In Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “The Lady with the Pet Dog”, the story of emotional state of woman after adultery and the whole background of actions and non-actions, we can find important elements for understanding the human psyche and psychological phenomena in certain environment. In fact, what really helps us with that, is the plot. In Oates’ way of storytelling, we can notice intentional emphasis of crucial moments for developing the state of the protagonist, Anna. Why is the plot shaped by the stream of Anna’s thoughts, and is it indeed something that helps us in comprehension of the situation? The story is told from third-person limited omniscient point of view, and it begins in medias res. This point of view makes the story interesting…show more content… Little, by little, we arrange a mosaic of Anna’s life, and we find the reasons for her feelings and needs. Undoubtedly, the most important thing to understand is her loneliness. Her life without purpose, without meaning, her marriage without love, without cause forced her to look for something, something real. She was forced to look for love. But did she find it? Or it was just a burning desire for change? When she needed to decide will she commit the final act, it was followed by denial and indulgence:”This is not important, she thought clearly, he doesn’t love me, nothing will come of it. She was frightened, yet it seem to her necessary to give in; she had to leave Nantucket with that act completed, an act of adultery, an accomplishment she would take back to Ohio and to her marriage.” (Oates 208) She clearly needed a change, she needed to satisfy to herself for a change. But, did it really help? Actually her real torture has just begun. After ten years being a slave of her loneliness and meaningless marriage, she intensified that feeling with adding on her back a burden of betrayal and inability for choice. It was too much for her. Her torture brought her to attempt of