The theme of the story The Curse by Andre Dubus - Essay Example

“The Curse An Analysis Andre Dubus through his story ‘The Curse’ insists his readers to contemplate the ethical question what would they do if they happen to witness a crime. The title of the story ‘the curse’ is very relevant to the context as it portrays the deep feelings of the protagonist Mitchell Hayes who considers himself as the most damned individual for his inability to prevent a crime. The curse is that he did not intervene in the rape and save the woman although he believes that he could have stopped it.

The story also tells that one cannot ensure one’s personal safety always by taking the safe side of an issue. Mitchell Hayes is a forty-nine year old bartender who unexpectedly confronts an unfortunate event one evening right before closing. He is the stepfather of a teenage boy and girl. Five men arrive on motorcycles and order beers. Mitchell believes that they used drugs. Now one young woman comes to the bar to buy cigarettes and asks Mitchell for change. All of a sudden the bikers attack the woman and rape her brutally on the floor.

Mitchell takes no action until the brutes leave the scene. He now approaches the woman and tries to comfort her. He now calls the police and his manager Bob. Mitchell is familiar with the police officer Smitty, for they were classmates in high school. Mitchell confesses that he could have done something to stop the crime. However, Smitty says that if he had intervened, he too would have been attacked by the thugs. Mitchell arrives home with a guilty mind. He tells his wife Susan what happened at the bar, and shares his thoughts with her.

Susan also tells him that he has acted wisely by not responding to the criminals all by himself. However, their words do not pacify his soul as he believes that his nonresponsive was a sin. Mitchell is affected by guilty conscience despite his friend’s suggestion that intervention was the duty of police. He is “fatigue beyond relieving by rest, by sleep” after the incident (Dubus). The writer throws light on the rotten cultural facet of the US society and invites his readers to ponder the ethical parameters they have set.

Mitchell represents the common man having tender feelings and compassion to his fellow creatures, but who at the same time is constrained by external pressures. The rapists symbolize male chauvinism and discrimination that are prevalent in every sphere of social life in the United States. Realism is the main feature of Dubus’ story. He deploys third person narration for the major part of the story with intent to give more emphasis to the feelings of Mitchell. He does not describe the sufferings of the woman much, but gives a good account of the responses of others to the event.

The writer forces his readers to get into Mitchell’s conscious and feel the intensity of his anguish. Mitchell reminds readers to recall factors that immobilize their ethical actions when dealing with social issues. In total, the story ‘The Curse’ reminds us that opting safe side may not necessarily offer peace of mind. The protagonist of the story Mitchell decides not to respond to the crime on time in order to ensure his safety. However, he soon realizes that his decision has brought irresolvable curse both to the rape victim and him.

Although Mitchell is only a witness to the crime, it seems that he also has become a victim. Works CitedDubus, Andre. The Curse. Playboy, 1988.