Introduction to “Greasy Lake”
“Greasy Lake” by Boyle is a story about rebels in society specifically when teenagers find freedom and intend to exploit it, behaving naturally as stated “it was nature” in the story (Boyle 01). The time is not good as the narrator states in the opening of the story that there “was a time when courtesy” is not the style of speaking, and the narrator along with his similar friends Digby and Jeff try to become “dangerous characters” but it boomerangs and they get the taste of their being bad (02). This proves that others could be bad too at the same time. The story “Greasy Lake” sums up their actions of how they start committing mistakes of their bad behavior but are paid back in the same coin.
Bragging of the Narrator
The narrator of the story “Greasy Lake” first brags about their bad behavior saying “we wore torn-up leather” and leading a bohemian lifestyle, drinking and taking drugs (03). Similar to their clothing and behavior, some others are also looking for enjoyment in which they bang and find out something else. They are going to the lake, the Greasy Lake, which is a good hangout for characters like them. However, Boyle has described the lake exactly like these three characters who are out to show their bad behavior and the lake is bad too as it “was fetid and murky” (04). He uses military jargon such as “There was a single ravaged island” which shows how it has faced destruction from other characters like them (05).
Greasy Characters
In the story, “Greasy Lake” when they go there, they come across another car where according to the narrator a “greasy character” has been hanging out with his “fox” with whom they pick up a brawl (02). The narrator of “Greasy Lake”, during the scuffle, loses keys, and all three of them face severe thrashing though they succeed in overpowering the “greasy character” the fox also comes out screaming which terrifies them (04). The narrator is aware that they are committing mistakes. In fact, their intended target is not what they imagine. Hence, they have to pay back. The narrator has to use a “tire iron” to overpower the “greasy character.” Soon they all, in disheveled shape, took to their heels and he enters the lake where a dead boy blocks his way out. The people after them smash their car and throw trash in it and soon they also realize their bad behavior and leave. When they come back, they find the car drivable and try to leave but two girls spot them who offer them free sex, but they refuse. They have faced the consequences of their actions – a moment of epiphany that shows them that there could be others like them at the spot they are going and this exactly happens to them.
Setting and Order
The setting, chronological order in which the story, “Greasy Lake”, takes place, vocabulary, and brisk flow also match the situation and behavior of the character. Exactly like its setting and plotting, every sentence of “Greasy Lake” oozes dirtiness and badness.
Works Cited
Boyle, T. Coraghessan. Greasy Lake and Other Stories. Penguin, 1986.
Relevant Questions about “Greasy Lake” by T. C. Boyle
- How does the physical filth and decay of Greasy Lake mirror the moral decay and recklessness of the story’s main characters? What are some specific examples that highlight this connection?
- What role does the lake itself play in symbolizing the characters’ descent into filth and darkness? How does the lake transform from a seemingly appealing location to a symbol of their moral deterioration?
- In “Greasy Lake,” the characters engage in destructive and immoral behavior, such as violence and drug use. How does the story depict the consequences of their actions, and what message does T. C. Boyle convey about the price of rebellion and hedonism?
