The Only Meaning of Oil-Wet Water

The narrator of the story “The Only Meaning of Oil-Wet Water” by Dave Eggers illustrates how people force themselves onto other people and/or things when it is easier to just simply surrender. Throughout the story the contradictions of force vs. surrender reveal how you have to let go sometimes. An obsessive forced relationship compared to a healthy relationship. Trying to fit in opposed to accepting yourself and your capabilities. Wants and desires in contrast to needs and necessities. Letting things go with flow rather than forcing them upon yourself and others. Most human beings who like to seek dominance and force over others do so, in order to feel superior or even more likely to cover up their insecurities. But surrendering can also be positive. There is wisdom in accepting the contradictions and allowing them to overcome you.

In “The Only Meaning of Oil-Wet Water” the narrator strongly states that “this story is not about Pilar and Hand falling in love”, but the story is indeed a love story (31). Pilar ”knew when she hung up the phone with Hand five weeks prior, that she would sleep with him in Alta”(30). Pilar only thought of a having a relationship as merely just having sex and she does not know what a meaningful relationship is; she will never know until she finds herself and what she truly wants in life. When the time finally comes Pilar unhesitatingly “ lay[s] on top of him, placed her ear to his sternum…[their] ankles entwined and saying such things as “I want to ride [his] back and ride [him] like a mule”(41)(34). Clearly, the story has a lot to do with making love and forcing the relationship to go how she wants instead of letting it go its own pace. In the end, Pilar realizes surrendering to a relationship and gi...

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...iate God more and respect His authority. She finally gives in to what life is and takes it for what it is.

We always says things such as “why isn’t this enough for me to be happy? or “shouldn’t I live my life to the fullest with no regrets”? But we always take things and the people for granted. We don’t realize or acknowledge the importance of being grateful and reflect on who we are as human beings. We control some people and force them to do what we want without realizing that sometimes what we want is not what we need and that it is not that important to our lives. We sometimes have to let go and accept things for what they are and people for who they are. What right do we have to force or change people? None! Life is all about learning and experiencing new things and letting go of the past, the mistakes, the unwanted memories, and embracing a new beginning.