Roles, Actions And Habits In 'Downturn' By Jeremy Lananaway

Roles, Actions, Habits The short story, “Downturn” by Jeremy Lanaway focuses on a conflict between protagonists that hide painful truths. The author conveys this conflict with the theme of deception and is shown throughout the short story with the use of roles, actions, and character’s habits.

The author depicts the theme of deception with the use of characters and their roles in the short story. The protagonist, Dan plays the role of someone who is content with his current life contrary to how he actually feels, "I like being outside all day not having a douche boss not looking over my shoulder all day [...] I should’ve gotten out of the real estate game a long time ago. Being a pool guy- that’s where’s at’’ (78). The protagonist tries to deceive not only himself, but his acquaintance Pete that he is fulfilled with his career and life choices.

A flashback depicts Dan’s struggle with life and his addictions with drugs causing him to be absence from his career and family. Dan suffers a huge weight loss from “cocaine” and the outcome of his habit caused him to be unemployed. He then loses “millions of dollars” on his “custom-built properties’’, and is unsuccessful over the battle of custody of his children” (80). Dan’s addiction with drugs costs him his future. Later on in the story, Dan shares to Pete, that he has join the health program. Pete sees that Dan’s appearance drastically changed. Dan claims: “I drink a few beers whenever I get the urge to snort a line” (81). It is hard to make out if Dan was being sarcastic, or he has not yet recovered from his addictions. Dan’s negative habits with drugs caused his life to take a down turn leaving him to lie to himself to get away from his true reality. Dan will do anything to convince himself that he is happy contrary to how he actually