"LIVING IN SIN"

The poem "Living in Sin" illustrates a woman's disillusionment with the reality of living with her boyfriend by comparing the state of the apartment life they share with the idyllic image she had before she moved in. The poem opens with the woman's original thoughts of the blissful scenes she had imagined when her lover suggested she move in. The dreamy picture dissolves to show her true world, filled with household chores and an imperfect mate, none of which had existed in her vision of sharing his life when she agreed to become his live-in-love.

Original expectations and dreams of the woman sharply differ from her actual life. She had pictured a beautiful apartment with a cozy, homey atmosphere. Inspired by her boyfriend, she saw the apartment containing "a piano with a Persian shawl," indicating both warmth and harmony. A plate of pears, implying a smooth, comfortable existence, was implanted in her image, along with a smiling cat chasing a scurrying, amusing mouse.

Yet reality rears its ugly head. The unnamed woman begins listing what is bothering her. The plate of pears has transformed into hardened leftover cheese and empty wine bottles. Beetles sharing the shelves of the little studio apartment are the only animals there. The dust on the furniture, the grime of the windows, and the constant noise from the plumbing all comprise scenes from her actual existence. Occurrences she had not only never experienced, but had not even ever imagined, bother her. "Each stair would writhe\under the milkman's tramp," shows that now even little things are getting under her skin. She detests waking up every morning dreading the "morning light so coldly," but nevertheless she tries to adjust to this new environment.

She tries her best with the lack of inviting images to enjoy her life. She tries to make her home a happy one without letting the annoyances take over. This shows the main differences between the two. Though she does not like the apartment, she deals with it. The two of them may jointly create a mess, but she is the one who cleans. Though she feels it is too early to be awake, she nevertheless dutifully gets up and makes the bed when her lover wakes up.

He, however, is only concerned with himself and his needs. He goes to the piano she dreamed of and declares it out of tune. The piano, the only furniture mentioned in the apartment, may represent their lives and the differences between them. She had originally pictured it as a unifying, comfortable place, with an added shawl for a touch of coziness. He sees the piano as lacking but doesn't care.

They may both be in love, but she believes in accepting her life while continuing to work to achieve her dreams. He, on the other hand, is self-centered and doesn't recognize her needs and her great desire to achieve harmony. This lack of communication probably contributes to the reason they are living in sin and haven't yet married.

The poem shows how a woman was wooed into cohabitation with a man, both by his imploring and her desire to live the dream life she romanticizes about. Unfortunately for her, reality is cruel. Her lover does not come up to her expectations and lives life as if he is not sharing his life. She lives as if they were already married, trying to tidy up the house as if a physical change will bring about an emotional one. The annoyances that plague her do not affect her boyfriend.

Yet her dream world still, to some degree, exists. She remains in love with him, but a tiny bit less each day following another day of his insensitive behavior and her grapples with life in the apartment. The apartment and shared living do not join to make the harmonious, peaceful life she dreamed. Indeed, the irony of life and the difference in male-female perceptions no doubt inspired the author to write this poem as a warning to all female romantics who believe love conquers all.