Her Egg-o is Prego

13. Why did the author include the element of Ruth's pregnancy? What did it add to the story?

I think that the author added the element of Ruth's pregnancy to further illuminate the struggles of the Younger family. It also added to the characterization of Ruth and Walter and how they communicated as a couple. When analyzing Ruth and Walter's relationship, I would definitely classify it as one that has grown strained over time. They sort of reminded me of an old married couple that had lost their magic and did nothing but fight all the time. Almost immediately, it became clear that Ruth was what could be described as a "nagging" wife while Walter was a self-absorbed husband that had neglected to show her affection for a long time. Later in the story, when Mama gives him money to pursue his dreams, he begins acting completely different and even takes Ruth on a date. Her reaction and pure joy over the fact that he takes her to the movies and holds her hand is almost disheartening. It becomes clear to the audience that he hasn't treated her properly for some time. For me, this outlined his conceited personality even further because it took someone else to put his dreams into action before he could think about making anyone else happy.