Change In Greasy Lake

Improved Essays
“Animals” (128), a perfectly apt description of the boys that drove to Greasy Lake at night. Much different from the boys that drove away the following morning. This sudden change within the boys is exemplified between the two interactions with the girls up at Greasy Lake. The stark contrast between the animalistic urges and restrained behavior exhibited between the two moments show the sudden character change within Digby, Jeff, and the narrator. The sudden realization of that night, the monstrous act nearly perpetrated and resulting punishment and chastening, turned these boys, these animals, into something different, more mature, more human.

The boys encounter with the “fox” is a perfect example of young unrestrained lust and violence.

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Perfectly captured in the title, the character being the unnamed narrator of this short story “Greasy Lake” by T. Coraghessan Boyle. This story follows the narrator though a series of unfortunate events where He and his friends Digby and Jeff attempt to exemplify the persona that they believe would be considered in accordance with a bad or “Greasy Character”. These three boys at their last teenage year as they spin there wheels in a June summer of 1960’s suburbia. Just as many small towns there was a shortage of social activities especially for teenagers so they fill there down time with sneaking around drinking and smoking. Succumbed by boredom the narrator decides to round up his gang and hop in the family station wagon and set off in search…

    • 1456 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In every young person’s life, there comes a moment in which they transform from fantasy dwelling, wild teenagers into adults. For many, it is a slow, steady process which can take many years; however, for many others, it happens in an instant. Such a transformation is experienced by the narrator of the short story “Greasy Lake" by Thomas Coraghessan Boyle. During a time when it was good to be bad, the narrator and his two friends felt they were the very definition of bad; however, these three teens, desperate for treacherous adventure and new experiences, ended up getting more than they bargained for after a prank goes awfully wrong. This incident causes them to run into some people more “bad” than themselves and to the see the uncensored reality…

    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sour Lake Case Study

    • 1348 Words
    • 5 Pages

    While this is in fact a more recent study the same holds true for older boomtowns. Sour Lake experienced a huge influx of unmarried men to a town with little else to offer other than the work in the oil industry. The town had no bars, no theater, no stores, essentially no businesses other than the hotel. Many of these single men arrived with no shelter or food and no way to attain these things.…

    • 1348 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The chapter, “Trash Kites”, in We The Animals, by Justin Torres left me shocked, especially towards Paps. Throughout the novel Paps has always had an abusive nature about him , yet he still seemed to shock me even more in this chapter. While beating Manny, I felt as if I was right there witnessing everything that was happening; the cold field, the dark skies, and the lights beaming (Torres 83). Manny’s pain turned into some pain that i could feel myself as the reader. Although Manny and his brothers snuck out to explore the field in the night, I do not believe that Paps should have physically treated him like that.…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Discovery In Greasy Lake

    • 2096 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Greasy Lake: A Dangerous Journey to Discovery “Greasy Lake” is a chronologically written, coming of age tale, by notable author, T. Coraghessan Boyle. In this short story the reader is transported to a place and time that served as a pinnacle awakening in the lives of three nineteen year old young men. Where the reader is allowed to follow our un-named narrator and his friends through a dark journey of events that unfold one fateful summer night. The main characters, who can only be adequately described as suburban pretenders, who want nothing more than to be considered “bad” when they stumble upon much more than what they bargained at 2 o’clock in the morning (357). The actions of these rebellious youth and the consequences that follow would challenge the moral compass of most people, yet it is exactly want drew…

    • 2096 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Piggy's Alternate Ending

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The smoke from the forest continued to climb, creating a dark shroud over the island. It was quiet, the birds and animals had ceased to cry, the silence reminded Ralph of his time before the island, before he and everyone else lost their innocence. Ralph was still on the ground where he had collapsed before. He never thought, after Piggy’s death that he would ever make it home. Ralph didn’t believe he had achieved victory, there was no returning fro what had happened.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Two Wolves Themes

