Silkie Sees Joan

Silkie Sees Joan
The story "Silkie" by Joyce Carol Oates is a story that is set for today. It is the typical story of a
female having unprotected sex with a male. The male then wants no part of this child, and sends the female
off to send for herself. Usually the female must raise the child herself. This is not true in Silkie's case. She
winds up living happily with the man of her dreams.
Silkie realizes that she will have a place to live and a husband to take care of her child. When she
comes home after talking with Nathan she tells her mother that, "it's all settled."
Another reason why "Silkie" is a happy story is because Joan finally realizes that she can no
longer be Silkie. She can not play this charade any more. Joan is getting older and learns the Silkie was a
fantasy which she overplayed. "I rest my hand on top of his, like a woman in a movie . . ." Joan realizes
that she is doing things that are not part of reality. She is living in a movie world but is trying to change
herself for the better.
"I shrug my shoulders again in a way I must have picked up from someone. It isn't a habit I like."
Joan realized that she does not even like this Silkie person that she has become. She has picked up bad
habits that she does not want but has acquired because of who she pretended to be.
Realizing the errors of your ways is another part of growing up and realizing who you are. " And,
like Mama said, making a hard mouth-mouthed little joke, if I ...

Silkie Sees Joan

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