Literary Analysis

                                                                                              Lisa Baker-Sampson
                                                                                                              ENG 111
                                                                                                                 5/30/09
                                            Jane and her “stinking” life
    In T. Coraghessan Boyle’s short story “Descent of Man” a man lived with a woman, Jane, who was an absolute horror to live with.  She had anywhere from fruit in her hair to a stink so unbelievable,  he would rather smell urine.  She works at a Primal Center where they train chimpanzees.  The story ends with the man and Jane growing apart quickly as a chimpanzee named  Konrad seems to be taking his place.  The man ends up walking in on Jane with her nude body on the laboratory  table and Konrad in a pair of BVD underwear.  This story has absolutely no relevance in my life.  However, others may be able to relate.
    Knowing that Jane’s work was becoming an “addiction” to her lifestyle and not contributing in any beneficial way to, not only  her health, but others around her as well, was an “Occupational Hazard” as Boyle calls it.  He goes on to mention the “bits of fruit” in her hair that she carelessly tosses about at home at the end of every work day.  Her roommate claims to have to take Doriden, a sleeping aide, to sleep each night due to the thoughts and visions of Jane eating lice from her body as he continues to smell the hot days stinch of dirt, sweat, rotted fruit, and chimpanzees. 
    On a strange  yet convincing whim, Jane is a likeable character despite her unhealthy an strange behaviors.  As the story goes on, we meet a Dr. U-Hwak-lo and his wife.  They both are
doctors at the Primate Center where Jane works.  They seem to think highly of Jane, never mind the treacherous odor and habits Jane has.  The janitor speaks with the roommate about Jane as if they were the best of friends.  All the man could think about when he looked at Jane was  “Where’s the girl who changed wigs three or four times a day and sported nails like a Chinese Emperor?-and where was the girl who dressed like an Arabian bazaar and smelled like the trade winds?”  Jane didn’t seem to miss that girl at all.  Her comment to her roommate was “And I wish you’d stop insisting on baths every night-I’m getting tired of smelling like a coupon in a
detergent box.” then had the nerve to say it was “unnatural and unhealthy.” Needless to say,Jane leaves her roommate for Konrad, the chimpanzee who wears clothes, uses urinals, and seems to be replacing  him,  and  is later seen nude with in the lab and the theory of evolution, to me, is still in the works.