the babysitter

             In relation to "The Babysitter" by Robert Coover, the story illustrates the behaviors of the characters and the embodiment of their sub-consciousness. Coover has the structure of the story as fragments of interconnected events and images to illustrate an evening episode of a babysitter taking care of the children while a couple attends a cocktail party. The fragmented storyline becomes an experience itself for the unsuspecting reader, it is written on multi-levels that are simultaneously played out. It is the same storyline that included different endings such as, the babysitter being raped by her boyfriend, Jack and his manipulative companion Mark, the father carrying out his lustful pursuit of seducing his own children's babysitter, the baby drowning in the bath tub, and furthermore some peaceful endings. This structure of "The Babysitter" parallels the graphics exposed on the television while the babysitter struggles to watch them in the various scenes, she continues to switch between channels. The TV displays mainly programs of either a love story drama with the invalid wife, or a murder mystery. Unfortunately, the character can only view fragments of each show and keeps switching back and forth from one program to another, not able to follow the storyline; as such the reader does in "The Babysitter" story itself. The subjects of Coover's story are the needs of children, teens and adults, rape, sexual promiscuity, murder, obesity, masturbation, and voyeurism. However, Coover constantly through out the story attempts parallel the event's of "The Babysitter" with programs on TV, "A man married to an aging invalid wife, but in love with a younger girl." (Coover 36). This shows that TV, movies, or media is important factor in the story. In-fact as the babysitter watches a show on TV, Coover begins to describe what she is watching, "Down forbidden alleys. Into se...

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the babysitter. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 08:19, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/16905.html