story ―can-can‖ is about one married couple, the man arranges a secret meeting with a

woman because he feels bored with his wife and he wants to try something new. The man

excuses to go out for driving, but the truth that he is going to a café to meet his mistress, Sarah

―I’m going to go for a drive; I’ll be back in an hour or two‖. As we know, when a married man

goes out and has another woman, it means that man already changes his heart and he doesn’t

love his wife as much as original time. However, if the man in this story doesn’t love his wife

anymore, why doesn’t he break up the relationship by telling directly to his wife’s face that he

goes out and has a date with another girl? Yet, he doesn’t do that way; he chooses an indirect

way to tell his wife by giving an excuse for driving because he doesn’t want to hurt his wife

indeed. The fact is that there still remains a little love in his heart; it means he has a mistress, but

he still has a little affection for his wife. Besides that, when his wife agrees to let him go ―all

right, his wife said brightly, as though he were doing her a favor‖, the man immediately reacts by

asking his wife: ―you’re glad to be rid of me, aren’t you?‖ And this point implies that the man is

jealous and he doubts that the affection from his wife to him already changes.

To sum up, although the man has a mistress outside, but he still cares about his wife feeling, he

still doesn’t want to hurt his wife. Moreover, he is still jealous due to his wife’s action, it means

he still loves his wife. From these points, we can infer that the man has a mistress outside

because he may feel bored sometimes, and he just wants to try something new.

2. Analyze the wife’s psychology on the first page?

The story ―can-can‖ is about one married couple, the husband arranges a secret meeting with a

woman because he feels bored with his wife and he wants to try something new. The wife in this

story is a housewife with children that all day long is busy with sewing and washing. Talking

about the wife we should point out that she is fairly a wise woman. When her husband excuses to

go out for driving, but the truth that he is going to a cafe to meet his mistress. The wife is

conscious to this situation, she is being jealous, but she doesn’t show it to her husband and

remains quiet. We can see that she loves her husband as any woman does, she feels safer with

him at home and the husband in his turn helps her with looking after the children. She doesn't

really like him to leave. However, as a clever and sensitive woman, she still let him go out and

makes him think as though he is doing her a favor: "All right, his wife said brightly". Her reply

makes her husband feels a little bit jealous, and before going out the husband watches quite an

interesting scene: the wife dances can-can with her elder daughter, the wife holds up her skirt

and kicks her legs up high in husband's direction. This isn't the way a husband expects his wife

when he is about to leave home to go to another woman. He expects her doing sewing or

washing, doing something uninteresting or unattractive but not doing can-can, not doing the

dance of passion and feelings. And the question is asked by the husband himself ―Why was she

doing that of all times now?‖ shows the husband is confused at the sight of this unexpected

scene, he is absolutely attracted by the wife's unusual action. Suddenly it occurs to the man’s

mind that he doesn’t want to leave but the date is already arranged.

From the actions of the wife, we can infer that she is completely a sensitive and smart wife; she

doesn't cry or convince her husband to stay at home with her although she doesn't want her

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husband to leave. She decides to change her old appearance and her familiar image into a new

shape by dancing can-can with her daughter to attract her husband's attention. She understands

that it is useless for crying and begging her husband to stay home, and she also knows changing

herself is a good way to keep her husband from another woman.

3. What is the significance of the can – can in the story?

There are 2 significances of the name ―can-can‖ in the story. Regarding to literal meaning, ―can-

can‖ is a name of a France dance. On the other hand, regarding to figurative meaning, ―can-can‖

symbolizes the way of the wife keeps the husband back home when the husband commits

adultery.

The story ―can-can‖ is about one married couple, the husband arranges a secret meeting with a

woman because he feels bored with his wife and he wants to try something new. The wife in this

story is described as a house wife with children that all day long is busy with sewing and

washing. However, she is fairly a wise woman. When her husband excuses going out for driving,

but the truth that he is going to a café to meet his mistress, the wife is conscious to this situation

and she is being jealous, but she doesn’t show it to her husband and remains quiet. The fact is

that she doesn’t like her husband to leave, but as a clever and sensitive woman, she still lets him

go out and makes her husband think as though he is doing her a favor. Before her husband goes

out, the wife dances ―can-can‖ with her elder daughter, the wife holds up her skirt and kicks her

leg up high in the husband direction to make her husband pay attention to her very white and

smooth legs. And her action makes the husband feel attractive as though he never touches or

comes near to her legs. Then the husband leaves the house as the wife is still dancing.

