In the small town of Whistle Stop Alabama, humanity’s emotional limits are

widely explored in the book Fries Green Tomatoes. The two characters from the

book, Idgie and Ruth, are forced to choose between what they feel and what

society expects. Throughout their lives they are forced to choose between

conflicting issues such as desire/love and renunciation, courage and heroism, and

sacrifice and fulfillment, and solitude and death.

In Fried Green Tomatoes Idgie and Ruth are imprisoned by the debate of

whether they want to live their lives happily and filled with love and joy or to

leave behind their hearts emotions because of the cruel demands of society. In

the beginning of the novel, Ruth is blinded society’s values and does not follow

through with the actions in which she truly believes in; she gives up on herself

only to meet the expectations of her surrounding culture. Idgie, on the other

hand, is a free-minded woman and does only what she believes is true to her

heart. She makes choices that she wants and doesn’t think about what people

think. This may seem like a wonderful way to live but sometimes Idgie does not

think through these choices and consider what will happen in the future.

Sometimes, Idgie winds up in trouble but she doesn’t regret living her life to the

fullest. Idgie’s love for Ruth is never questioned. When these two ladies truly

follow their hearts and follow out the actions of what they genuinely believe in,

they are the happiest either of them has ever been.

Acts of courage and heroism are displayed throughout the novel by Idgie

and Ruth. In trying to fulfill their heart’s desires they must deal with outside

views. Idgie demonstrates courage and heroism by never giving up on Ruth. Other

men had always approached Idgie and she could have chose to be with anyone of

them but it had always been Ruth and Idgie has never been afraid to admit that.

Ruth’s courage falters at the start of the novel because she leaves Whistle Stop,

her comforting home town, to marry Frank Bennett whom she does not love.

Even through Ruth is not happy, she marries Frank because that is what society

expects from her. At the death of Ruth’s mother, her last words to Ruth were that

she wanted her to be happy. That was all Ruth needed to hear to muster the

courage to follow her own heart. It took great courage for Ruth to write the letter

to Idgie telling her to come and save her considering that Ruth was very aware of

what Frank Bennett was capable of. When both of the women showed their true

courage and heroism they fought for each other and that was what they needed

in order to be happy.

Idgie and Ruth both make great sacrifices in order to fulfill their hearts.

Neither of them is worried about their reputation when they realize what they

would be missing out on if they were. The two women push past caring about

what other people think and in doing this they are very happy. When Ruth finds

out she is pregnant and leaves her husband, she is committing to a huge sacrifice,

one in which their child will be burdened with his whole life. There will not be that

role model to teach him the roles and secrets of a man. Idgie and Ruth were able

to cope with these issues in the path of pursuing and proving their love for each

other.