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.