Low Visibility
Low Visibility
The short story ”Low Visibility” involves Laura and her husband John. It is third-person narrated, which means that we are following Laura and Johns, while we have a full view of Laura’s physical feelings. Laura is John submissive, and she has nothing to say at home. Before she met John, she was the kind of person who could make a room laugh; she had a good humor, lots of energy and a good spirit. But John changed her; from being full of life, to a person who barely speaks at home out of fear. In the text it says “She wishes she could protest, but has forgotten how.” This clearly explains how submissive she has become, when she cannot stand up for herself anymore. Laura is also afraid of John, because he hurts her and does not care about her. In the story, they are both watching the news on the television. There are riots in the streets and people are looting shops. The reason for these riots is never explained. When they watch television, one of John’s hands is on her lap, holding it tight - so hard that her thigh bruises. When the riots enter the apartment below theirs, John gets angry and flings the door open, ready to fight. As he flings the door open, Laura says “Don’t” and she is surprised over her own act, because she has not spoken a word of command for four years. This shows that maybe she is beginning to find herself again - starting to be independent of John. Outside John is struck on the head and lies on the ground bleeding. Laura comes down to him. He lies on the ground and “asks” for a hand, she turns around and walks away, meanwhile a window explodes behind her, she is not harmed though.
The story starts in medias res, where we land in Laura and John’s living room, while they watch the news about the riots. It is built so the reader initially gets sympathy with Laura. John is posed as the bad guy, whom the reader dislikes right away. Laura has nothing to say at home, and she is very afraid of her husband John. As the story
The short story ”Low Visibility” involves Laura and her husband John. It is third-person narrated, which means that we are following Laura and Johns, while we have a full view of Laura’s physical feelings. Laura is John submissive, and she has nothing to say at home. Before she met John, she was the kind of person who could make a room laugh; she had a good humor, lots of energy and a good spirit. But John changed her; from being full of life, to a person who barely speaks at home out of fear. In the text it says “She wishes she could protest, but has forgotten how.” This clearly explains how submissive she has become, when she cannot stand up for herself anymore. Laura is also afraid of John, because he hurts her and does not care about her. In the story, they are both watching the news on the television. There are riots in the streets and people are looting shops. The reason for these riots is never explained. When they watch television, one of John’s hands is on her lap, holding it tight - so hard that her thigh bruises. When the riots enter the apartment below theirs, John gets angry and flings the door open, ready to fight. As he flings the door open, Laura says “Don’t” and she is surprised over her own act, because she has not spoken a word of command for four years. This shows that maybe she is beginning to find herself again - starting to be independent of John. Outside John is struck on the head and lies on the ground bleeding. Laura comes down to him. He lies on the ground and “asks” for a hand, she turns around and walks away, meanwhile a window explodes behind her, she is not harmed though.
The story starts in medias res, where we land in Laura and John’s living room, while they watch the news about the riots. It is built so the reader initially gets sympathy with Laura. John is posed as the bad guy, whom the reader dislikes right away. Laura has nothing to say at home, and she is very afraid of her husband John. As the story