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Earl Wilson's Luck

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Luck - both good and bad - is portrayed as a critical aspect in the story: A Marker on the Side of the Boat. For the main character, luck supports him in his dangerous journey but it also opposes him. For this individual, his luck kept him alive, also his luck got him acquainted to his probable soulmate, yet luck was the reason he lost her. Earl Wilson once said, “Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure.” in this story, his success was he was alive, and his luck was what ensured that. In the start of the story, the main character was given permission to leave his post till midnight and go to town so he could deliver letters from his friends to their families. When he went into the town of Hanoi, it seemed to be deserted. No one …show more content…

Moreover, his luck seemed to have saved his life during the time the Americans were bombing the city. Right before the Americans were about to bomb the city, the soldier and the caring stranger fled her house and ran towards the safety of a public shelter. They were not able to make it in time, and they should be thankful for that, as it saved their lives. The Americans had bombed the public shelter and if they had gone there they might not have survived. During this time the soldier thought, “For the two of us [the soldier and the girl who cured him], I knew it was over.” Yet, they lived. This shows you how his luck was on his side and even when he lost hope, his luck didn’t waver. This fortunate luck also might have given him his soulmate. From the moment he woke up in her house he was captivated by her. He thought to himself, “An unearthly illusion, kind and beautiful. Kind and beautiful, her face, her eyes and lips, although I never really had a chance to look at her.” He was enthralled by her beauty and when they were together he was grateful that she took care of …show more content…

His only clue was a trolley, but even that was gone. Overcome with melancholy, he wandered the streets, and watched for even the slightest hint, but alas no luck. This tragic loss sticks to him for many years. As the author mentioned, “After the war, on my rare visits to Hanoi, I would always return to that same street.” It shows how he still has hope that maybe he might be able to find his love again,, but always went back empty. This event showed how luck betrayed him at the end, and because of his bad fortune he lost his heart’s desire, his one true love. The only thing that could have lead him to her house was a trolley that used to be parked in front of her house, and because of the bombing, the trolley was misplaced. His luck gave out and the only clue he relied on vanished. Even more, this incident was so transformative that years later he returns to the same place to find her. In the end, this story signifies how luck can played a critical role in the soldier's life, and how it saved his life, brought him his true love, but in the end snatched it away from

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