No One's A Mystery: Moral Criticism

From a moral standpoint, No One’s a Mystery is a very compelling short story. It does not necessarily teach a lesson, yet the situations and dialogue contained in the story do provide a lesson in ethics for readers, regardless of the author’s intention in writing it. Jack is an older man, who by all reasonable assumptions should be content with his lot in life. He has a wife who is careful to take care of him and follow the rules of an ethical society. He seems to be well enough off financially, as his wife drives a Cadillac. He should have a happy home life. In spite of this, however, Jack leads a morally and ethically wrong life. Jack behaves quite recklessly. He regularly drives well over the speed limit, and even drinks while driving. But his most glaring moral flaw is his affair. He cheats on his wife. Not only is this wrong in and of itself, but he began his affair when his mistress was only sixteen years old. In doing so, he is actively corrupting the life, morals and worldview of an otherwise innocent young girl. Although Jack knows that what they have is merely a fling, he allows his mistress to falsely believe that the relationship will amount to something happy, lasting, and fruitful. As an affair, born out of discontent with another woman whom he is committed to, this cannot be the case. Due to the promotion of such heinous values through this story, from a morally critical standpoint, I believe this tale ought to be condemned.