Response paper

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Contemporary American Literature 21:352:211:62

Response Paper #1

Prof. Yemini

29 January 2020

“Old Jane nodded and shuffled the papers in her hand. ‘I have all the records here,’ she said.

‘Although a girl named Martha Alexander applied for admission to the Phillips Educational

Camp for Girls Twelve to Sixteen, her application was put into the file marked ‘possibly

undesirable’ and there is no record of her ever having come to the camp. Although her name has

been entered upon various class lists, she is not noted as having participated personally in any

activity; she has not, so far as we know, used any of her dining room tickets or her privileges

with regard to laundry and bus services, not to mention country dancing. She has not used the

golf course nor the tennis courts, nor has she taken out any riding horses. She has never, to our

knowledge, and our records are fairly complete, sir, attended any local church—’

‘She hasn’t taken advantage of the infirmary,’ said Will Scarlett, ‘or psychiatric services.’

‘You see?’ said the girl’s uncle to Chief Hook.

‘Nor,’ finished Old Jane quietly, ‘nor has she been vaccinated or tested for any vitamin

deficiency whatsoever’ ” (Jackson 16).

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Response to “The Missing Girl”

Shirley Jackson, author of “The Missing Girl,” creates a unique take on horror fiction by

focusing on a seemingly mundane affair, away from conventional horror, thus bringing to life a

sense of ubiquitous horror, where the reader can view horror as an uncertainty. Throughout the

short story, we are led astray but still given clues about what may have happened to Martha

Alexander. Though she may not even have existed, this sort of mystery and the ability for one to

be so inconspicuous builds a sense of dread within the reader, cementing a sense of

insignificance. Additionally, the most alarming notion from this short story is its ambiguity

towards Martha, as she is possibly never found.

I have selected the scene in which the main characters exhibit their negligence regarding

Martha’s attendance. Perhaps Jackson is satirizing officials and their incompetence, or most

likely, demonstrating that a person can get lost within the cog of life. Due to the different stresses

and obligations that people go through, faces become bland and what distinguishes us becomes a

lot harder to see. This thought in and of itself is frightening, similar to the concept of “The

Giver,” though I believe Jackson had a much more frightening idea in mind.

Interestingly, the possibility of Martha not being real is debunked; the camp records that

old Jane has indicate that Martha was at least admitted to the camp and signed up for classes. Yet

no one can place her. And while no one may remember Martha, there is now irrefutable proof

that she indeed was once at this camp. Jackson alludes to the horror of this short story as Martha

not even existing, but I believe the true horror is the ambiguity in regards to whether Martha is

even real. Additionally, I believe the jabs of negligence that Jackson attributes to Old Jane

correspond to the theory that Martha is real. Furthermore, her name being on different class lists

and the lack of vaccination records stood out to me most. My theory suggests that Martha

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disappeared a long time ago and her presence was just never noticed, which would explain her

lack of attendance and personal items. Jackson utilizes the unknown to frighten the reader, as we

ask and theorize what may have happened to Martha and if she was ever real. This scene is the

culmination of Martha’s mystery.