The Writing Process
The central theme of "Happy Endings" is the process of writing, specifically the process of writing fiction. That the story is organized into six different versions showcases the author's interest in dramatizing how one creates memorable characters, compelling plot points, and ultimately a good story. Readers will likely notice that each version of the characters' lives is dominated by a straightforward recounting of events; there is little if any interiority for the characters and the tone of the narrator throughout every version is monotonous and deadpan. This structure is deliberate, as it highlights the narrator's concluding thoughts in part F. Plots can vary, but a story composed only of plot is boring; a good writer will make the plot meaningful by communicating how the events unfold and why the reader should care.
Sex and Gender
Secondary to the theme of the writing process is one that appears frequently in Atwood's work: sex and gender. In version B, the narrator presents a gender normative relationship between John and Mary – one in which Mary's only goals are to please John, who notably takes advantage of her. In version C, Mary finds herself drawn not to the well-established and doting John, but to the younger and flighty James, who is never around. These different portraits of relationships highlight Atwood's interest in dramatizing power dynamics between men and women as they relate to factors like age and desire.
Mortality
Readers will likely notice that every character in the story eventually dies. No matter the sequence of events or the shifting personalities of characters, John, Mary, James, Madge, and Fred all die before the end of the story. The author here showcases the inevitability of mortality, and declares this theme outright when the narrator says, "The only authentic ending is the one provided here: John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die" (F). This assertion helps underscore the narrator's suggestion that, in fiction, plot is secondary to characterization, description, and explication because in reality, all plots end the exact same way.
