There's No Room at the Temperance Inn

Does happiness even exist in this novel? "She's (Sue) never found peace since she left his arms, and never will again till she's as he is now!" (322). It seems like every time someone begins to coast through in the book, something has to rain on their parade. The constant battle between happiness and love is somewhat similar to my college experience. I was originally an economics major hoping to transfer to business, but I was so unhappy. I was always studying and still making C's. Once I switched majors I was happy, and then the love began to wane as I realized that I still wanted to study business, but couldn't....Then came the lightbulb...I could minor in business!
In part fifth, Jude and Sue's struggle is one close to heart. "People don't understand us,'" he sighed heavily. "I am glad we have decided to go." (241). In high school all of my friends never understood why I took such interest in my schoolwork, and they often made fun of me, especially when I didn't follow most of them to Ole' Miss. I am glad now that I decided to go where I am understood, and I, like Jude, was uneasy in high school. "But in the country (high school) I shall always be uneasy lest there should be some more of our late experience." (241).

The sanctity of marraige, and the questioning of it are highly discussed. Perhaps Sue had it right when she said, "But I think I would much rather go on living always as lovers, as we are living now, and only meeting by day. It is so much sweeter--for the woman at least, and when she is sure of the man," (203). Take a modern day couple, like Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn who have been together since 1983, have one son of their own, and share Goldie's other three children. They have never been married, yet remain together saying that they are fearful that marraige would end their relationship. I sometimes think that I agree with that. So many people date for so long, perhaps all throughout college and after, but within a year of marriage, everything changes and divorce is eminent. Sue hits the nail on the head when it comes to men and committment, "Apart from ourselves, and our unhappy peculiarities, it is foriegn to a man's nature to go on loving a person when he is told that he must and shall be that person's lover. There would be a much likelier change of his doing it if he were not told to love" (203). The same applies with several things in a university setting. When things like homework and tests are forced upon students, they often are angered by the amount of work and either don't complete is, or wait until the last minute. Either way, something that is forced usually will not be enjoyed. Tests are this way to me, which is why I enjoy being an english major. Papers aren't like tests, there is not one best answer on a multiple choice test that sounds the same as the other four. When learning, like love, is less constricted, we are more free to be ourselves, say what we think/mean, and be open without consequences.
Lastly, to me, color has always represented freedom. Black, white, and grey can seem oppressive and containing, but a myriad of color has always been inviting. When Sue recieves the letter establishing her divorce from Phillotson, colors invade the prose. "Sue went upstairs and prepared to start, putting on a joyful coloured gown in observance of her liberty; seeing which Jude put on a lighter tie" (203).