Titles are important to any analysis of a literary work. They give the readers clues about symbols, character, or theme. At the end of his short story, “The Curse,” Dubus states “The curse moved into his back and spread down and up his spine, into his stomach and legs and arms and shoulders until he quivered with it. He wished he were alone so he could kneel to receive it.” In your opinion, what is the “curse” Mitchell receives? Post your ideas here.
In my own personal ways of interpreting the text, I believe that the "curse" is the fact that Mitchell has to live with him helf, his actions. His actions did not follow through at a moment when he could of become the hero, but he cowardly fell at the opportunity. He waited behind the bar as a helpless, scared woman was raped. Thinking of his own safety first, realizing if he tried to stop it, the gang could of defeated him in a second. He regreats not taking immediate action. This guilt and regret will stay with him for the rest of his life. Everytime he remember this mistake, he will be overcome with immediate regret that will haunt him.
ReplyDeleteThe curse that Mitchell receives is something he places upon himself. As Jorie already stated, Mitchell's curse is the regret and guilt that he feels for not saving the girl who was not capable of getting herself out of the situation. The responsibility of the crime is then transferred to Mitchell, who felt he had the power to stop the rape. Along with feeling partially responsible for the girl's suffering, the girl's pain has been transferred to Mitchell as well. The memories of that night reoccur to him in painfully vivid flashbacks– hence they are referred to as “the curse”.
ReplyDeleteMitchell describes the "curse" in a way that seems like it is overwhelming. He may have wished he were alone to receive it, but he wasn't so he couldn't kneel and take it in a way of surrender. Mitchell had to endure the "cure" with people watching him, comforting him always, trying to make things better, right, even though it wasn't possible. The "curse," in my interpretation, is Mitchell's punishment for failing in helping the innocent young women. Mitchell wanted to receive his punishment, knowing it was what he deserved, at least in his own eyes.
ReplyDeleteI think that the curse is the feeling of guilt that Mitch feels for not preventing the attack when he could predict it happening. When Mitch had seen the men come into the bar, he could tell they would be up to no good, and he sensed trouble when the girl walked in their direction. When the girl was raped in the bar, Mitch could not help but feel guilty for not stopping it. For a while after the incident, all he could visualize was the rape, and the helplessness of the girl. He felt that he was meant to protect her, and because he did not, he has to live with the guilt.
ReplyDeleteThe “curse” is Mitchell’s guilt. Crime could be so much easier to commit if guilt did not accompany it. Guilt haunts you incessantly and overwhelms you, until you feel as if the crimes you committed are being committed against you. Mitchell knows that he was outnumbered, that he was helpless against those bikers, yet the “curse” still overwhelms him. Guilt is a curse because you cannot escape it. Mitchell is constantly haunted by his guilt. He is always saying what he “should have” or “could have done,” his life is filled with “what ifs.” Mitchell is always thinking about ways he could have saved the girl, and escaped his guilt. Guilt is overwhelms Mitchell, as if the crime was committed against him. The girl was violated and now Mitchell is being violated by his guilt, it is “moved into his back and spread down and up his spine, into his stomach and legs and arms and shoulders until he quivered with it.”
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jorie that the curse is his guilt. I also think that guilt keeps coming back in flashbacks, and when he relives that scene in his mind, the guilt comes back to him. So the curse is that he has to keep reliving the scene in his head. He will never be able to forget about the horrible thing he witnessed becasue of his emotions he felt from it, including guilt. The curse is shown many ways in the story, by Mitchell not being able to forget, but also by other people, such as Reggie, by how they try to push the curse down. Mitchell tries to forget, but the scene will not leave him and that is his curse. While Reggie is also trying to shove down his curse by drinking too much. But when Mitchell tells him he has had too much to drink, just like Mitchell, Reggie accepts his curse. He knows he cannot get rid of the constant reminder of what he has experienced in his lifetime, which he wishes he could forget about.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else, the curse is the feeling of guilt that Mitch feels for not preventing the attack. He felt he had a responsibility to stand up and protect the girl but during the rape all he could do was listen in horror. Michelle thought of his own safety and when he tried to stop the crime the gang stopped him. He regrets not taking action and standing up to defend her even though the group of men could have killed him. After the incident, all he could think about was the rape. The image of the men and the helpless girl haunts Mitch because he feels that he was meant to protect her. The curse in this story is the regret and guilt he has to live with for the rest of his life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else. Mitch has to live with the image of that girl getting raped and with him not fighting the men off. I wouldn't say that he didn't do what was right he did call the cops and that is at least an effort to help her. I know that what he went through is nothing like what the girl is going through, so it seems he might me a little whiney with this whole situation. Although I can see why he would feel unsteady and guilty. I just do not think he is the cursed one.
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