An Interest in Life by Grace Paley
"An Interest in Life" is a short story by Grace Paley that presents a poignant first-person narrative of a young woman named Virginia, who faces the challenges of single motherhood after her husband leaves her shortly before Christmas. Struggling to make ends meet with four children, Virginia receives support from her neighbor, Mrs. Raftery, who offers practical advice regarding welfare assistance and emotional connections. The story explores themes of resilience and the complexities of love and dependency as Virginia navigates her circumstances, often using humor as a coping mechanism.
Her relationship with Mrs. Raftery’s son, John, develops as he steps in to provide assistance and companionship, yet Virginia grapples with feelings of guilt and fear of societal judgment, leading to her initial rejection of John's advances. As the narrative unfolds, Virginia's yearning for stability is juxtaposed with her acknowledgment of her past and the cyclical nature of her experiences. Through this lens, Paley delves into the intersection of gender, poverty, and the search for happiness, leaving readers with a sense of the inevitability of Virginia's struggles. Ultimately, "An Interest in Life" portrays a woman's determination to survive in an unforgiving world, marked by the complexities of relationships and the ongoing quest for fulfillment.
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An Interest in Life by Grace Paley
First published: 1959
Type of plot: Realism
Time of work: The 1950's
Locale: New York City
Principal Characters:
Virginia , the female protagonist, the abandoned mother of four childrenMrs. Raftery , her downstairs neighbor, a busybodyJohn Raftery , Mrs. Raftery's son, who visits both his mother and Virginia every Thursday
The Story
The plot is quite simple: "An Interest in Life" offers a first-person account of a young woman, Virginia, who is deserted by her husband shortly before Christmas. Thanks to the advice of her downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Raftery, rent and food money from the Welfare Department, the amorous attentions of Mrs. Raftery's son, John, and her own sense of humor, Virginia and her four children manage quite well without her husband.
The husband's parting gifts are a new broom and a passionate, mean kiss intended to let her know what she will be missing. With only fourteen dollars and the rent unpaid, Virginia turns for help to her downstairs neighbor. Mrs. Raftery's advice: Tell Welfare, the grocer, and the cops, who will provide toys for the kids, and look around for comfort; "With a nervous finger she pointed to the truckers eating lunch on their haunches across the street. . . . She waved her hand to include all the men marching up and down in search of a decent luncheonette. She didn't leave out the six longshoremen loafing under the fish-market marquee." The tone is set; the story continues in this earthy and ironic vein as Virginia's tough-kid humor and self-mockery protect her against self-pity.
One night, Mrs. Raftery advises her son to visit his old friend, Virginia. Soon he comes regularly, bringing presents for the kids and even offering to do the dishes. He takes a special interest in Girard, Virginia's most difficult child; he gives him an erector set, signs him up for Cub Scouts, and plays the father Girard never really had. Nevertheless, Virginia rejects his first advances, fearing that the world will blame her for corrupting an upstanding member of church and community; then, too, John is not as sexy as her husband, whose "winking eyes" she still misses.
When John questions Virginia about her husband, she makes excuses about his need to do well in the world, while thinking to herself how cruel he was, trying to turn neighbors and friends against her and constantly putting her down. John listens patiently, continues to help with the kids, but finally stops coming, apparently discouraged by her cold responses.
In despair at the loss of this one true friend, Virginia decides to submit a list of her troubles to "Strike It Rich." Soon after the doorbell rings, "two short and two long meaning John." "As always happens," Virginia tells herself, "where you have begun to help yourself with plans, news comes from the opposite direction. She thinks about how easy it would be for John to walk out of their lives forever and decides "not to live without him."
John mocks her dream of being chosen for "Strike It Rich," reducing her troubles to "the little disturbances of man" as Grace Paley, the author, does to the troubles of so many of her would-be victims. Soon after, Virginia and John become lovers; Mrs. Raftery approves because now John comes to visit every Thursday; Virginia maintains her way of life, noting how remarkable it is that "a man who sends out the Ten Commandments every year for a Christmas card can be so easy buttoning and unbuttoning"; and the reader is ready for a happy ending of sorts. Instead Paley throws a curve; Virginia dreams that her husband returns, "raps her backside," and they are right back where the story started. The last line, "The truth is, we were so happy, we forgot the precautions," makes it clear that the future will repeat the perpetual cycle of passion, childbirth, and desertion. Virginia may have the spunk of a survivor, but her dependence on men and her own sexuality condemn her to a life of poverty.
Bibliography
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