The Waltz Summary
Dorothy Parker

The Waltz Summary

Several themes can be discerned from "The Waltz." One of these concerns conformity to societal expectations.

Conventions regarding feminine behavior dictate that a woman accommodate herself to the needs of a man. Therefore, the narrator finds it difficult to say 'no' when asked to dance, or to talk of her problems with the waltz. This leads to a second theme, one seen in many of Parker's stories: the lack of communication between the...

(read more from the Short Guide)