Waiting for his mistress at the café, the husband surprises himself hoping that his mistress,

Sarah, won’t come. He doesn’t know why, why does he make the appointment if he is hoping his

mistress will miss it. Nevertheless, his mistress comes, and then they drive to the house on the

lake. As the husband hold his mistress in his arms, but he cannot stop thinking of his wife, who is

doing ―can-can‖, an attractive dance at home. Moreover, this dance refreshes the husband’s

feeling about his wife and he is being attracted by his wife’s legs. So at the moment the husband

is dating with Sarah, he has a feeling that his wife is more attractive than his mistress.

From all the points above, we can infer that the title of ―can-can‖ story has 2 significances: one is

a name of a France dance and the other is the way of the wife keeps the husband back home

when the husband commits adultery.

4. Analyze Rarah’s psychology

The story ―can-can‖ is about one married couple, the man arranges a secret meeting with a

woman because he feels bored with his wife and he wants to try something new. At the begging

of the story, the man excuses to go out for driving, but the truth that he isn’t simply going out for

a drive, he is going to a café to meet his mistress, Sarah. Talking about the mistress, Sarah, we

should point out that she is married too. She already has her own family, but maybe she feels

bored and wants to find something new. From the story, we also know that Sarah is often late

when she has a date with the man. She has a date with the man at 3 at cafe, but she arrives at

3:30. Why is she often late? It’s because she wants to test how patient the man is, how long the

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man can wait for her, and the more he waits means the more he loves her. She also wants to test

that whether he worries or not when she doesn’t appear.

After Rarah arrives, she and the man drive to the house on the lake. As the man holds her in his

arms, she realizes that the man is thinking of something. She is anxiously and asks the man

―what are you thinking about?‖ When the man answers ―I was thinking of someone doing the

can-can‖, she feels relief because she thinks that the man is thinking about someone dancing but

not his wife.

From all the points above, we can infer that Sarah dates with a man because she may feel bored

sometimes, and he just wants to try something new. Moreover, she is undergoing intense love

with the man and she often comes late in a date because she wants to know how much the man

loves her, and she also wants to test whether the man’s heart belongs to her or not.

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Can-Can– Arturo Vivante

―I’m going to go for a drive,‖ he said to his wife. ―I’ll be back in an hour or two.‖

He didn’t often leave the house for more than the few minutes it took him to go to the post office

or to a store, but spent his time hanging around doing odd jobs — Mr. Fix-it, his wife called him

— and also, though not nearly enough of it, painting — which he made his living from.

―All right,‖ his wife said brightly, as though he were doing her a favor. As a matter of fact, she

didn’t really like him to leave; she felt safer with him at home, and he helped look after the

children, especially the baby.

―You’re glad to be rid of me, aren’t you?‖ he said.

―Uh-huh,‖ she said with a smile that suddenly made her look very pretty — someone to be

missed.

She didn’t ask him where he was going for his drive. She wasn’t the least bit inquisitive, though

jealous she was in silent, subtle ways.

As he put his coat on, he watched her. She was in the living room with their elder daughter. ―Do

the can-can, mother,‖ the child said, at which she held up her skirt and did the can-can, kicking

her legs up high in his direction.

He wasn’t simply going out for a drive, as he had said, but going to a café, to meet Sarah, whom

his wife knew but did not suspect, and with her go to a house on a lake his wife knew nothing

about — a summer cottage to which he had the key.

―Well, goodbye,‖ he said.

―Bye,‖ she called back, still dancing.

This wasn’t the way a husband expected his wife — whom he was about to leave at home to go

to another woman — to behave at all, he thought. He expected her to be sewing or washing, not

doing the can-can, for God’s sake. Yes, doing something uninteresting and unattractive, like

darning children’s clothes. She had no stockings on, no shoes, and her legs looked very white

and smooth, secret, as though he had never touched them or come near them. Her feet, swinging

up and down high in the air, seemed to be nodding to him. She held her skirt bunched up,

attractively. Why was she doing that of all times now? He lingered. Her eyes had mockery in

them, and she laughed. The child laughed with her as she danced. She was still dancing as he left

the house.

