Russell Banks’ “Sara Cole: A Type of Love Story” is a classic “when worlds collide” story, where a good-looking man who is financially successful dates a not-so-good-looking woman who isn’t doing too well financially. This doesn’t seem to be much of a love story to me, but more of a creation of an institution of two people satisfying each others needs, as the narrator basically says it all: “She walked out the door of Osgood's determined to make love to a man much prettier than any she had seen up close before, and I walked out determined to make love to a woman much homelier than any I had made love to before. We were, in a sense, equals.”
While some may argue that is what a romantic relationship is, and it may seem like one, but as I had stated, this does not seem to be a story about a romantic relationship. Ron and Sara are basically looking for each other, seeking each other to satisfy their needs and their desires that they had at the time. In terms of Marxism, it’s a demeaning story to their beliefs, as it Russell Banks portrays a member of the bourgeoisie and a member of the proletariat class coming together, when the latter should be rising up against the former instead of forming a relationship with them. However, upon closer inspection, this story might not be so demeaning after all.
It may be a progressive thought in terms of Marxism, but the idea that two people from different classes are coming together to form an institution to facilitate their separate needs and desires is basically a representation of a communist community where everyone works together for the accomplishment of their own goals. Ron and Sara were looking for something and one was able to deliver to the other, much like members of a community can provide to the other members and have them provide in exchange, much like a Marxist community.
1 comment:
I disagree with Mike's point that there is no romance in this tale of twisted hearts. With the very introduction of Sarah into Ron's life, he felt himself falling into her eyes. That is a clear indication of romance. He is fascinated by her, and buys her several drinks, showing obvious interest. I'll give you that the drinks and fascination could have been of the car-wreck-cant-look-away type, but his repeated meetings and eventual relationship were not. One does not have to feel physically attracted to someone to be romantically attracted to them. Oh, and he said he loved her at the end so there.
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