They All Just Went Away by Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates is an American author who has published over forty books in her time as a writer. She, as described in her memoir, was born in New York. There, she would spend days exploring abandoned homes that had yet to be rebuilt or were taken away by nature. The way Oates write is almost haunting (best read listening to dark piano music, I find), and leaves the reader in almost a sense of wariness, waiting for the actual horror to start. Of course, it does come, just not in the way that the reader would expect. After discussing her adventures in abandoned houses, where once-valuable items scattered the floor and windows were smashed by vandals, she goes on to describe a family, the Weidels, who lived in a house just around the street from her. She foreshadows the darkness of the story with the fact that her father would not allow the Wiedel family to visit (not including the puppy that they had). Rumors had spread of all types of abuse within that house, only subtly hinted for our author, who was quite young at the time. Things got worse: There were bruises on Mrs. Wiedel, the family dog was shot by Mr. Wiedel, the children had occasional mental outbursts. It all built up until the house burned to a crisp by Mr. Wiedel. He was arrested, the family was split into foster homes, and they weren't heard of again. At least, not until Ruth, the eldest of the two daughters, and Oates reunited in High School. When Oates described her, she says "There was a tacit understanding that 'something had happened' to Ruth Weidel, and her teachers treated her guardedly," (Atwan 561). Despite this, Joyce was still curious about what was going on in Ruth's mind. After befriending her, she asks questions, one of the most prominent being why the family never returned to the home that could possibly be rebuilt, to which Ruth responds "They all just went away," (562). Even after being invited to see it once more, Ruth refuses, though she seems that she wants to. After pondering, I believe that I can see exactly why. It seems that Oates is trying to tell us that the reason houses are abandoned isn't simply because someone got up and left. If a house is abandoned, something seriously bad must have happened there. It is something that people refuse to recognize, refuse to touch, even if they were a part of it. Ruth going back to an old home would be like being forced to look back on memories that one never wanted to relive. Her lasts words are "I guess I better not," despite seeming to want to so badly. She wants to go and see her history, but who would want to look back and seeing where your life was breaking into tiny pieces? The essay, I find, is a wake up call; Every abandoned house we see has a cruel and dark history that can only be represented in the form of decay.

Hiding from Memory: Easier Said Than Done

Source: http://blueribbonproject.org/life-skills/relationships/22-relationships/165-domestic-violence-the-fact-behind-the-myths.html