He thought of the difficulties he had had arranging this rendezvous… going out to a call box;

phoning Sarah at her office (she was married, too); her being out; his calling her again; the busy

signal; the coin falling out of sight, his opening the door of the phone box in order to retrieve it;

at last getting her on the line; her asking him to call again next week, finally setting a date.

Waiting for her at the café, he surprised himself hoping that she wouldn’t come. The

appointment was at three. It was now ten past. Well, she was often late. He looked at the clock,

and at the picture window for her car. A car like hers, and yet not hers — no luggage rack on it.

The smooth hardtop gave him a peculiar pleasure. Why? It was 3:15 now. Perhaps she wouldn’t

come. No, if she was going to come at all, this was the most likely time for her to arrive. Twenty

past. Ah, now there was some hope. Hope? How strange he should be hoping for her absence.

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Why had he made the appointment if he was hoping she would miss it? He didn’t know why, but

simpler, simpler if she didn’t come. Because all he wanted now was to smoke that cigarette,

drink that cup of coffee for the sake of them, and not to give himself something to do. And he

wished he could go for a drive, free and easy, as he had said he would. But he waited, and at 3:30

she arrived. ―I had almost given up hope,‖ he said.

They drove to the house on the lake. As he held her in his arms he couldn’t think of her; for the

life of him he couldn’t.

―What are you thinking about?‖ she said afterwards, sensing his detachment.

For a moment he didn’t answer, then he said, ―You really want to know what I was thinking of?‖

―Yes,‖ she said, a little anxiously.

He suppressed a laugh, as though what he was going to tell her was too absurd or silly. ―I was

thinking of someone doing the can-can.‖

―Oh,‖ she said, reassured. ―For a moment I was afraid you were thinking of your wife.‖

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Cuộc hẹn hò

Anh lái xe đi đây một lát, anh bảo vợ, và sẽ về nhà trong một hoặc hai giờ nữa.

Anh ít khi ra khỏi nhà quá vài phút, như khi cần tới bưu điện hay tạt qua quán tạp hoá, và thường

loanh quanh làm việc này việc nọ trong nhà, như một ―ông thợ sửa‖, vợ anh hay gọi anh như thế.

Đôi khi cũng sơn nhà cửa, chả là vì anh ta là thợ sơn.

- Được thôi mà, vợ anh bảo vui vẻ, như thể anh đang làm giúp chị một việc gì. Thật lòng, chị

không muốn anh ra khỏi nhà chút nào; chị cảm thấy an toàn hơn khi có chồng ở bên cạnh và ông

chồng cũng giúp chị chăm sóc con cái, nhất là đứa mới sinh.

- Anh đi khỏi thì em thích lắm hả, anh nói đùa.

- Aha, chị trả lời hơi mỉm cười, nụ cười làm khuôn mặt chị xinh hẳn lên, làm cho ai cũng muốn

nhìn.

Chị không hỏi anh đi đâu, chị ít khi hỏi han chồng cặn kẽ, dù trong bụng cũng khá ghen tuông

nhưng ngoài mặt thì tỏ ra tế nhị.

Khi mặc áo choàng, anh để ý nhìn chị. Chị đang ở trong phòng khách với đứa con gái lớn. ―Nhảy

đầm đi mẹ ơi‖, đứa con gái nói, nó vừa kéo thốc váy lên, vừa khiêu vũ, đá hất hai chân lên về

phía cha nó.

Anh không lái xe đi một lát như anh nói, mà tới thẳng tiệm cà phê nơi anh có hẹn với Sarah, là

người mà vợ anh có biết nhưng không mảy may nghi ngờ, và từ đó cùng nhau đi tới một cái nhà

bên bờ hồ, một nơi vợ anh không hề biết - một cái nhà nghỉ mùa hè mà chỉ anh có chìa khoá.

- Anh đi nhé.

- Tạm biệt, chị nói với theo, vẫn khiêu vũ với đứa con gái.

