As Meredith grows, she sees women in her neighborhood going through abusive relationships. She was afraid of getting married to a husband who would be abusive. The narrator fears several things. First, she fears loneliness, betrayal, and killing the chickens. She is afraid of how she will cope after discovering that her husband has been cheating on her with her best friend. Meredith loved the chickens, but she is forced to kill them because her husband, who used to do that, is no longer there. It is said that things that she feared as she grew up later haunt her because although her husband doesn’t abuse her through beatings, the husband breaks her heart.
There are two reasons why Meredith kills the chickens. The first reason is that her husband left the house after she confronted him about the cheating claims with her best friend. Since the husband is not around, Meredith has to kill the chickens to give room to the chicks. She does it because she is frustrated by her husband, who she loved but betrayed (Hall, Pg. 1). Killing the chicken is the only way she can let her anger and frustration out. By killing the chickens, we better understand the frustration in Meredith.
Meredith learns that she has been a fool with each chicken she kills. It is evident that from the essay Meredith loved her husband genuinely. However, her husband has been having an affair with someone she cannot even imagine. The way Meredith kills the chicken by twisting their heads symbolizes what her husband has been doing to her (cheating on her) and eventually the news she received from her brother. The best way to kill a chicken is by using a knife to cut the throat; it is a less painful and quick one. However, twisting the chicken’s neck shows us that her husband’s betrayal will also not be easy to let go of after the many years they have been married.
People celebrate their birthdays with the people they love and treasure. The essay expects Meredith to celebrate her 38th birthday with her husband, children, brother, and friends (Hall, Pg.1). However, this does not happen because she realizes that her husband has been having an affair with her friend. The news, which comes from Meredith’s brother, is heartbreaking and tears her up. She confronts her husband, who does not seem to regret the affair. He even tells her to “go fuck herself,” showing that he doesn’t care about her. Her birthday serves as the day she finally learns the truth about the rumors of her husband having a mistress.
If I found myself in a situation similar to Meredith’s, I would first confront my husband to get his side of the story. Sometimes people lie to people because they are jealous of them. But since the news was not a lie, I would take a break to help me get over the frustration. Whenever I have depression, I open up to my friends; I do not like holding things to myself. Talking to people would help me navigate the frustration. I would take such a time to concentrate on my children and help improve the relationship between them and me. It is normal that when people are mad or sad, they make decisions that are not wise. However, the majority of the people end up regretting it when they come back to their senses.
Works Cited
Hall, Meredith. Killing Chickens.
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