Essay Questions

Fear is central to the protagonist’s life in the novella Ever. Support this statement using illustrations from Blake Butler’s novella Ever.

Set in a post-apocalyptic and slightly eerie world in which the planet and the people are essentially being destroyed by a mysterious phenomenon called the “yawning,” fear plays a significant role in enhancing the security of the girl protagonist. After the death of the girl’s ill and religious mother, the girl lives in constant fear of invasions from intruders and even her neighbor. As a result of her fear, the girl becomes merged with the house becoming one entity. Fear can thus be regarded as central to her life as it plays a pivotal role in how her life turns out.

The theme of constrainment is brought out in the novel Ever. Show how Blake Butler achieves this in the novel.

This theme is very well brought out through the girl that does not seem to live the house that is central to the novel. Because of the girl’s apparent paranoia, she is of the idea that by going outside, she would contract the infectious disease. She is also apparently afraid of the dangers posed by the “yawning.” The hallucinogenic nature of the novella portrays the house as sought of merged with the girl’s body such that the two are permanently attached. Metaphorically, this representation plays the role of bringing out the idea of confinement, suffocation as well as loneliness. Even though the girl wishes to leave the house and escape, her fear and paranoia keep holding her back.