Julia And Sunny

Julia And Sunny

The short story called “Julia And Sunny,” written by Sarah Shun Lien, who is also the narrator, describes the relationship changes that occurred between two of her closest friends who are getting a divorce. They have been going through some difficult years; therefore, this couple does not have any other choice than to announce their separation. It is not just hard for the couple, but it is also difficult for their best friends, the author, and her husband, who spend a lot of time together. Shun-Lien explains that although she knew about this subject for a while, it is still a shock. In this story, the narrator presents the feelings expressed by their family and their loved ones after divorce, allowing the reader to see another side of the divorce story. The theme of the author’s story is even something as permanent as marriage has an expiry date; the tale also expresses the effect of the divorce on their loved ones.

Sarah Shun Lien has known Julia and Sunny since medical school. Shun Lien, speaking for both herself and her husband, explains how Julia had a positive impact on their lives. Reminiscing, they remembered a fun and lovable Julia, someone who brought great enthusiasm to their apartment. After Sunny kissed her at a party, she couldn’t stop talking about him, always gather any information from Sarah and her husband since they sat next to him in an immunology class. ‘She wanted to learn all she could about Sunny,’ the author remarked of Julia.  Sunny was a well-balanced man possessing all the qualities that made him unforgettable.

The author, along with her husband, found themselves surprised that Sunny liked them back. Shortly after their first date, Julia and Sunny ended up together. From visiting the lake house to the numerous ski trips, Julia and Sunny spent quality time with each other despite each being relocated to different areas. They would always manage to see each other. Both couples ended up having kids of their own. While the kids did not get along with each other, Sunny was always there to distract them. Coco, Sunny, and Julia’s daughter, was a very enclosed kid, yet she still enjoyed the Disney trips and all the other fun.

Sarah had known Julia for a long time; they were great friends. Eventually, Henry and Sunny became good friends as well. As we know, everything beautiful has an end or at least a near term. That was the case for both couples, to the author she was still on the same stage of love with Henry as when she was in medical school, and to see that their lifelong friends are going through something as horrible as divorce, they couldn’t quite get their head around that. Julia had started throwing some hints, maybe to begin getting Lien and her husband ready for the significant change that was about to hit. I mean, after all, the author knew that they were going through some rough time, they had counseling sessions and had a temporary furnished apartment, but they didn’t think it was this bad.

After Julia started talking about separation, she admitted that she prescribed herself a dose of anti-anxiety medication. To her friend, it was shocking, she couldn’t believe that’s what’s left of the sparkly Julia, and because no one knew what was happening, after all, they have only heard one side of the story, Sunny just stopped calling and went on his separate way. So, they were left with nothing but wonder. They were devasted to learn. Sunny decided to lose contact.

Now the author and her husband were left behind fighting how they feel towards the whole situation, and since sunny just took his way, Julia became a kind of burden to the point where they had to start avoiding her and her phone calls, keeping score of who will call her back, they were dread. They continuously kept wishing that sunny calls one day and just explain, but he never did. Instead, Lien and her husband were being introduced to this new guy, Robert, the radiologist. But who could replace sunny? To them, there was no comparison, it’s one thing to accept the divorce of their closest friends, and it’s a whole other thing just to meet the replacement. Even though Julia and sunny did not sign the divorce papers yet, the author and her husband had to keep reminding themselves that Julia and Sunny are over. Only came to confirm that, Robert. Julia had met him at a conference. He was not what she had wished for, yes he was tall and polite and robust, but it was not her type but what drew her to him was the fact that he could have acknowledged that she needs someone to care for her, It only took two words from Robert to have her drooling all over him.

After losing all hope that Robert might call again, she started accepting the fact that she will have to keep on living without change, to only come across his reply on her inbox. As she was telling the story to the author and her husband sunny had opened the garage to go inside, they did not know how to handle the situation, but Julia assured them that Sunny knows and she’s just trying to keep shun-Lien and her Henry up to date. After returning to their home, the author and her husband couldn’t help but bring up conversations about Julia and Sunny. They couldn’t accept the Radiologist, Sunny was perfect, and they needed to keep reminding themselves of that, never to forget that there was a Julia and sunny. Shun-Lien and her husband kept on comparing who has made more sacrifices for the other, Julia or Sunny, but to them, it was inevitable not to understand why.

