21st Century Fiction 2024

  Sydney Prenkert Blog Post 10-22 In Tess Gunty’s novel, The Rabbit Hutch, rabbits are mentioned on sixty-eight different occasions, not including Todd’s drawings. While Gunty mentions several other types of small animals, rabbits clearly hold the most importance. One might think that the use of rabbits is meant to play along with the title of the novel, but readers know that “The Rabbit Hutch” is really an old nickname for La Lapinière Affordable Housing Complex in Vacca Vale, an apartment complex where many of the novel’s characters reside. At a first glance, there does not seem to be a clear trend in Gunty’s use of rabbits. Yet somehow, they end up being in nearly every chapter. If Gunty wanted the readers to pick up on the symbolism of the rabbits, she was not trying to make it easy. At the very beginning of the novel, Gunty describes Blandine as she exits her body: “She is every cottontail rabbit grazing on the vegetation of her supposedly dying city” (Gunty 4). A chapter late...

The reconstruction of self is one of the main themes explored in Tess Gunty's novel The Rabbit Hutch. The concept of reshaping one's identity is illustrated through the character of Blandine, the protagonist, who is seen reconstructing her identity as a direct result of her trauma and the systemic pressures that have been placed upon her by the society. Tiffany (later Blandine) is initially showcased to be a smart girl who excelled in high-school, but dropped out, after facing a toxic secret relationship with her music teacher. The reason behind her decision to drop out is influenced by the society's response to finding out about her relationship. She is unfairly blamed for the relationship while her teacher, Mr.Yager, was barely held accountable despite being the main culprit. They blamed Blandine (Tiffany) for being sexually involved with a married man while James faced no consequences. As a response to this experience, Tiffany decided to take up the name "B...

  Although Vacca Vale is based on a real town in Indiana, many aspects of the setting feel dystopian and run-down. Left desecrated by an abandoned manufacturing company, Vacca Vale serves as commentary about environmental decay in a larger context. The most obvious example of this is the literal decay that came from the downfall of Zorn, when they declared bankruptcy and became “nothing at all” (166). Afterward, it was discovered that a Zorn plant had “leaked thousands of gallons of benzene” into schools, homes, and other buildings in Vacca Vale (167). This environmental injustice is tragic, but not uncommon. In this instance, Vacca Vale is a reflection of the Love Canal. This small town in Niagara Falls was the site of an abandoned canal that then became a dumping ground for chemical waste from a plastics manufacturer that then shut down. Following the event, the chemicals leaked into residents’ basements and into schools, harming anyone exposed. While this is one specific example...

Mystics and Outcomes           Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch includes characters such as Blandine, who seek and eventually experience a form of mysticism. While she appears to have achieved her goal, she is, in effect, much different from the past mystics whom she admires. The difference is in how she becomes happy despite having similar methods.           Blandine’s fight against her town’s revitalization plan and development of Chastity Valley is a point Gunty emphasizes. Jack argues that she wants “everyone to hate the valley plan” and that the plan will “help [the] economy and make jobs” (Gunty 215). Her defiance seems impractical, and the book leaves her reasoning to speculation. If things went her way, the town might be worse off. Looking at it from the mystic perspective, her struggle is similar to that of the past saint who endured torture and died by a dagger. Blandine fights for Chastity Valley for the sake of th...

The novel The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty follows a cohort of people from a melancholy town, Vacca Vale, Indiana. The novel follows Moses Robert Blitz, the son of a starlight actress. Moses shows us that even if you are a victim of your circumstances, you can continue to make poor decisions that are contradictory to your beliefs, and we see that throughout the book with Blandine, a mystic-obsessed girl, as well. Moses’ life has been peppered by his mother's abuse, and he swears to be better than her. Moses' contradictory lifestyle does more harm than good. He preaches support and giving help because of the abuse he received from his mother, but he is quick to dismiss and ignore people that ask for his help, as seen with “Mr. Boddy” (Gunty 260-261). He believes that if you do not think like him or act like him, then you simply do not understand what he has been through. Moses preaches goodness and even refers to himself as “Dr. Malachi" on his blog. His use of the blog is fo...

In Tess Gunty’s novel The Rabbit Hutch , the Blandine criticizes Vacca Vale for its corruption and failures yet has no desire to leave. This leads readers to question why Blandine wants to stay in a town that has continuously failed her and left her orphaned. This argument is brought to life in the novel when Jack asks,” [i]f you hate what's going on here so much? Why don’t you move someplace else?” (Gunty, 216) to which Blandine responds “I am never, ever leaving Vacca Vale,” (217). The author uses this argument to force readers into wondering why Blandine feels so strongly about staying. It is clear throughout the novel that Blandine is a extremely smart and well-read individual who enjoys reading Mystic books that focus on tragedy. I think that from this knowledge we can develop the idea that Blandine doesn’t feel trapped into staying but feels responsible for staying to make a change. We see this idea take form through her love for Mystic Women’s resilience and stubbornness. ...

