The Astronomer's Wife is a story about a woman finding her way in a man's world. The asrtonomer's wife is only ever given a first name when the astronomer is trying to tell her what to do. The astronomer, Mr. Ames, doesn't seem to enjoy the company of his wife very much. Even though the astronomer takes his wife for granted, she still remains faithful and obedient to him. Whenever mr. Ames simply lies in bed trying to avoid his wife, she doesn't go and try to wake him up, or when he is taking is walks unto the mountains, she doesn't tag along and annoy the astronomer, she has accepted her place. This all ended the day the plumber came to fix a leak coming from the wash basin. .
From the moment the laid eyes on each other Mrs. Ames voice was hushed. The plumber was a fairly good-looking and so was Mrs. Ames. The plumber noticed that she was young, but didn't look it any more. He had recognized her in a way she had not been seen as in a long way, as a woman, not as a housewife. She had also recognized him, from is richly tanned skin to the deep seems in his brow. It is not normal for a married woman to notice these features in another man, unless she was trying to use him as an escape from her husband. They discussed the leak playfully and with a slight discreteness in their ways, as if to not disturb the astronomer.
As the plumber says that the leak could be prevented if there was a valve, Mrs. Ames was caught off-guard and had nothing to say back to the plumber, "She stood, swaying a little, looking into the plumber's blue relentless eye."" The astronomer's wife was gazing into the plumber's eyes and then said that her husband should go with him, if only he weren't, .
"still " resting ."" She said this with a pause as if not to embarrass herself in front of the plumber. She was going to say something else but decided to stop herself and say "resting."" Then again, why would she have to worry about felling embarrassed, unless she was actually embarrassed about her life or if she say something more in the plumber.