The Accident: A Short Story

Abstract

In The Accident, the protagonist embarks on a journey of mental and emotional self-discovery. In Michael’s opinion, his own apathy provokes his 'fall from grace,' and he redeems himself by learning to rely on action rather than imagination to steer him out of various crises. However, his interpretation is problematic because it oversimplifies events and neglects to consider the fact that his actions cause these crises in the first place. What Michael sees as a string of events charting his journey from selfishness to thoughtfulness is presented to the reader as several miniature episodes that mimic the greater narrative arc of the story; these episodes follow Michael through the stages of passivity, violent interruption, internal moral debate, decision to take action, and the fulfillment of that decision. As a result, the overarching story is forged in the struggle between the protagonist’s desire to simplify and the narrative’s proclivity to skew.