For The Unbearable Short Story Analysis

In the complex lives that are lived by everyday people, where working class adults and children are asked to forget their worries and trobules and carry on to their responsibilities everyday, there is a stress that builds up that can tear some people down. It is for this very reason that every rational person has his or her coping mechanisms, or ways of dealing with this stress. Every person has a way that they like to cope with their stress, whether they are aware of it or not. Some mechanisms, however, are more effective than others. One coping mechanism that exits in many people is the reminiscing of their old memories to remember the happier times. Although this method may be effective, it can also have unintended side effects. If one is
In the collection of short stories For the Relief of the Unbearable by Nathan Englander, the main character in the short story “The Wig”, Ruchama, has trouble dealing with her stresses and does not have a healthy way to deal with these stresses. The story begins with a vivid description of the artistic brilliance that Ruchama is claimed to posses in the making of wigs. The story, at this point in the introductory paragraph, makes sure to note that Ruchama had “quite a figure herself as a girl.” Ruchama is described as being beautiful and having her fair share of womanly assets. But right here and then the story jumps back into reality, her current situation. Ruchama is a hair stylist, using high quality imported hairs to make high end wigs for her
It is here that the concept of a memory of her childhood beauty is first introduced audibly. Nava comments that “I saw your oldest [child] … A real beauty and such a rail. She reminds me of you when you were that age. You were striking, striking as a girl (Englander 127)” Although a comment like this may not seem surprising, being that Ruchama is the mother of six, the reactions are indicative of an unhealthy mental state. When Nava, in the same sitting, compliments Ruchama’s best friend and right hand woman, Tzippy, saying that she never seems to age and leaves “the rest of us ragged old women [to] have to hide behind our daughter’s good looks” (Englander 127). Ruchama immediately, but silently, reacts negatively. Her best friend being complimented is said to her hurt like a “dandeloion’s worth of barbed spores.” (Englander 127). The fact that Ruchama is bothered about her appearance and how she has taken care of herself, since she has put on weight since her glory days, is not the troubling aspect. It is the fact that when her best friend gets complimented she feels an emotional pain, indicating contempt for her friend Tzippy, indicating that the fact that she is no longer a beautiful woman that is lusted after may be a disproportionately large problem for Ruchama. She even goes as far as to try to define a reason for