Successful Relationships and Short Stories A successful relationship is the Holy Grail in life for most people. We constantly seek and strive to achieve that connection with someone without fully understanding the components involved in making it happen. In an age of serial monogamy, forced marriages, and quick divorces, we don't have much incentive to invest that kind of time. It's easy to walk away from relationships. But to have a successful relationship, both parties must first actively communicate their intentions about what they hope to gain from the relationship, and their concerns and hopes for themselves as individuals and as a collective. Not doing so would definitely mean the end of any relationship. There are many cases in the stories I've read where two characters are unable to grasp the concept I'm explaining. A great example would be Miss Dent and Mr. Blake from "The Five-Forty-Eight" by John Cheever. In this story, Miss Dent and Mr. Blake begin with a working relationship that leads to a one-night stand. Neither character has communicated what their intentions or hopes are for this meeting. Miss Dent claims that she cares about this person and would like something more from this relationship. She later explains this to him by saying "All I wanted was a little love." If he had addressed this issue from the beginning, it would have been clear what his hopes were for this relationship. Mr Blake, however, came from exactly the opposite point of view: "She gave him a drink and said she would wear something more comfortable. He urged her to do so; that was what he had come for." each other's intentions would be clear, thus allowing them to make an informed decision. Another example of a successful relationship from the stories I have read is the character Nanapush and his young friend Eli from "Matchimanito" by Louise Edrich. Eli often came to Nanapush for advice on hunting, women, and life in general. It was clear to Nanapush what Eli's intentions were, as Eli often communicated them with his barrage of questions. "I'm a Nanapush, I remember. It's like I knew what Eli Kashpaw was interested in. He wanted something different than what I could teach him about the woods.