Free, and other stories

"Free, and Other Stories" by Theodore Dreiser is a compilation of tales from the beginning of the 1900s; the first narrative, "Free," tells the story of Rufus Haymaker, an architect who is dealing with the possible death of his sick wife, Ernestine, through deep thought and complexity. He thinks back on his life and how unhappy he is in his marriage, and the stress between wanting to be free and doing what he is supposed to do shows an emotional investigation into happiness, regret, and how society views marriage. We first meet Rufus Haymaker in his apartment, thinking about the dark morning and dealing with how upset he is because of his wife's sickness. Haymaker goes back and forth between feeling bad for his wife and wanting to be free from his sad marriage. As he talks to doctors and thinks about their life, the story looks at his sad understanding of love, responsibility, and how complicated marriage can be, which creates a sad mood, making readers think about what society's rules cost people.