The Curse

The irony revealed in the stories "The Curse" and "The Lesson" has to do with one wishing to be in the shoes of others and the other wishing to have never been in the shoes of a total stranger. Andre Dubus and Toni Cade Bambara, the writers of these two fictional pieces of writing both have two characters that undergo experiences and/or lifestyles that create difficulties in their normal lives. Both Mitchell Hayes and Sylvia are conflicting between reality of what they want and the inevitability of change that positions them in the societies in which they live.

Primarily, it is ironic how people may sometimes fill the shoes of a total stranger and experience being in the same position as that of another person. Andre Dubus strongly stresses the element of irony to demonstrate how Mitchell Hayes becomes a "victim" of rape without actually having been raped. By "victim," it is expressed that ironically the agonizing torture that the young girl was "physically" experiencing, Mitchell was feeling simultaneously while being unharmed. Mitchell becomes strongly affected in numerous ways as mentioned, "Hayes' inaction, due to his physical inability, wounds his sense of manhood." (Miner 397). Dubus later emphasizes that this experience was like a curse to Mitchell Hayes because he felt like it was himself in the shoes of the actual victim. "The curse moved into his back and spread down and up his spine, into his stomach and legs and arms and shoulders until he quivered with it" (479). This quote illustrates that down to each part of his body, he felt the pain. He experienced the grief. This experience was the climax in Mitchell Hayes' life seeing as how things were never to be the same again. He is now tortured and miserable, wishing he hadn't been the one to be in the victim's shoes.

Although, ironically Mitchell was unharmed physically, mentally and emotionally he was indeed a victim, who will need rehabilitation. This accident is something that he has to overcome. He may wish to have never experienced this, but what happened cannot be erased. Support from his family may have felt comforting, but it still isn't enough. He will also need psychological help to overcome such an experience. At most, he was psychologically affected because this happened right before his eyes. He hadn't read about it on the newspaper or seen it on the news; unfortunately he was in the shoes of the actual victim throughout the entire agonizing experience. He was attacked, as was she. Due to that, ironically enough, he was thought to be a survivor of something horrible when physically he was unharmed. "Many of them even appeared sympathetic, making him feel for moments that he was a survivor of something horrible." (478).

Mitchell Hayes changes from this experience, which he wished he never had. Throughout the story, Mitchell undergoes different personalities. First, he is a good workingman, then he becomes a tormented victim, and before he ever becomes himself again, he is disgusted with the outcome of what this every other night actually turned out to be. "This reading sympathizes with Mitchell Hayes as he struggles with the gap he perceives between "does nothing" and "can do nothing"; and it asks us to reassess those cultural codes that insist that for a man to be a man, he must act -no matter what the cost." (Miner 403). Mitchell believes he did very little to prevent this attack from happening. And what's worse is that ironically without having his hands tied, there was nothing that he could have done to prevent this from taking place. Seeing as his first attempt failed, in that situation and in those circumstances, he acted to the best of his ability. "It seems that God or fate is manipulating events so as to inspire false hopes." (Miner 402). Having to deal with the outcome of this experience Mitchell regrets his actions and altogether being the "one" who has to deal with such a problem. He feels the irony in making the call to the police a little too late. "I called the cops. When they left. (478). "The guys are in jail." (478). Seeing as how Mitchell is regretful of this experience as a whole. Furthermore, many times thinking why he was the unfortunate one to fill the shoes of the total stranger, and how it has affected him entirely.

In addition, it is ironic how people may sometimes wish to fill the shoes of a total stranger and hope to have their advantages as it may appear to their eyes. Toni Cade Bambara strongly stresses the element of irony to demonstrate how Sylvia becomes someone who refuses to accept her social/economic class and level in society and hopes to be in the shoes of those who appear to have a "higher status." By "higher status" it is expressed those who appear to have the wealthy fur clothing, the