Blog Post #7: The Girl with the Blackened Eye

This story takes readers on the journey of a girl who has been abducted. She is weak and fragile but intelligent in her own way. She plays off on her innocence and intrigue and for some vague reason is sparred by the man who has kidnapped her. This story really drew me in from the start. I was expecting some stereotypical story about self-hate or depression when reading the first few sentences, but was surprised by the abrupt turn that it took into something much darker. 

Not being able to fully relate is what kept me reading. I wanted to know more about this scenario. It is something that all women dread to think of and hope that will never happen to them or someone that they care for, but it keeps happening. These girls are still being found, and the men are still abducting. I've always wondered what the journey of something like this would be like because of my fear for it. I believe Oates knew this piece of information about her readers: curiosity, fear, empathetic, and sympathetic would be those reading this so she made sure to tell her thought process. Not solely on the fear of being raped and kidnapped, but on each and every little detail of the entire experience. Why me? Why hasn't he killed me? What does he look like just in case I am able to survive? My last words to my family? Oates made sure to incorporate these fine details into her story which is what set is apart from anything I've ever read. The psychological journey that us readers go on throughout this short story makes it something less sympathetic and more powerful. 

I also love the title and how it plays into the story as well. Its so simplistic for a story that holds so much drama within it. With all of the dramatic turns that the story takes it kind of throws me off how the girl doesn't really seem afraid as she is telling it. I know that the protagonist is telling it from the past, but I still enjoyed how she somehow didn't make it all about herself and more about the experience itself. 

This story was amazing and made me think of things like this in a new light. Oates did an amazing job with grabbing readers in, captivating them with her dialogue and diction, and helping them see things through the eyes of this girl. 

Fiction Dialouge

“I think this will be good enough,” she announced. Her hair flew past her shoulders as she removed it from her ponytail.

His gaze went from his phone to her immediately. “Yeah, it’s okay.” She calmly agreed. His attention went back to his phone. He tried to ignore the glare that was coming from her, though it was obvious he knew he wasn't showing her the attention that she wanted.

“I know you see me looking at you,” she yelled. His attempt to not care failed as the smirk on his face slowly transformed into a small giggle. She smiled along with him.

“Okay, okay,” he replied “let me take a look at what you've done.” He placed his phone on the table giving her his undivided attention. He signaled for her to turn around and she gleefully obeyed. Her hair barely touched her clavicle with highlights of blonde and running through it. He let his fingers dance through it searching for the rest that was no longer there.  A nostalgic gaze took over him as she finished her little twirl. He couldn't let her know though- it would crush her.

“Nice,” he breathed out “it was time for a change anyway. Do you like it?”

“I love it!” she squealed.

“Yeah, me too.”

Although they promised to be honest with one another he just wanted to see her happy. It’d been so long since she acted this way and he missed it dearly. Her mannerisms and body language screamed of joy and he decided he would be the last one to ruin that. He leaned against the wall as he took in her new self, almost admiring the new woman she had become. A part of him hated her new straggly hairstyle, it reminded him of the kid in his chemistry class that sat in the back and typed too loud. Another part of him couldn't get over the fact that he could still see her beauty shine through that hideous cut and those baggy clothes. No matter how she dressed or appeared, she would always be his.

“Okay,” she announced as she put her hair back into a ponytail “let’s go get something to eat.”

“Sure.”

“Can we go to that sushi joint everyone’s been talking about?”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

It seemed that was his goal from the beginning.