"Audio Tour" by Patricia Marx

Note: This post was written by a student in the spring of 2019.

Whether a story transports a reader to a fantastical world, distills the essence of the real world into a mirror reflection, or conforms to whatever parallel realities lie between, stories have a unique ability to calm us, enrich us, and excite us.  These different avenues can be a source of much needed strength or catharsis. The story “Audio Tour” by Patricia Marx is a strong example of how stories can have therapeutic value. That value lies in “Audio Tour’s” relatability, sense of humor, and strong main character.

“Audio Tour” is, at its base, about the main character, Debby, and her internal struggle with a breakup. She faces off against feelings of betrayal and frustration while going through her ex’s apartment and finding small evidences of his daily treacheries. As she puts it after finding out that her ex hadn’t really gone skiing like he told her, “Once again, Todd Niesle proves himself to be a master at creating a scenario that elicits powerful emotions, such as hatred and disgust.” Those negative feelings are relatable to people who have gone through similar relationships and break ups. The relatability allows readers to feel like they have a companion who also acts as a source of empathy. The reader can see themselves reflected in this story and know that they aren’t alone in the feelings they are going through. This would help negate the loneliness and shock that often comes with such breakups like those involving dishonest partners.

Also, for someone going through such a rough time, the humor portrayed in “Audio Tour” could help lighten a reader’s mood. Even the format of the story is a quirky and humorous take on writing. Debby acts as though she is recording an audio tour for a museum, taking little jabs here and there at the other characters in the story. Debby walks through the house with a sarcastic air and dry commentary that gives every small detail its own unique and funny backstory. For instance, in this scene:

“See the Krups espresso maker? I, Debby, gave him that. It cost two hundred and forty-nine dollars, not including tax. You know what his gift to me, Debby, for my birthday was? A colander. You will observe that Todd Niesle's apartment has no gift shop. Correction: You are standing in the gift shop. Take the espresso maker.”

These little jokes, especially to someone who can relate to Debby’s situation, could help the reader allow themselves to laugh at their own situation. Debby is obviously not happy about what happened in her relationship; she’s frustrated. Readers that are coming out of similar relationships would often feel the same way, but Debby is able to keep her sense of humor and not take herself too seriously. This allows struggling readers to see that, while they are going through pain, it’s still possible to enjoy the little things, and it doesn’t invalidate their suffering to do so.

Debby does more than give the reader permission to laugh through a bad situation, however. She may not be a hero, but the way she deals with the breakup could be cathartic to people who aren’t able to release their frustration, by basically living vicariously through this strong character. Not everyone would go through their ex’s apartment when they aren’t there, go through their stuff, and take back items. She even pranks him a little bit, “…if you enjoyed yourself, call Todd Niesle and tell him so. His number is 212-399-4838 and he can be reached at 3 a.m. He likes pizza, ten pies at a time, and Rizzo's delivers.” These behaviors are decidedly destructive. However, by putting themselves in Debby’s mind and reading about her actions, it can feel to the reader that they’ve already done the things that Debby has already done. This helps eliminate the need to do it in real life but still allows them some relief through fiction.

Stories are excellent vessels of therapeutic value; the right story matched with the person who needs it can make a huge difference. “Audio Tour” is a good example of how a specific story can help people who relate to it, not only by virtue of its relatability, but also through alternate pathways like humor and the actions of a strong character.

"An Open Letter to the Like-Minded Mom at the McDonald's Playplace" by Sarah Satterlee

Note: This post was written by a student in the spring of 2019.

Sarah Satterlee’s short story “An Open Letter to the Like-Minded Mom at the McDonalds’ Play Place”, is a perfect example of bibliotherapy for anyone who is a parent and or works in the childcare field. “An Open Letter to the Like-Minded Mom at the McDonalds’ Play Place” is a humorous tale of an exhausted mother watching her child at a McDonalds’ play area who is ecstatic when she meets another mother to whom she can express the annoyances of parenthood. Satterlee’s short story captures the reader’s attention with its imitative stylistic choice of letter formatting,  entertains the reader with sarcastic and humorous descriptions of parenthood, and its cathartic nature evokes relatable reassurance that every parent craves from time to time.

The story starts off with “Dear Like-Minded Mom”; this rare imitative thank you letter format captures the reader’s attention by pretending that the story is actually a letter. Not only does this unique format capture the reader’s attention but it also makes the story even more relatable. I find Satterlee’s short story relatable on a personal level. As someone who works with children on a daily basis and nannies overnight I find myself relating to how the main character, Sarah, feels. I can easily put myself in Sarah’s shoes. There have been many situations where I have been thankful for even the smallest conversation with someone. I will find myself in line at Target not wanting to end my conversation with the cashier because I am so desperate for communication with someone over the age of five.

Satterlee’s story is full of sarcastic dry humor. She compares play areas and parenthood to hell. For example, “Most parents won’t even make eye contact as they yell for their children, tip milkshakes into their mouths, and force-feed them wilted, yellow fries. Finish them before you play, shouts the guilt-soaked parental chorus. It’s the one consistent rule we stick to here in hell”. I believe that most parents or childcare workers will find that the sarcastic humor of the story is relatable in and of itself. Sometimes parenthood is a love hate relationship, and this story captures that reality very well. Parenthood is not all playing catch outside, cuddling on the couch, and giggles; it is also full of tantrums, drawing on the walls, and poopy diapers. In this story the main character, Sarah, is thankful that she found a like-minded mother she can talk to and someone she can vent to which is essential, in my opinion, to surviving parenthood.

