No One’s a Mystery by Elizabeth Tallent Strory Analysis
Only three pages long, Elizabeth Tallent’s short novella No One’s a Mystery is so well written that you can picture the entire scene. There are just three protagonists in the story: Jack, an 18-year-old girl, and his wife (Tallent). The girl, who is in her early teens, is content with the affection she is receiving but is not aware that Jack has cheated on her. According to the narrative, Jack, who has been in a relationship with the girl, 18, for the past two years, is powerful over her. There are various ways to interpret or approach the story. Two ladies were shown in the narrative as having two distinct personalities and abilities.
No One’s a Mystery by Elizabeth Tallent Strory Analysis
The wife, on the other hand, is portrayed as annoying and undeserving. This short story illustrates the entire situation because of the author’s use of metaphoric language and specifics. For instance, the term “light as a dime” can be used to indicate the frailty of Jack and the little girl’s connection. Feminists might see this tale as demonstrating a power dynamic and male rule of women.
In this story, the theme of power relations is evident. Since Jack is the only character who has been given a name and has a distinct character arc, he holds the true power in the narrative. The fact that Jack is related to two women at once shows how strong his character was. The abrupt method in which Jack let the girl down demonstrates how men treat other women they want to have fun with but do not want to label as a second relationship. This story’s power dynamics heavily rely on the factors of age and gender. However, the female has considerable emotional influence over Jack, which could ultimately render him helpless. The way he fears his wife illustrates another facet of power, but the message is that being feared by others does not necessarily make one powerful. The story is told in a way that one person has control over another one instant, and then the other, and the lines of authority are blurred. The kind of control characters have over others is another way to look at power. For instance, the way Jack knocked the girl to the ground showed his physical strength, the way his wife’s appearance made Jack feel threatened showed his cerebral strength, and the way the girl emotionally manipulated Jack showed his emotional strength.
However, the narrator is accepting the facts without questioning Jack’s treatment of her or her relationship with an elderly married guy. The fact that the girl did not attempt to get back up and instead began paying close attention suggests that she may have considered the conduct to be usual and expected. When Jack continued to press him down, even she was asking him questions and giving him answers.
No One’s a Mystery by Elizabeth Tallent Strory Analysis
This demonstrates how women have accepted their low status and think it is acceptable for men to drive any lady down. Women, and young women in particular, have grown up in a patriarchal environment where the majority of male actions are justified by love, protection, and their inherent masculinity. When the girl attempts to justify herself, her character comes out as docile and naive. When she stood up and stated, “Butterfly dust print,” (Tallent) she was explaining Jack’s push and actions in a good way. She might also be aware that if they were both discovered by Jack’s wife, they would both be in danger, which is why she remained silent.
This further demonstrates how the girl is submissive and uninformed about the reality of the situation. By the time the story comes to a close, it is clear that she is hoping for a long-term relationship, but Jack is warning her that the union is only temporary and that they will both move on with their lives. However, the girl used her emotional strength to craft her future narrative such that their connection and the things she will accomplish with Jack remain the main focus. As a result, the reader may visualize the transparency of a connection from the perspectives of two separate persons thanks to the story’s wonderful writing and details.
A relationship’s power dynamics can be observed in the way he treated the girl poorly and in his control over her. The anecdote also shows that the girl does not see the pressing down as a negative because she has an emotional connection to the elderly man.
Work Cited
Elizabeth Tallent Nobody is mysterious. http://faculty.weber.edu/jyoung/English%202500/Readings%20for%20English%202500/NoOnesaMystery.pdf.
