Order of Insects by William H. Gass
"Order of Insects" by William H. Gass presents a thought-provoking exploration of a homemaker’s evolving relationship with the insects that intrude upon her pristine domestic life. Initially repulsed by the presence of roaches, she embarks on a journey of self-examination and curiosity when she begins to study the dead bugs she finds in her living room. As she delves deeper into their physical characteristics, the narrator grapples with feelings of disgust and embarrassment about her fascination with these creatures, which she believes is not appropriate for a woman.
Through her detailed observations, she gains new insights not only about the insects but also about human nature and societal expectations. This study transforms her perception, prompting a shift from disdain to a recognition of the beauty in their orderliness. The narrative highlights her internal conflict as she reconciles her newfound passion for entomology with her traditional role as a housewife, ultimately leading her to question the limitations imposed by her domestic environment. As she begins to see the world through a more expansive lens, she experiences a profound personal awakening that challenges her previous understanding of both herself and her responsibilities. The story serves as a compelling metaphor for the struggle between societal roles and individual identity, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of fascination, growth, and the hidden dimensions of everyday life.
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Order of Insects by William H. Gass
First published: 1961
Type of plot: Psychological
Time of work: The late 1950's
Locale: Suburban United States
Principal Characters:
The narrator , a homemaker with childrenHer husband , also unnamed
The Story
The first-person narrator was once a typical homemaker, terrified by the fast-moving roaches in the family's previous house and concerned only with her motherly and wifely duties. Then she notices the dead bugs that appear daily on the living-room carpet, and as self-punishment for mistreating the children one evening, she forces herself to examine the bugs carefully.
Initially, she reacts predictably and normally, in her opinion, by withdrawing in disgust from the ugly insects. Strongly and unaccountably to her, however, she later begins to study the bugs in intimate detail, noting their shape, color, appendages, and the subtle differences between the adult and nymph bugs—slightly different size, degree of transparency of their legs, and color. At this stage, she seems to examine them because they daily intrude into and disrupt the meticulously closed and orderly life she leads. Later, however, she becomes very curious about them, especially about how they move when alive because she never sees one alive. Her dilemma begins when she feels disgust about her own interest, saying the study of bugs is not for a woman.
She vacillates throughout the story between intense interest in the bugs and embarrassment about her interest, but with the interest becoming fascination and her embarrassment steadily lessening. She admits later that the bugs are interesting because they are a novel experience, and acknowledges her gratitude for this experience. She then admits to beginning serious study of the bugs, using a text a friend gives her, and she reaches new understanding of the orderliness of the insects' physical nature. Noting this new knowledge and her mixed feelings, she is no longer disgusted with the orderly insects but believes that they are still not a fit subject of a woman's interest.
Despite the internal conflict, the narrator admits that her life has been fundamentally changed by studying the bugs. She develops new insight into human reality by analogizing human behavior to that of the bugs, for example, that humans tend to love the external, physical person rather than the intangible, spiritual qualities, with the human body analogous to the empty, dry shells of the dead bugs. She also develops new energy and enthusiasm, as well as vividness and freedom of imagination, and acknowledges a heightened understanding that is like the perspective of a god. She begins to see beyond conventional knowledge reflected in accepted language, noting the inaccuracy of her previous reference to herself as innocent in relation to the dead bugs. She has realized the power of humans in controlling other species, even insects, and by the end of the story has begun to protect various types of insects from the insecticides used by her husband. In fully comprehending the orderly beauty of the insects that she once regarded as ghastly, she notes that she has penetrated to comprehension of the world's dark soul—the godlike perspective. This causes her to act in ways that disturb her children, who fear her frighteningly probing eyes, and shows her the limitedness and lack of fulfillment of her life as a housewife. That life interferes with her growth, her learning, and the spiritual and psychological satisfaction her learning provides, creating her psychological dilemma. She has studied the insects with masculine-like commitment, but she is still "the wife of the house, concerned for the rug, tidy and punctual, surrounded [trapped?] by blocks."
Bibliography
Bellamy, Joe David, ed. The New Fiction: Interviews with Innovative American Writers. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1974.
Hix, H. L. Understanding William H. Gass. Columbia: University Press of South Carolina, 2002.
Holloway, Watson L. William Gass. Boston: Twayne, 1990.
McCaffery, Larry. The Metafictional Muse: The Work of Robert Coover, Donald Barthelme, and William H. Gass. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1982.
Saltzman, Arthur M. The Fiction of William Gass: The Consolation of Language. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1985.
Unsworth, John. "Against the Grain: Theory and Practice in the Work of William H. Gass." Arizona Quarterly 48, no. 1 (Spring, 1992).
Vidal, Gore. Matters of Fact and Fiction: Essays, 1973-1976. New York: Random House, 1977.