Impulse

5 Pages 1214 Words

A Life of Self-Deception
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive!” Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832), Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17. In the short story, Impulse, Conrad Aiken illustrates the main character, Michael Lowes, as an irresponsible person that lies, steals, and is nothing short of a procrastinator. Aiken uses the other characters of his story to enhance the persona of Michael. And above all, Michael has become infected with self-deception by making himself believe that he is still a “good man” and “fate” is against him. Michael Lowes becomes a victim of his own guise when he is suddenly hit by the reality of his actions.
The depth of Michael’s character starts with a cocky man engrossed in the mirror, wondering whether or not he should tell his wife, Dora, about staying out all night to play cards with his friends. He knows his wife will be unhappy because he should be home after work to do the paper work and pay the bills like any other responsible family man would. But instead of talking to her about the evening, he decides to slip out the door “pretending that he thought it was later than it really was” (p2). On his way to work he tells himself, “Let the bills wait, damn them!” (p2). He reassures himself that any normal man needs a rest from everything and he just couldn’t do everything at once. Michael doesn’t even like his friends, Hurwitz, Bryant, and Smith, calling them “cheap fellows”(p1) and “mere acquaintances”(p1). He uses them for the alcohol and says they are “good enough for a little escape”(p1). The reader would think that a man in Michael’s position would do the responsible thing and stay home, take care of the bills and spend time with his children. But instead he decides to take advantage of his friends and ignore the responsibilities of marriage and reality. Aiken has already
shown the reader that Michael is nothing but full of ...