Point of View

The first-person speaker in "The Edge" conveys an equal sense of scorn and emptiness as she and her husband put on a false united front for the sake of their children. It is unclear whether the husband feels the same amount of disgust and alienation, but regardless of his stance, he does not take notice of his wife's disdain. In contrast, the speaker closely and consistently observes her husband, sharing how she "sees" him hinting at boredom as he goes about his routine (5 and 10). An overall sense of dissatisfaction breeds the speaker's contempt for her husband.

The speaker identifies with the "gored" dinner roasts that the family eats (6). This illustrates the way she feels burnt out and consumed by her roles as a wife and mother. The power balance in the dynamic between the speaker and her husband tips in his favor, but she still...