Sunday, December 1, 2019

I Live with You

Blog 12
Week of 11/18/19

         This week's topic was on Diverse Position in Science Fiction. In order to explore this topic, I read the short story I Live with You by Carol Emshwiller. This story is about a woman, we later find out her name to be, Nora who is living a solidarity existence of a not at all interesting life. She spends her days going to work and coming directly home to her cat. This story would not seem of much interest if it was not for the unknown third occupant living in the house. This story is in the point of view of this unknown character and we see how this individual effects the daily life of Nora.

The unknown narrator of Emshwiller's story seems to be an odd mixture of a guardian angel and a stalker. In the story the individual mentions how once they saw Nora at the coffee shop, they realized just how perfect and alike they were, causing them to follow her home. From then on this occupant lives in the nooks and crannies of the Nora’s all too-big house. They then start to do tiny things on a daily basis to disorient Nora, like moving items where they were not supposed to be. At first I thought this character was out to get Nora and make her slowly feel like she is going crazy. I soon realized by the end of the story they were doing it for Nora’s own good. The character saw what kind of rut Nora was in, the loner that nobody noticed. By doing what seemed to be pestering daily actions added up and slowly got her out of her rut. And in doing so Nora could stand up and be the person she was always meant to be.



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