When love is evident in a relationship, people are willing to make sacrifices for their loved ones. While no relationship is perfect, some are inherently rooted in an unwillingness to make sacrifices for each other; in this regard, American literature is a powerful resource from which observations can be made about the relationship between men and women. Two relevant examples of these relationships are found in “Flowering Judas” by Katherine Anne Porter and “That Evening Sun” by William Faulkner, which respectively describe the relationships between the characters Braggioni and Laura and between the characters Jesus and Nancy. Although both relationships are tainted by an unwillingness to make sacrifices for each other, these relationships affect the woman involved differently; while Laura gains even more independence, Nancy is driven to a delusional sense of dependence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although the relationship between Braggioni and Laura is potentially romantic, it is not based on true love. Although he "desires to impress this simple girl who covers her large, round breasts with thick dark fabric and who hides long, pricelessly beautiful legs under a heavy skirt," he shows little to no evidence of his affection for her (Porter 872). . He even has the audacity to say that "one woman is really as good as another to me, in the dark, [he] prefers them all" (873). Braggioni's words contradict each other. As he expresses his desire to pursue Laura, other women easily distract him. Furthermore, Laura's lack of desire to be a part of this relationship is an indication of the problem. She recognizes the superficiality of his desires and, therefore, fears interactions with him. After leaving prison from his routine visits, he began “to find reasons to avoid his home until the last possible moment, since Braggioni [was] there almost every night” (866). Overall, the core of this relationship is based on Braggioni's selfish motivations. The relationship between Nancy and Jesus is also based on selfish desires. While working in the Compson family's kitchen, Nancy and Jesus discuss her recent pregnancy. Nancy suggests that he is not the father, and he replies dryly, “I can cut the vine that she came from” (Faulkner 957). This powerful euphemism suggests that Jesus is willing to violently punish the man with whom Nancy cheated on him. This conversation represents a twofold explanation of this faulty relationship. While Jesus' reaction represents his tendency to abuse the power he has in this relationship, Nancy's actions leading up to this speech represent the unfaithfulness she has towards her loved one. In this relationship, they fail to love each other selflessly. While no human is perfect, this behavior continues throughout history. The narrator states that while “the washerwomen's husbands sometimes fetched and delivered the laundry, Jesus never did it for Nancy” (956). Mr. Compson suggests that Jesus would also betray Nancy. He says Jesus is “probably in St. Louis now. I probably have another wife by now and I've forgotten all about [Nancy]” (959). The continuation of this poor treatment symbolizes the weak foundation of their relationship. While both of these relationships are harmful, Laura does not allow her bond with Braggioni to define her. Instead, learn to become a stronger woman. She remains true to his values ​​and does not succumb to his attempts to woo her with music. Instead, she “listens to him with merciless courtesy, for she dares not smile at his miserable performance” (Porter 867). Smiling at Braggioni will most likely do nothing but.