Denny and Rosie have had a long relationship during which they have worked through some challenges. Still, situations common to many couples arise between them.
Denny likes things just so. He is very time conscious. He spends very little on himself. Rosie, on the other hand, is more casual when it comes to time and money.
Rosie sees Denny as a rock and herself as water. Water flows around a rock. She says Denny knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want and is pretty fearless about coming out with it.
Even though Denny seems set in his ways, we notice that some of his patterns have been modified by Rosie. He doesn’t use his phone when they are out for dinner. Rosie claims to have “trained him. Another example is Denny refusing to wear slippers at his parents’ home. Rosie simply pulls a pair out of the chest by the door and hands them to Denny, who obediently puts them on.
At one point Rosie becomes aware of an “inequality” when Denny hesitates to clean her glasses for her. He has never cleaned her glasses, but she has often done this for him. Do you think Denny and Rosie have a fairly equal relationship? Explain you view.
How far should one partner go to try to change the other? Should we even try? Should we just accept one another as they are?
What do you think about the compromises Rosie and Denny have made to make their relationship work? In what ways do you see they may each have become better partners as a consequence of being together?
See Discussion for more questions related to each chapter of A Happy Life. Let me know in the Comments what you think.
a happy life 