Essay Questions

Although nothing specific is directly alluded to, what actions that have already occurred earlier might Mrs. Shapiro’s ineloquent “I’m not going to let you—make me—dishonest anymore!” be explicitly referencing?

Mrs. Shapiro’s outburst is, of course, stimulated by her husband’s seemingly inoffensive remark that she take the little knife she has been admiring home with her when they head back from their vacation accommodations. But the almost inarticulate way in which her anger suddenly rises and spews forth indicates that there is something fairly specific that she has in mind. And yet, no event has occurred to this point in “The Little Knife” nor is referenced after the fact which clarifies the origin point of this outburst of barely suppressed rage. There might possibly be a clue to solving this mystery, however.

The narrator has indicated that this outburst took place during the couple’s fifth fight since arriving at the cottage. The third or fourth fight had occurred earlier that morning behind the closed door of their bedroom which nevertheless allowed evidence that an argument was taking place to be heard by Nathan. He hears the bedroom door slam just before his mother appears in the kitchen with a tired smile on her face, a lighthearted “good morning, honey” on her lips, and a humming in throat. She has put on her happy face in front of the kids, a dishonest façade intended to hide the truth. It is just possible there is a definite connection there.

In the story “S Angel” what is the connection between Ira’s inability to collapse into the absurdities of his vision of being in love, the “wiggly” moment in Sheila’s sports car, and his dubious motive for rejecting Carmen?

That Ira may have yet to be fall fully into the seething abyss of head over heels love may be true, but it is difficult to tell based on his image of what constitutes the actions of someone in that state. Not many men have written villanelles to express their ardor for the past two-hundred years or so much less demonstrate that affection by waking the neighbors by screaming their beloved’s night into the darkness of the street in the middle of the night. Ira’s perspective on a man in love seems to be culled entirely from bad media representations. Likewise, his rejection of Carmen on the basis that the contents of her purse are appalling evidence that she is a woman out of control.

How many women in America at any given moment have wads of Kleenex, prescription medication, half a Hershey bar and a key chain in the shape of some ridiculous animal? It is clear enough that Ira hasn’t fallen in love like someone in a movie or popular song yet because he is already in love with the unattainable: his cousin Sheila, the bride at the wedding he’s attending. The sexual tension in the two-seater to the strains of Marvin Gaye may not be enough evidence this is so, but the passionate kiss between cousins which brings the story to its close definitely lends the theory serious weight.

Who is Kim?

Kim is a complicated character in a book filled with complicated characters. She, however, takes things to a new high. Or, perhaps, a new low; it’s hard to say which. Kim Trilby appears in the story “Millionaires” where for most of the narrative she is the ex-girlfriend of one of the two old friends and business partners who are the protagonist and the object of the desire for the other one. The friendships and the business suffer from ensuing consequences in which Kim first becomes the girlfriend of the other one before eventually becoming his wife before eventually becoming his ex-wife. “Millionaires” is a love story and what makes Kim most fascinating is that she is not the love interest in this relationship at any point. Not that this real love affair going on is ever made explicit, of course.