Mary Gaitskill "The Little Boy"

Gaitskill's story of The Little boy was well written and I discovered it to have a much deeper meaning after my class and I analyzed the story. Coming across the central conflict in the story, the pieces came together in understanding the story and message. The conflict in "The Little Boy," was about the disconnect between how Bea really feels about her ex- husband and what her daughters perceive. Throughout the story, the motif of Megan having a disconnect with her mother after not leaving her abusive husband, by saying, "You had nothing but contempt." This idea of showing Bea's weakness and submission to her husband proved her love for him and the unbreakable bond true love forms by the author. Her husband Mac is portrayed as the stereotypical man who can't express his true feelings to his wife who he is supposed to love and feel comfortable around, but expresses himself through rage and violence. Mac's malicious acts towards his wife, acting childish and having an affair with another woman left the Bea's children and the readers confused of why she wouldn't leave her husband sooner. Through analysis, we understood Bea's rationalization and forgiveness of her husband. Bea is conflicted by having her love clash in front of her which complicates her life. Her daughters say one thing, her heart says another, and her husband acts indifferently. Bea is truly in love and love never dies. The story has many flash backs to the past and then settling down in the present. The author uses a family in the airport to trigger these moments. A family consisting of a woman, Lee Ann, and a son, Michael, cause Bea to remember the good times she had experienced as a mother. Now in her seventies, Bea's husband has died, and the conflict and the denial and refusal to let her daughters opinion come between the bond that her and her ex-husband shared has left her lonely and a bad relationship between her two daughters. That little boy, Michael, reminds her of the good times she had as a mother and wife. Michael is used as a prompt that makes her think of the good times when her kids were little and her life had purpose. Michael's family is complicated and messed-up through the portrayal of Bea. She describes Lee Ann's family as a single mother and the production of her son through mishap or misfortune. Lee Ann treats Michael poorly by hitting him when he does not act correctly in her opinion, but his appearance brings meaning to Bea. He makes up a story of his father of being in the army and tells Lee Ann this. After finding out his mother this him once more and admits to Bea that it was a lie and his father was not in the army. While his story was made up it still symbolized Michaels attempt to make his life more interesting in better and Bea enjoyed this. Her life similar to Michaels helped her to see a brighter side. His father being in the army made his life more enjoyable and complete, and Michael just being there made Bea's life that much more less lonely.