Analyse af Emma Clearys novelle 'Lightbox'

Distance and balance are two factors that play a role in a good connection, and you can quickly fall head over heels for someone and be consumed by an obsession. When navigating relationships, whether romantic, friendly, or something else, there are moments when you feel a deep connection with the other person and other times when you feel distant, like strangers. But what happens when you become obsessed with someone, like an addiction? How do you cope with the feeling of the need to watch the person all the time? In Emma Cleary’s short story “Lightbox” from 2015, we follow the first-person narrator, who struggles with his feelings toward Elsie. As the narrator observes Elsie in her everyday life, he becomes more and more obsessed with her, noticing even the smallest details of her actions and interactions. Moments of jealousy reveal his growing obsession. The story isn't just about a man getting feelings for a stranger but rather about the disturbing and emotional distance that grows as the narrator silently stalks Elsie, unaware of how his feelings are escalating.

The narrator is an anonymous first-person narrator. We see the entire story through his eyes, and although he seems sincere and honest, it’s clear that he has a distorted perception of the relationship between him and Elsie. He is extremely observant and insightful, and he describes her in many details, such as “She is sitting at a small table in the grocery store cafe, in front of a huge display of pumpkins” (ll. 3-4) and “I realize the dress wasn’t black but a deep purple” (ll.137-138). He has his inner monologue and thoughts, which make him someone we trust, but at the same time, the first-person narrator functions as one who has secrets from us, consequently limiting our knowledge of the truth. It is evident that he is jealous of Elsie’s colleague (ll. 35-36) “He likes nearly everything Elsie posts online,” but in some way, he also wants to have control over the situation because he doesn’t. However, he never confronts the situation directly. We are very caught up in his head and feelings. There is no dialogue, and this has the effect of making the story highly illustrative, with a lot remaining unspoken, but the unspoken things are still very meaningful. The narrative technique of the story makes the reader feel very identified with the first-person narrator. This leads the reader to question what is truly happening, as much of the reality is filtered through his problems. The structure of the story adds a mood of loneliness, which is also expressed at the end of the story when everything comes to light, behind the lines. This sense of revelation is shown by foreshadowing elements that hint at the issues “I flick through the stations as she dances, until I find something that matches her movements: ‘Happy Together’ is playing. (ll.66-67) and ‘’I want to tell her about my day, but she clears her plate and disappears into the bathroom.” (ll.72-73). The plot twist at the end shifts the reader’s understanding of the events and characters. These techniques create a weird narrator where much is offered but not directly said.