"The Unwanted Child", by Mary Clearman Blew, is a look into the life of this author when she was 18-year-old and facing several unexpected, important decisions. These decisions were regarding the path she would choose that would ultimately map out what the rest of her life would be like. Mary marries at a young age with the notion that marriage will bring her all the excitement and grown up experiences that she longs for. However, her plans for her life come to a harsh holt when she learns that she is pregnant. Everyone from her grandmother to her in-laws seems to have different opinions about what she should do and the new plans that she should now make. One important family member who's voice does not really surface is her husbands. Throughout the whole ordeal he remains relatively silent. This is rather troubling considering that he is her husband and they did just recently marry. There are many examples of the hard decisions Mary has to make on her own because she and her husband do not talk about the situation. They do not discuss and come to a mutual decision about what is best for both of them. She has to wonder if she will turn

out bitter like her mother because her dreams have been taken away. This leads her to believe that she may become a helpless housewife that is stuck in the same boring life every day if she gives in to her in-law's demands. The ultimate deterioration of their marriage will be caused by their failure to have effectively communicated.

Mary could be just like her mother and live the life of a housewife. But she knows that she will probably end up just like her and resenting her own child for taking away her dreams. If she always defers to your husband's parent's wishes she will be left with resentment, and their marriage will lose intimacy in the relationship as a result of her feelings. Relationships suffer when partners feel their sacrifices have not been reciprocated, as does Mary's mother.

Mary is an equal decision-maker in the family. However, there is no mention of she and her husband mutually agreeing on what they want to do about having a baby and both finishing school. The two of them do not decide together, and only together, how they want to handle the situation as a normal married couple would. Neither one of them ever brings up the subject and talk about their options together. If Mary and her husband were to have actually sat down together and make their own choices for their future, the whole mess could have a mutual answer that would please everyone in some way. Both could go to school part-time or they could go alternating semesters. That way everything would be fifty-fifty. Too bad Extended Degree was not an option for them! This huge void in their communication shows their immaturity and that they were not ready to get married. Mary is still being t

Some common words found in the essay are:
Extended Degree, Clearman Blew, Mary Tiny, mary's husband, husband's silence, 62 mary, helpless housewife, mary husband, rest life, notion marriage, defend wife, married mary,
Approximate Word count = 1143
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)