A Response to.. Alice Munro’s ­An Ounce of Cure

The short story An Ounce of Cure by Alice Munro is a thought provoking piece of writing. The title “An Ounce of Cure” itself is a unique and quirky element of Munro’s prose. The title has a strong relationship with the expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”- theorizing the importance of preventing a problem rather than solving it after it has begun. Heartbroken by her crush Martin Collingwood’s romantic performance with Ms. Bennet in a production of Pride and Prejudice, she finds herself getting drunk and being lead into a series of unfortunate, embarrassing situations. Despite having brought her humiliation and discomfiture, the starkness and reality of these events act as an unintentional realization and cure of her depression. Moreover, an Ounce of cure may to the small shots, or ounces, of hard liquor she consumed when getting drunk- leading to a series of circumstances that had, apart from serving as a psychological cure- also offered prevention.
The theme is explored through the thoughts of the narrating main character resolving a problem through a realization that continues to serve as prevention for future depressions and dilemmas. Munro’s prose can be interpreted as a combat to the stereotype imposed by the adage, or a moving exploration of human emotion.
-Daniel Mitropolsky