Peeking into the Dark

Aidan Saiz

Loss can affect us all in many ways, we can become lost and unable to process the concept at times, or we can try and ignore loss entirely. I have experienced loss and every time it was different, but it always hurt. However, “The Dark” takes a fascinating approach when it comes to loss through its main character Doug. Doug encapsulates this empty shell of a man, who is trying to experience new things without ever truly growing from his past experiences. As stated, before I have experienced what grief can do to a person, however, Doug reminds me of my father and his own experiences as well as myself.

Before we continue to summarize, I want to discuss the approach I will use for this piece. Mart explains, “Reader-response theory is based on the assumption that a literary work takes place in the mutual relationship between the reader and the text” (p.1). Essentially this means that we are focusing on the reader’s experience of a work, rather than the work itself, and deviating from authorial intent. This is important to understand before we move forward as I get a few things from this text coming from my own experiences. It is important to look at your own experiences and own interpretation of a text as Mart states “It is crucial that learners are directed to perform more adequately in response to texts and actively engage in dialogues to pose literal and inferential questions” (p.1).

“The Dark” is a short story that follows an older man named Doug. Doug has lost his wife Ellie and is trying to get back into the love field. Doug is a bit conflicted about how to move forward with his life in general since his wife’s passing and has barely gone on his first date since her passing in forty years. This first date does not even go well, and we learn he was breaking one of the rules his wife cautioned him. We experience one more date, and Doug finds himself with the person his wife loathed Marcie. As expected, this date does not end with a happy ending either however Doug finds a positive outlook on experience.

Looking at Doug as a person was a complex task, especially when looking at his dynamic with his deceased wife Ellie. While we see that Doug cares for Ellie, we are shown that Doug never really understood her. For example, when we see Ellie explain why she hates Marcie, Doug completely misses the point of the story with Ellie saying, “Let it … go?” She stared at him like weevils were crawling out of his eye sockets. “Sometimes I don’t think you’re human.” (Walter, p. 8). Doug again however does miss and show love for his wife throughout the story even stating “The counselor didn’t even smile. This made Doug miss his wife even more; she would’ve loved that joke” (Walter, p. 3). However again it comes off as complex, missing how Ellie would laugh at his joke rather than missing her as a person. From what we see from Doug he comes off as a fundamentally flawed person.

Doug continues this behavior throughout his dates as well especially when it comes to the one with Marcie. Doug goes to the bathroom to think to himself about what he is doing with Marcie as his wife hates her. Doug takes so long and as he returns Marice leaves crying saying she isn’t ready, and promptly leaves dinner, Doug then takes the time to find some upside to the situation and thinks of Ellie again and takes in the moments he can feel her presence. Again, Doug comes off more complex than we first think and we can see how much his wife’s death still affects him even years later. Doug reminds me of a few family members but my dad in a way, especially in the ways they refuse to move on emotionally and are rather content with the moments of joy they can experience. My father experienced divorce and the loss of his mother at the same time, and he became very absent mentally. My dad still has not moved on with another person as far as I know, and he is a little better now but still refuses to move on. There is even a point in the story that is short but extremely important as it points this out “I wake up every day feeling like I’ve been left behind,” Doug tells his son after the blond disaster. “Like I’ve missed a train or something. Like there’s been a huge mistake.” “You’re letting yourself feel that way,” Aaron says” (Walter, p. 4). This is what reminds me of what my dad experienced lately, like Doug my dad lets himself feel that way.

I want to circle back around to loss and grief as it got me thinking more about my own experiences with it and not just my father’s. While I feel distant from Doug, I also find myself somewhat in his shoes and relating to a few of his experiences and feelings. While not in the same way, I feel I have allowed myself to remain stagnant at times and refuse to move forward in meaningful ways as well and I have seen firsthand what that can do to a person after seeing my father’s own experiences. Doug represents that shell I feel we all at times put on ourselves inside and out.

“The Dark” presents us with complex thoughts and emotions through a character that at his core is flawed yet a person we can find understanding in. It also shows us how complex it is to deal with loss and the ability to move forward, I have seen this with my father and within myself at times. The real “dark” here is the box we trap ourselves in and without acknowledgment we will fall further and further into the dark, so it is important not just for me but for all of us to look at ourselves and make sure we aren’t.

Work Cited

Mart, Cagri Tugrul. “Reader-Response Theory and Literature Discussions: A Springboard for
Exploring Literary Texts.” New Educational Review, vol. 56, Apr. 2019, pp. 78–87.
EBSCOhost, doi:10.15804/tner.19.56.2.06.

Walter, Jess. “The Dark.” Ploughshares, vol. 49, no. 2, Summer 2023, pp. 160–69. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.cwi.idm.oclc.org/10.1353/plo.2023.a902375