Essay

The British novelist Fay Weldon offers this observation about happy endings. "The writers, I do believe, who get the best and most lasting response from their readers are the writers who offer a happy ending through moral development. By a happy ending, I do not mean mere fortunate events-a marriage or a last minute rescue from death-but some kind of spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation, even with the self, even at death." Choose a novel or play that has the kind of ending Weldon describes. In a well-written essay, identify the "spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation" evident in the ending and explain its significance in the work as a whole.

Erich Gimpel was sentenced to hang until dead for his crimes of espionage against the United States. This was issued by the President of the United States. As his days were coming to end, the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, died due to a hemorrhage. The next president, Harry Truman, granted a pardon for Erich Gimpel and was sentenced imprisonment for life. Though Erich Gimpel was serving his sentence for a little more than a decade, he was able to be released for his good behavior and for World War II ending in Europe. For the ending of Agent 146, the ending can be considered happy in many different ways.

One way this ending can be considered happy is that Erich Gimpel was able to receive his life back. For more than a decade, he had spent his time far away from his homeland unable to see his father and his fellow countrymen. The German government had ordered him to go to America to spy on the atomic programs. In a way, Erich Gimpel was not free for he was forced to serve his country. After he was taken prisoner, he had to live under the brutal and harsh treatment of some of America’s prisons. Although in Alcatraz Island, he was able to live a little better, he was still a prisoner-of-war. His release from prison and America can be considered a happy ending in this sense.

Another way the ending can be considered happy is that when he was released, Erich Gimpel had nothing bad to say about America. All the years he spent away from Germany, he was able to see what America is truly like. It is true he is a German citizen and prefers Germany over America, but he is able to respect America and her patriotism even if she was a former enemy. When he was released, the press tried to question him over his business and what he thinks of returning to Germany and his thoughts of America. He merely smiled at all these questions including the question on whether he liked Hitler. Erich’s release from the many years he spent at prison has given him a lot of time to think about everything that has happened in his life and the world.

The release of Erich Gimpel and his expatriation back to Germany is considered a happy ending and contributes to the work as a whole. He is able to morally reconcile himself and learn from his wrongdoings. His release also let him to write this work and explain how his life was as a spy in Germany, South America, and the United States. Though, he never liked being a spy. This job was merely given to him because he was able to excel in the art of deception and lying. He never pursued his own dreams or any goal he had in mind other than the interests of the fatherland. It leaves the question of what Erich Gimpel really wanted to do with his life.