Three Days in June

Gail must confront multiple aspects of the aging process throughout the narrative, and the gulf between her expectations of aging and its reality repeatedly strikes her. While she understood that her body would change as she got older, she does not experience physical changes in the way that she thought she would. The expectations that she once held for her career trajectory as it neared its conclusion are shattered, and she is forced to re-think who she is as a professional woman. Her familial relationships change, and she is unsure of how to transition from daughter to caretaker as her mother ages. Finally, aging catalyzes a newfound spirit of contemplation, and Gail realizes that she has new, not entirely welcome interpretations of her past as she approaches older age.

Gail is disappointed by her appearance at multiple points during the narrative. At one point, she invokes the unkind adage “mutton dressed as lamb” to describe what she might look like if she were to wear her hair long (18). She confronts her reflection in the mirror with chagrin, noting that no one prepares women for the fact that as they age, there will be good days and bad days. Some days, she sadly reflects, her wrinkles seem to deepen, and the bags under her eyes become more pronounced. On these days, there is little to be done about the way she looks, and she tries not to think about it. She also contemplates inequality in the aging process: Men are perceived as more attractive as they get older. Gray hair and crow’s feet are seen as dashing and handsome. Women are not afforded this kind of regard, and this strikes Gail as bitterly unfair.

The difference between expectation and reality in the world of work and career also disappoints Gail. She had assumed that her career would have an upward trajectory. She began her career as a teacher, progressed gradually into an administrative role, and was sure that her final position would be as her school’s headmistress. When Marilee tells her that she is going to lose her job, she is forced to re-examine her entire professional identity. Robbed of the chance to finish her career as she saw fit, she wonders what her options are. More importantly, she wonders who she is if not an end-of-career administrator. She spends the entirety of the novel wrestling with these questions, and it is only because Max forcefully reminds her of her teaching skill that she concludes that “teacher” can still be part of her identity, even though she’d cast it aside in favor of “administrator.”

The aging process also impacts Gail’s familial relationships. She recalls how stalwart her mother had been in the face of her father’s death, especially in contrast to her unmanageable grief. As she looks at her mother in her mother’s wedding outfit, hanging off of her now tiny, shrunken frame, Gail realizes that her mother has aged. She is no longer the caretaking adult in their relationship. Although Joyce is healthy, Gail will need to take an increasing role in her life going forward. Gail will now have to be the caretaker, and she will be forced to respond to life’s difficulties and tragedies with the strength that her mother once showed.

Gail also finds more opportunities to reflect on her past as she ages. Debbie’s wedding and the time she spends with Max cause her to recall her affair with Andrew. During her ruminations on their relationship, she thinks about the experience not only with more depth and detail but also with greater wisdom and perspective. She realizes that Max’s response to the affair makes more sense than she previously thought: She now understands Max’s kind, forgiving spirit and concludes that his willingness to move past difficulty was a large part of why he remained with her after she cheated on him. She also has a better sense of her loneliness and difficulty forming social bonds. It makes more sense to her why she was drawn to Andrew in the first place. Despite her ruminating, Gail does not remain mired in her memories. Rather, she takes note of her newfound perspective and moves on.