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Edward P. Jones: Marie

SeoulMan

SeoulMan

Member
Discussion of this short story will begin July 21, 2008.

This is one of the best short stories in contemporary American Literature, according to some. It can be found in several anthologies as well as in its original short story collection, Lost in the City, by Edward P. Jones.

As I mentioned previously, I will alternate between an old classic and a modern selection. This time, it's modern.

Hope you enjoy!
 
Yes, that's him. I haven't read any of his novels, only his short stories and, to me, he's a great short story writer.
 
SeoulMan said:
The link is to some article/paper about Marie, but it is not the text of the short story itself. You may have to actually go to the library for the story.
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Local library is French, closest English is in the city.:sad:
 
There's a copy of Lost in the City at the LIbrary. It'll be a good excuse for a motorcycle ride tomorrow.
 
Well, I read it again this past week. I have mostly questions, rather than answers:

1. Are the incidents involving the knife-cutting (of the mugger), the face-slapping (of the receptionist), and the tape-recording (of Marie) related? I believe they are.

2. Why do you think the author wrote it so that Marie is kept waiting each and every time she goes to the Social Security office for her appointment?

3. Why did Marie keep a tape of her first visit to Washington in her purse?

4. What was the purpose of the old guy (forgot his name) who eventually died? Why was he in the story?

5. Why was she so shocked to hear her voice in the tape player? (I know the story said this was the first time she heard her voice, but I'd think something like this wouldn't create such a shock.) Why does she not want to hear her own voice?
 
SeoulMan said:
Well, I read it again this past week. I have mostly questions, rather than answers:

1. Are the incidents involving the knife-cutting (of the mugger), the face-slapping (of the receptionist), and the tape-recording (of Marie) related? I believe they are.
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Actually, I think the knife-cutting, face-slapping, and the part about the old man are all related because they show how she views and treats other people. These are incidents that come back to haunt her because the acts are contrary to the way she was raised.

SeoulMan said:
2. Why do you think the author wrote it so that Marie is kept waiting each and every time she goes to the Social Security office for her appointment?
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The Social Security people were rude to her and raised her ire, resulting in a slap. I think that's the only reason.

SeoulMan said:
3. Why did Marie keep a tape of her first visit to Washington in her purse?
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I don't remember seeing that in the story. She received the tapes after her second visit to social security and put them in the drawer before her third visit. Did I miss something?

SeoulMan said:
4. What was the purpose of the old guy (forgot his name) who eventually died? Why was he in the story?
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He was sick and she was cold toward him. She didn't want to get to know him and even encouraged Wilamena not to get attached. When she finally spent time with her, he was very kind to her. A nice touch that she would be the last person that he would see before he passed.


SeoulMan said:
5. Why was she so shocked to hear her voice in the tape player? (I know the story said this was the first time she heard her voice, but I'd think something like this wouldn't create such a shock.) Why does she not want to hear her own voice?
Click to expand...

Most people are surprised when they here their own voice for the first time so no surprise there. The importance of the tapes is that in retelling the story of her life and that of her parents, she was reminded of the way she was raised. The tapes came to represent her conscience. That's probably why the recorder was compared to the bible (in size).


More later . . .
 
I kept forgetting to get back with this thread. I have to tell you SeoulMan that I enjoyed the story enough to want to read The Known World.

I don't know what to make of the statement that Social Security wrote to her in a foreign lanugage. Perhaps Legalese or something equally unimportant.

In each of the incidents with the would be theif, the receptionist, the old man, Marie saw the human side of each character after the fact. I was found in the comments by the would be their, the phone call to the receptionist, and the last words of the old man as he lay dying.

The tapes are important because in those tapes she not only talks about her family, but some of what she said into the tape recorder were the words of her mother. Those tapes became reminders of the way she was raised and were therefor her conscience. She didn't want to hear them because they made her feel bad about the way she treated those people.

I wonder when we reach Marie's age if the way we treat people would pass the scrutiny of our mothers words?
 
Thanks, Robert!

I've been away on business so I haven't had much time to check back here recently.

I'm also confused about John Smith. What's with the part about John Smith being dead and replaced by someone else?
 
SeoulMan said:
Thanks, Robert!

I've been away on business so I haven't had much time to check back here recently.

I'm also confused about John Smith. What's with the part about John Smith being dead and replaced by someone else?
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That's a bit strange and I haven't figured out how it fits in the story other than it makes social security seem cold and indifferent by signing what is probably a form letter using a fictitious name.
 
I don't know if Marie ever met him. It says she kept calling so she could talk with him but he was alway busy, until his secratary finally told her he died.
 
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