Analysis Of No One Is A Mystery By Elizabeth Tallent

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In the short story “No One Is a Mystery” by Elizabeth Tallent the reader is introduced to a nameless female character. Throughout the story there are various descriptions that has great subtext to the relationship between the narrator and her lover Jack. One of the best descriptions in the short story is when the narrator is staring at Jack’s boot. The description Tallent uses makes the reader use one of their five senses, she makes the reader focus on the sense of touch. Tallent writes of boot’s frayed thread and scuffed toes. Another good description of the sense was muddy manure. The last part of the description is when the narrator gives a telling detail about the relationship between the two. She mentions that Jack has been wearing the …show more content…

Subtext is the underlying theme within the story. Subtext in this story comes from the character of Arnold Fiend who tries to convince Connie to leave with him. An example of dialogue with subtext is “Honey," he said, talking right through her voice, "Honey, I’m not coming in there but you are coming out here. You know why?" (Oates 7). What is being said here is a clear threat however he is not outright saying so. By Arnold telling her although he will not be entering the house sooner or later she will be going with him whether she likes it or not. Summarized dialogue also appears in the text. Summarized dialogue is when the Author wants to avoid unnecessary dialogue and holds dull material. An example of this type of dialogue is “You don 't want them to get hurt," Arnold Friend went on. "Now, get up, honey. Get up all by yourself” (Oates 9). Arnold does not have to explain to Connie that if she does go with him that he will kill her family and ruin her life. I think the reason the author summarized this part is because Oates wanted to establish the conniving techniques that Arnold showed in the beginning of the story. Arnold did not have to say that he was going to murder Connie’s family his simply threat was enough. Doing this also adds an element of mystery and suspense to make the reader wonder. He did not confirm that he was going to kill but do …show more content…

An unreliable narrator is when the character unconsciously doesn’t tell the entire story as we are seeing it from one pair of eyes. Although one could say that it’s an unreliable first person point of view. Yunior does not show any sign of trying to make himself appear better instead he is unreliable in the sense of how he is telling the story. “She has big stupid lips and a sad moon face and the driest skin” (Diaz 145). Yunior description of Nilda is exaggerating because he does in fact like her but does not want to admit it. By describing her in such a manner it reveals that he does not want the world to know he liked her. Additional example of the unreliable first person point of view. The focus of the story should be on Nilda but it is a way for Yunior to deal with the grief of losing his brother Rafa. By speaking about Nilda he is remembering of his brother through the time she spent with Rafa. There are a few examples to demonstrated this within the text to show Yunior unreliability. “It was only one summer and she was nobody special, so what’s the point of all this? He’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone” (Diaz 150). Yunior for a split second shows the connection between the two people in his life. Although the first part of the sentence is about Nilda he connects it to the loss of his brother. That line establish Yunior’s unreliable story

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