Satterlee’s story is relatable in many ways; however the most important way is in its relatable reassurance. Children are exhausting and you feel like you are the rope in a game of tug of war. The parent or care giver’s wants are pushed to the back burner and the needs of the child are at the forefront. For example, “I want to read and travel and explore have a career and be a good mother and never have to walk through the doors of this place where a plastic Ronald McDonald waves at me with his frightening-yet-enticing sodium smile. There has to be something more. You aren’t the only one who feels this way. I’m with you”. This story truly captures the wants, thoughts, and fears that I believe cross many parents’ minds when parenting is at its most challenging points. “An Open Letter to the Like-Minded Mom at the McDonalds’ Play Place”, is therapeutic in its relatable reassurance. This story can put a parent’s mind at ease by reminding them that they are not alone and parenting is exhausting. I believe that this story touches on the point that parents always wonder if they are doing it right, and this story has that relatable reassurance that parents need from time to time.  

In conclusion, Satterlee’s short story, “An Open Letter to the Like-Minded Mom at the McDonalds’ Play Place,” is bibliotherapy at its finest. This story is relatable and comforting to anyone who has children or cares for them.

"The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Note: This post was written by a student in the spring of 2019. 

               Hundreds of thousands of men and women undergo the struggles that follow after serving their country every day: anxiety, fear, and, worst of all, guilt. It seems almost unavoidable that the consequences of being active in war are either death or life-long trauma. If soldiers just so happen to make it out of war alive, they are haunted by the experiences they had, often with the idea that they are the only ones who endured the horrors. This isolation and sense of being alone takes a significant toll on those soldiers as well as their loved ones, which in turn leads to a need for professional help from therapists. It is common for therapy to utilize fictional stories for their therapeutic potential. The therapeutic potential of fiction writing is seen in its ability to help people come to terms with their issues, see themselves in a different light, or even realize a different way in which they can deal with struggles in life. “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a great example. It vividly shows readers the weight and fear active soldiers carried through war. Targeting an audience of former soldiers, this short story highlights the loss, dread, and hardships experienced in war, which potentially allows veterans to come to terms with their pasts in knowing that they are not alone.

Throughout the story, readers can both see and feel the wedge between relationships that is created while being away at war that many people today may struggle with. We see this most specifically when Martha writes to Lieutenant Cross, giving him a pebble. The short story says, “But he wondered what her truest feelings were, exactly, and what she meant by separate-but-together,” in her letter.   Many may suffer from broken relationships due to the effects of war on soldiers’ psyche or may even suffer from long lost love. This is seen in Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s love for Martha and his unrelenting daydreams about her that will probably never be fulfilled. I believe this aspect of the story would tug on the hearts of many who served and understand the loss felt in terms of relationships. Many people probably don’t want their relationships to suffer due to their experiences on duty, but they do. Often, built up fears and anxieties cause people to externalize their emotions and project them onto others in their lives. Instead of dealing with those emotions in a healthy manner, people like veterans may lash out or even put up walls in an attempt to cope. This story could aid as a call-to-action for former soldiers to not let what they have now in life fall apart, or to also accept the relationships that didn’t last due to war and heal from it.

The great depth of detail and hardship seen in “humping” through the wilderness—“…pocket knives, heat tabs, wrist watches, dog tags…”, “…seven ounces of premium dope…”, and “…a .45 caliber pistol that weighed 2.0 pound fully loaded…”—also may serve as a source of connection and comfort in former soldiers. O’Brien gets into specifics and lists anything from bombs to drugs to ease the anxieties of certain soldiers. If anyone knows this feeling, it would be the story’s targeted audience. Rereading something like this could possibly allow the veterans to relive that moment in their lives with an understanding that they aren’t alone. They weren’t the only ones struggling with the fear and not  being allowed to express it. They weren’t the only ones trudging along with anticipation of attack at any moment. This story could greatly provide them with a means of catharsis, or relief and release from their repressed emotions they may have never known they had.

What makes this story especially therapeutic is the death of a soldier due to Lieutenant Cross’s loss of focus. I feel like the Lieutenant’s experience would allow other people to connect with and acknowledge their guilt for friends and/or fellow soldiers they may have lost in war. It was Lieutenant’s flaw, his deep desire for Martha, that allowed him to put his guard down, and he suffered for it. “No more fantasies, he told himself.” He decided to “shut down the daydreams,” and his entire demeanor changed. Cross’s priorities changed especially, which was to put his men first and put everything else in his life to the side. This change experienced by the Lieutenant most likely has been experienced by all who have had the responsibility of other lives in their hands. Reading this may allow those former soldiers to come to grips with who they are now and the pain they suffered along the way. They would be able to identify with Lieutenant Cross and come to accept the experiences they had. These details and specifics, even the instance of the young dead boy in the ditch, would allow them to become even closer with the short story.

I feel as though the target audience will have great appreciation for Tim O’Brien’s ability to grasp the grotesque and cruel nature of war that they must carry with them for the rest of their lives.