Examples Of Oppression In All The Living

With each turn of a page in the novel All the Living, it seems as if a new instance of coexistence of opposition is introduced. Despite this almost overwhelming amount of opposites, there are a few examples that are more prevalent to the novel in its entirety—one of which being the coexistence of pain and pleasure. Aloma, who was orphaned at a young aged and raised, utilizing that term loosely, by her aunt and uncle, is now a grown woman with various issues; one of the most significant being her near violent nature. She is currently living with Orren, the man she presumably intends to marry, on a farm surrounded by things she despises. These factors are a form of frustration that do nothing but adding to her violent tendencies. Orren and Aloma are poor communicators. Due to this flaw, when any issue arises between the two or any tension of the day builds up, they tend to resort to sleeping together as a means of solution rather than talking things through. It is within the intimate encounters between Aloma and Orren that the reader is able to comprehend one of the first instances of coexistence within this novel that is pain and pleasure. Morgan writes:
“It moved her in a way that had nothing to do with pleasure…And when there was pain, which there was at first and occasionally after, she was always surprised that she
Aloma takes pleasure and pain, two opposing forces, and creates a way in which they are able to coexist. The violent nature Aloma possesses further intensifies the pleasure she finds in pain. The coexistence of these opposites is essential to the relationship between Aloma and Orren, for if this coexistence was not present, their relationship would be altered to the extent that long-term success may not be an option—thus, being essential to their human