“The Barber's Misfortune” by George Saunders is a story that explores the confusion around romantic relationships in a post-modern world as its protagonist, Mickey, remembers failed relationships and intermittently begins a new one. There are many symbols in the narrative that serve to encapsulate satirical themes and gently rebuke the cheap and sleazy nature of our society's degraded sense of romance, from the 1-900-DREMGAL bikini to late night television to the absurd PuppetPlayers at the wedding. reception. But Saunders introduces his audience to a surprisingly complex symbol in the rose that Mickey wiggles with his finger at the end of the story as he goes to his date with Gabby. It is both a symbol of Mickey's rejection of traditional romantic gestures and his declared independence from his overbearing mother. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The rose is, of course, a traditional symbol of love. Nothing complex there. When he approaches the flowers on the trellis, he "considers picking a rose for Gabby, although it was quite cheesy, it might look a little dotty, and instead, using the hand he s 'was about to pick the rose, he touched the rose' (609). On the surface, this appears to be a direct rejection of traditional romance and, perhaps, foreshadows further sabotage by Mickey of a potentially rewarding relationship with a woman. He recognizes the importance of the symbolic gesture of bringing a rose to their date, a gesture that many readers think Gabby would appreciate, and restrains this impulse for fear of appearing absurd by engaging in the traditional game of offering gifts from his company in pursuit of romance. While Mickey perceives such participation as outdated and senseless, Saunders describes the action as a modern desire to enjoy dispassionate gratification instead of having the courage to be vulnerable enough to allow an honest and open relationship to develop. . This reading would be consistent with the other symbols mentioned previously. But this symbol reveals another level of meaning when readers consider the rose's association with Mickey's mother. Despite being a middle-aged man, Mickey still lives with "Ma" and Saunders makes sure to give him the roses. As Mickey leaves for his appointment, he remembers that “every morning of his life, he went out between Mom’s trellises of twin roses.” When he went to elementary school, when he went to middle school, when he went to high school, when he went to hairdressing school, he always walked between the twin fatigues” (609, emphasis mine). Saunders hammers home the message that Mickey's mother is a constant presence in his life by twice stating that he always walked by Ma's roses and listing the stages of her life. The author's style here is authoritarian to imitate this aspect of his protagonist's life. Additionally, Saunders lists life stages like the different schools he attended as he grew up. This list subtly reminds readers of Mickey's sense of obligation to his mother; she finances his studies through his own income if he attended private schools or through his property taxes if he attended public schools. And the narrator reveals, in one of Mickey's self-conscious flirtations, that Ma had "paid for his barber school" (591). Not only is Mickey's mother an ever-present presence in his life, but she is often negative. It's her roommate who "is almost eighty years old and who walked around the house wearing herbra,” arguably a passive-aggressive statement of domestic domination (591). As Mickey tries to get to the driving school, she manipulates him by asking him for an omelette for his breakfast. “When he said he was late, she said whatever in a tone that made it clear she was going to accidentally/intentionally burn herself again while ostensibly making her own omelette” (592). When Mickey is invited to another of Mr. Jenks's social gatherings, she tells him that he might not attend so that he can wait for "the girls" who were to come to their house for one of their regular visits. Mom's manipulations even invade Mickey's prodigious, sexually-filled fantasy life. voracious women who must nevertheless submit to the will of his mother whom he cannot keep out of his imagination. The day before Mickey's fateful movie, Ma sees a photo of Gabby and viciously describes her as the "big one", judging her in a frighteningly two-dimensional assessment, another satirical comment on the social tendency to do so. She also tries to dissuade Mickey from achieving his goal. Ma increases his negative pressure as he prepares for the meeting; as she is strangely "leaning heavily against the bathroom door" while Mickey bathes, she urges him to change his plans: "Do the girl a favor, Mickey," says Mom. “Cancel that. She's too big for you. You will never stay with her. You never stay with anyone. You couldn't even stay with Ellen Weist, for crying out loud, who was so wonderful, you honestly think you're going to stay with that Tabby or Zippy or whatever? (608). Saunders reminds us here that romance is scary because of the mystery, of not knowing who we are going to “stay” with. But in Mom's mind, the chance to love is doomed. She is afraid of becoming the second most important woman in her son's life and of ending up alone. She apparently cannot find the love and courage within herself to support her son and offer him a chance for companionship and happiness. Mickey has to find the strength to put Ma second since she won't let him go. Therefore, when Mickey waves the rose, he rejects a traditional gift of love, but also his mother's rule over him and his life. Immediately after doing so, “in his mind, [he] apologized to the rose for tearing off her skin” (609). This apology means that because of his mother, he cannot meet Gabby with traditional love or a love token. He attempts to exclude Ma from this date, and possibly from the relationship if it develops, and the apology is directed to him as well. Despite all his manipulations, he still loves his mother and it hurts him to leave her, and he knows that she is hurting too. The rejection of the rose is significant, but not absolute; few real-life decisions are this simple. Ma's influence appears again when he is tempted to flee when he sees Gabby and she seems quite overweight to him. As he approaches and she waves at him, he thinks, "Here's an alley, should he swerve into the alley and call her later?" Or not? Don't call him later? Forget everything? Although now she had seen it. And he didn’t want to forget everything” (610). Mickey's struggle to remember the night before, when Mr. Jenks called him a sport and she called him a sexy kisser, is Saunders' message that true romantic love lives in the memory in the long term and in a sustained effort; it's not quick or easy and that's why it's valuable. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a,.