Đó không phải là lối mà một người chồng như anh quen nghĩ về vợ, kẻ anh để lại ở nhà trong khi

đi gặp người phụ nữ khác, anh cứ quen nghĩ là chị ở nhà khâu vá hay rửa chén bát, chứ không

phải nhảy đầm. Phải rồi, làm một thứ gì đó rất bình thường, rất đáng chán, như giặt áo quần trẻ

con chẳng hạn. Chị không mang tất, không mang giầy, mà cặp đùi thì trắng mượt mà quá, có vẻ

bí mật, mặc dù chẳng bao giờ anh chạm vào hay tới gần. Hai bàn chân của chị lại đưa lên đưa

xuống cao vun vút, làm như đang gật đầu với anh. Chị nâng váy lên, trông quá sức hấp dẫn. Tại

sao cô ta lại đi làm mấy cái thứ khỉ gió đó vào lúc này kia chớ? Anh tự hỏi một cách ám ảnh.

Cặp mắt của cô hơi chế nhạo, và cô lại cười phá lên nữa. Đứa con gái cũng cười với mẹ. Hai

người vẫn tiếp tục nhảy khi anh ra khỏi nhà.

Nhiều khó khăn lắm mới thực hiện được cuộc hẹn này, anh tới một cái máy điện thoại công cộng

trả tiền, gọi cho Sarah ở chỗ làm của cô ấy (cô cũng có chồng rồi); Sarah đi vắng; anh phải gọi

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cho cô lần nữa; đường dây lại bận; đồng tiền bỏ vào máy điện thoại rớt ra mất tiêu, lăn đi đâu

không biết nữa, anh phải đẩy cửa trạm điện thoại ra ngoài để tìm nó mỏi mắt; cuối cùng thì cũng

gặp được Sarah trên điện thoại; cô ta bảo anh gọi lại tuần lễ sau; cuồi cùng hai người mới định

được cuộc hẹn này đây.

Ngồi chờ Sarah ở quán cà phê, anh ngạc nhiên thấy mình bỗng hi vọng rằng cô ấy sẽ không tới

được. Hẹn lúc ba giờ. Trễ đã mười phút. Nhưng Sarah cũng thường hay tới trễ lắm. Anh nhìn

đồng hồ, rồi nhìn ra cửa sổ chờ xe hơi của cô. Một cái xe giống như xe cô trườn tới, nhưng

không phải – vì trên mui xe không có cái giá mang hành lý. Cái trần xe trơn tru làm anh thích

chí. Tại sao vậy kìa? Bây giờ là ba giờ mười lăm phút. Có lẽ cô ấy không tới được. Không, nếu

Sarah quyết định tới thì vào lúc này đây cô ấy đã ở đây rồi. Hai mươi phút đã qua. A, một cái gì

đó như niềm hi vọng dâng lên. Hi vọng ư? Thật là kì quái việc anh hi vọng Sarah không tới. Thế

thì tại sao anh phải làm cuộc hẹn hò đầy khó khăn này nếu trong bụng mong là cô lỡ hẹn? Anh

chẳng biết tại sao, nhưng mọi chuyện sẽ đơn giản hơn, đơn giản hơn rất nhiều nếu cô không đến.

Bởi vì tất cả những ao ước bây giờ của anh là được hút một điếu thuốc, được nhấp một ngụm cà

phê vì tất cả cái phong vị của chúng, mà anh chẳng phải buộc mình làm một điều gì cả. Anh ao

ước sẽ được lái xe một vòng, dễ dãi, tự do tự tại, như anh nói lúc ở nhà. Nhưng anh vẫn đợi và

đến ba giờ ba mươi thì Sarah tới thật.

- Anh gần như bỏ cuộc không hi vọng nữa, anh bảo cô.

Họ lái xe đến căn nhà nghỉ bên bờ hồ. Khi choàng tay đưa cô vào nhà, anh chẳng thể nào nghĩ

đến Sarah; chẳng thể nào nghĩ được.

- Anh nghĩ gì mà thừ người ra vậy, Sarah hỏi, nhận ra sự thẫn thờ khác thường của anh.

Anh im một lát không trả lời, rồi nói: Em có thực sự muốn biết anh đang nghĩ gì không?

- Có chớ, Sarah trả lời, hơi lo lắng.

Anh cố nín cười, như thể điều anh sắp nói với cô quá ngốc nghếch, tào lao.

- Anh nghĩ đến một người đang khiêu vũ.

- Ồ, Sarah nói, cô cảm thấy yên tâm, vậy mà em cứ sợ là anh đang nghĩ tới vợ anh ở nhà.