    • 885 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Two Wolves is a mystery/adventure novel written by Australian author Tristan Bancks. Ben Silver, a 13-year-old boy, is the protagonist who is on the run with his criminal father whilst deciding whether to follow his flesh and blood or the law. This treatise will discuss the transformations Ben has experienced during the course of the story due to a certain character, setting and event. The character mentioned in this essay, is Ray Silver, Ben’s criminal father. Nature, including the cabin and scenes which occurred there, has influenced Ben the most, changing his perspective on most occasions.…

    • 885 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    If a person doesn’t spiraled down to the depths of evil completely, rising back up would still be achievable. A trio of teenagers in T. Coraghessan Boyle’s “Greasy Lake” is starting off their summer by pulling off seemingly harmless pranks until they come faced with a dispute with the wrong kind of people. Through a series of actions these boys have shown murderous intent, an attempted rape scene, and are able to walk away scot free of any dire consequences. Throughout the story there are numerous symbols that show off to the readers that the boys had the choice to part from a life of evil since they haven’t been fully swallowed up yet. Keys to the car are lost in a moment, much like the innocence of the boys, but are later regained once more.…

    • 1233 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the story of “Greasy Lake” by T.C. Boyle, three college “greasers” return home from their colleges, in the midst of looking for something to fix their boredom they head to a local hangout by the name of “Greasy Lake.” When pulling into the lot of the lake, a certain car caught their eyes, one of their friends. Taking a closer look at the car, it seems as if their friend was in the car with a girl. The three decide to mess with the car, just to find out that the car that they thought was Tony’s was not his at all. Out of the car comes a large mean looking man, the three of the teenaged greasers rally around the man, and attack.…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    ALRIGHT! Enough! [I pop out from the forest, tapping my foot the sound of wind and thunder rasping the land] (Jack: Who are you?) The one who’ll get you to stop behaving like uneducated fools.…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Heidi Kelchner provides a quick reference that consists of different components of the novel, along with a list of the main characters and their descriptions. She then summarizes the plot of the novel. Kelchner discusses how Jack London is famous for his adventure novels and his technique of portraying animals as ‘compelling’ leaders in society. Many contend against his use of this technique, criticizing how it toys with the reader’s emotions. However, the reasons behind London’s use go deeper, reflecting a scientific and philosophical issue: the hereditary correlation between humans and animals.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Conflict has been factoring in the human need for survival since the ancient times where protection lied solely from fire and bone. When one wanted to survive it meant becoming the beasts that they were hunting, and rising to the top of the food chain. The problem with conflict in the modern world is that humans are more intellectual and are given the opportunity to make smarter choices. Yet the world consistently reverts back to the primitive ways of survival that were once necessary. When school boys of twelve or less years of age become stranded on an island they are well-mannered, intelligent, and above all civilized.…

    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In this paper three short stories will be analyzed and compared, The Man Who Was Almost a Man by Richard Wright (1961) from the short story collection Short Fiction: An Anthology by Mark Levene and Rosemary Sullivan (2015), Ranch Girl by Maile Meloy (n.d., 2013), and Boys and Girls by Alice Munro (n.d., 1968). Although, these short stories have few similarities and many differences, the focus will be on the themes portrayed by the authors and the effects they have on the three young protagonists. Richard Wright’s The Man Who Was Almost a Man (2015/1961) is about a boy by the name of Dave.…

    • 1165 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “Greasy Lake” T. Coraghessan Boyle tells a story of a late night with three boys. The narrator, Digby, and Jeff headed out to Greasy Lake after a long night of going in and out of every bar in town. The narrator, who remains nameless, tells the story. The narration of this story gives the reader a certain insight to the story. In Boyle’s “Greasy Lake”, the first person narration provides insight for the reader to experience things as the narrator does.…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imagery is a valuable tool used by authors to paint pictures in the heads of the readers with their words. Toni Morrison goes into great lengths in Beloved portraying nature in a manner such that readers perceive themselves as part of the scenery. As her nature imagery develops the mood of the novel, her animal imagery captures the key themes: the wretchedness of the slave system, the ethical dilemma of Sethe’s killing of Beloved, and the innocence and tractability of Beloved. For the Sweet Home men, life as a slave was not terrible.…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays