Big Bad Love by Larry Brown
"Big Bad Love" by Larry Brown is a poignant narrative that explores themes of loss, desire, and the complexities of relationships. The story is told from the perspective of a narrator, who grapples with the death of his dog while reflecting on his strained marriage to Mildred, a woman whose sexual needs he feels unable to meet. Set against the backdrop of domestic life in the United States, the narrator's journey takes him through moments of introspection as he recalls his past and the choices that led him to this point.
As he navigates his feelings of inadequacy and sorrow, the narrator encounters various animals that symbolize his struggles, including the cruel actions of a cat toward a rabbit. The tension in his marriage escalates when Mildred, frustrated with their relationship, ultimately leaves him for another man who can fulfill her desires. The story concludes with the narrator's resolve to bury his dog and seek a new partner, encapsulating the themes of mourning and a relentless search for love and connection. Through its raw and honest portrayal of human emotion, "Big Bad Love" invites readers to reflect on the nature of relationships and the pain of unfulfilled expectations.
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Big Bad Love by Larry Brown
First published: 1990
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: The late twentieth century
Locale: A small town in Mississippi
Principal Characters:
Leroy , the narrator and protagonist, a lonely manMildred , his wife
The Story
After the narrator (whose name is not revealed until the end of the story) states that his dog is dead, the rest of his narrative unfolds in its shadow, as its inert body lies in the front yard waiting to be buried. Other animals also play roles in the story. A cat belonging to the narrator's wife, Mildred, catches and slowly kills a young rabbit, while training its kittens to hunt. The narrator considers killing the cats because of their cruelty to the rabbit. He recalls a time when he raised rabbits for food but gave it up because having to kill them became too painful.
Mildred is sexually frustrated "because of her over-large organ." The narrator drives around in his truck and finds an old friend who gives him a beer. Then he goes home to shower and shave. Knowing that Mildred will return shortly, he drives off again to continue his drinking. In a crosstown bar, he drinks and plays pool with several women whom he would like to pick up. After failing in this endeavor, he drives home, following a circuitous route to avoid the police and to get home as late as possible so that he will not have to perform for his sexually insatiable wife.
Unashamed of himself, the narrator does not think of himself as inadequate; his wife simply needs more than he as an average man can provide. At the bar he recalls how he met Mildred: He was in Destin, Florida, recovering from his separation from his first wife. When he saw Mildred, he was sexually attracted immediately, so he divorced his first wife and married her. On their wedding night, he discovered that something was badly amiss. The next morning Mildred explained that she truly was virtuous and that it was not overuse that had made her organ so large. The narrator realized his predicament: Once again in an impossible relationship, as he knew that he would never be able to fulfill Mildred's desires. Throughout his narrative, he thinks about how sad he is, trying to make the impossible happen.
When he finally arrives home, he finds the house is dark and empty. Mildred has left a note saying that she has met another man and is going away with him: "He has the equipment to take care of my problem and we have already 'roadtested' it."
Leroy does not bury the dog. His sorrow and despair grow deeper as he realizes again that he could never satisfy his wife. He resolves to bury his dog in the morning and start looking for a new wife after that.