Benjamin Alire Sáenz's 'Obliterate The Night'

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The Literature Project Essay Josel Villaraza English Department, Lone Star College – Cy-Fair 1302: Composition & Rhetoric II Professor Thrift 14 April 2024 The Literature Project Essay In a world full of love and happiness, there will always be some people who have had traumatic experiences but continue to dream of finding their true love and eternal happiness. In “Obliterate the Night,” Benjamin Alire Sáenz explores these themes and makes essential teachings to help those who can relate to them. This short story explores the life of a woman named Olivia, who has just received a letter from her husband, Jonathan, wanting a divorce. As she reads the letter, she gets reminded of her past traumas and relationships, specifically with William, …show more content…

Even Jonathan, a man she married, never tried to read her, which is the root cause of why they did not work as a couple. She wants to be seen, for someone to understand her struggles and help her let go of her traumatic past. Sáenz’s use of repetition here teaches that people should never settle for a relationship if the other person does not try to know one’s true self. A relationship should be a mutual effort to constantly learn things about each other, help each other improve, and be happy. Instead of being with her and helping her get through her traumas, he adds, which makes the divorce and letting go of the past easier. While looking through her memories, Olivia also speaks about her past with William and their love story. William was a simple guy, but he made Olivia feel special and in love every day. However, William’s lack of plans made her decide to leave him and even abort their baby, whom she named Celina. After reading a heartbreaking entry in her journal, Olivia broke down. She remembered the pain of choosing between a happy relationship and the risk of financial hardship over her dreams

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