Julia already started talking about leaving her daughter with her grandmother for some time alone, a time to breathe as Sunny went on in his cruise to Alaska. The author had managed to see Julia twice that year after the gathering at the lake house was canceled. Shun lien had met Robert, and he suggested meeting at the Hudson’s, it was kind of him. They thought, maybe he didn’t want to impose a new sunny on them. He ended up being quite nice, and they have built such a high standard for Sunny that they thought no one will ever raise to reach his perfect qualities. After all, he had broken Julia and Sunny’s marriage. They have found someone to blame because there was no explanation of why Julia wouldn’t love sunny anymore. That’s what happens when we idealize a person or a marriage; the breaking is always shocking and hard to digest.

Moreover, divorce is a waste of time since one does not fully move on. Through sunny and Julia’s divorce or separation, Julian finds it challenging to move on though she later meets Robert, a radiologist. She is at a critical condition in her life. For instance, she is so optimistic that Robert is going to give her a call. This optimism reveals how separated, or divorced couples cling to their past, expecting their new partners or their new lovers to offer them attention. In a marriage setting, this kind of optimism is harmful, too, if the expectations are not met, the involved party will feel depressed. From the story, it is clear that Sunny is not doing well as he puts it. He has not yet moved on like Julia, who he quotes in his statement when addressing Sarah and her husband. He says Julia is speaking about herself and not the two of them.  The pain of accepting the opposite of expectations is unbearable. To add on the same, the Friends in this story do not take Robert since they feel that Sunny is far much better compared to Robert, who happens to be Julia’s current lover. They frankly confess that, “but the reality of Sunny not being with us was a different thing altogether” (12).  Julia knows better, who made numerous sacrifices, but Shun-Lien’s family does not take this. They are reluctant to accept Robert.

Additionally, marriage results in an obsession that never lasts or I unpredictable. Love birds always become too obsessed with love such that they forget taking care of their personal feelings. They all aim at pursuing their lovers, yet they do not know what the future or time has to offer. From this short story, Julia is obsessed with love. She keeps on memorizing her experiences with Sunny. For instance, Julia keeps on remembering her first kiss with Sunny. Sunny kissed her during a party, and this influences Julia, for she could not spend a minute without mentioning him. She is so much interested to learn much about him from Sarah and her husband, who happen to know Sunny better. The author quotes, ‘She wanted to learn all she could about Sunny.’ However, from the two parties, Julia realizes that Sunny is a perfect man who possesses the best qualities that no one can ever forget. On achieving this, she still feels more connected to this man. She still has a feeling that Sunny is an all-round man who can be a perfect husband. However, obsession results in their marriage after their first date, which does not take forever.

Divorce or separation affects friendship.  What people do can have a significant impact on bonds. In this story, Shun-Lien is greatly affected by the divorce between Sunny and Julia. Sarah and Shun-Lien love Sunny and Julia, who appears to be a perfect match. Their divorce affects the two who find it difficult to accept that the two love birds are no more lovers. Since they are their best friends, the author, and her husband are greatly affected by the separation of the two. The news that the two gives is still a shock to them. Shun-Lien and Sarah are emotionally connected to Sunny and Julia. Above all, they love the fact that these two beings like them too. They still wish that the two could remain together. Their joy is seeing Sunny and Julia together, and that is why they reveal a lack of interest when Julia introduces Robert to them. “As much effort as we had put into hating him over the past many months, regularly enraged by the thought of him, our insides roiling at the sound of his name, Robert was…” (11). This quote is perfect evidence of the hatred that Sarah and her husband had towards Robert. They felt that Robert is not worth Julia for Sunny is their ideal choice for Julia. Like real friends, they show their concern about the separation issue of Julia and Sunny. In the end, they came to accept him.

Finally, divorce affects the amount of love that one has towards each other, which affects friends and families all together. It is not a secret that Julia has no passion left for Sunny after falling in love with Robert. This fact dramatically strikes Sarah and Shun-Lien. Although they find Robert being a nice guy, they put all the blame on him for making Julia’s love towards their friend Sunny fade. They had set high qualities for Sunny and believed that no one will ever match them. Sarah and her husband wonder why Julia’s love towards Sunny faded, and yet theirs remained constant. At this point in life, they still feel that Sunny and Julia should be together. On the same, the mention of Robert affects Coco, Julia’s kid. She is so curious to know who Robert is. Julia lies to her that Robert is a colleague. Julia’s affair with Robert affects her, for she is forced to live with her grandmother for some time.

Works Cited

Bynum, Sarah Shun-lien. “Julia and Sunny.” Ploughshares, vol. 43, no. 2, 2017, p. 12+. Gale Literature Resource Center Accessed 6 Mar. 2020.