How does Gunty use the character of Blandine in The Rabbit Hutch to explore themes of freedom and entrapment, particularly through her spiritual journey and interactions with her environment? In The Rabbit Hutch , Tess Gunty skillfully uses Blandine’s character to delve into the complex interplay between freedom and entrapment, both physically and mentally. Blandine’s experience in the crumbling town of Vacca Vale reflects a deeper sense of stagnation that seems to pervade every corner of her life. Her apartment in the Rabbit Hutch complex is a physical representation of her mental state—claustrophobic, decaying, and limiting. Gunty captures this when she writes, “The walls seem to close in on her, each crack a reminder of what’s broken and cannot be fixed” (pg. 112). The dilapidated surroundings of the Rabbit Hutch serve as a constant reminder of Blandine’s feeling of entrapment, as though she’s stuck in a place that’s beyond repair, mirroring her emotional state. One of the most sign...

       Although Joan is not the main character of this book, she goes through character development that is significant to the plotline. At the beginning of the book, Joan is a lonely woman described eating a jar of maraschino cherries. She usually eats these cherries before bed, which is one of the only simple pleasures Joan has at the time. This changes throughout the book when after Bladine gets stabbed, Joan reflects on the event:  “Is Joan some kind of defector of the Sisterhood if she doesn’t investigate? It’s late. She’s exhausted and afraid. She looks at the jar of maraschino cherries waiting on her nightstand. She hasn’t eaten one yet. The cherries were supposed to be delightful, but now they’re just accouterments to phonic misery” (Gunty 365). Joan deciding not to eat the cherries shows how her life is becoming too complex for her to be able to enjoy the things she once did. She used to be content being a passive character who doesn't interact with the...

     Tess Gunty's novel, The Rabbit Hutch, focuses primarily on a group of young people living the titular run-down apartment building in a fictional Indiana town of Vaca Vale. This group is comprised of one girl, Blandine, and three boys, Jack, Malik, and Todd. As the novel progresses, the boys become attracted to the idea of violently sacrificing animals in a ritualistic manner, inspired by the approval one instance gets from Blandine. Gunty uses the violent actions of the boys to demonstrate how toxic masculinity can be reinforced through trying to uphold superiority towards other men and how it can be socially pressured upon other men to propagate.       The animal sacrifices in the apartment begin first with Jack. He's challenged by Malik when he asks "Would you kill for her?" (Gunty 64). Challenged by this, he begins with a fish, that he takes out of a puddle of water. He describes it as "The fish sort of flailed once or twice, but then died...

    Tess Gunty's The Rabbit Hutch shares the story of the many inhabitants of an apartment complex located in Vacca Vale, Indiana, but mainly recounts the story of Blandine through her journey to exiting her body. Throughout the novel, Blandine is determined to fight against plans to develop and revitalize her hometown, Vacca Vale, specifically Chastity Valley, a nature-oriented part of town. So, why does Blandine hold such a firm conviction in trying to keep Chastity Valley as it is?       One plausible reason for Blandine's feelings towards Chastity Valley and having it remain untouched is that the valley seems to provide Blandine with personal comfort. Throughout the entirety of the novel, Blandine faces many difficult situations, such as having an exploitative relationship with her teacher, being abandoned by her parents, and being left to fend for herself by the age of 17; the valley seems to be representative of a place that is special and unique...

  Tess Gunty speaks of “entrapment” when she discusses  The Rabbit Hutch ? In what senses are characters in Gunty’s novel entrapped? Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch follows Blandine and others through an entire week in Vacca Vale Indiana before her attack.   Throughout the novel, the theme of entrapment is heavily apparent in all characters, especially Blandine.   I believe she is entrapped within the town physically, of her own free will, and her mind entraps her to the town and those inside it. Blandine constantly speaks out about her distaste of the urbanization project of Vacca Vale and thinks it’s not the proper way to save her city, saying “I will never, ever leave Vacca Vale … we’re the only ones who can save it” (Gunty 217 & 219).   Her declaration of devotion to Vacca Vale shows how she stays within the decrepit town by choice, and she aims to save it; however, she doesn’t put any plans into action to actually do something about it.   Others ...

The Rabbit Hutch , by Tess Gunty, follows a young group of individuals living in an imaginary town in Indiana called Vaca Vale. The group is made up of three boys, Jack, Malik, and Todd, and one girl, Blandine. Gunty demonstrates a theme of entrapment in her narrative by depicting these characters whose lives are influenced by various physical and psychological limitations. The novel is set in a deteriorating apartment complex, also called The Rabbit Hutch in the fictional town of Vacca Vale, Indiana. The setting itself symbolizes a kind of physical confinement for the residents, who are trapped in a declining, forgotten place (Gunty 40). This physical environment mirrors the characters’ inability to escape their stagnant lives or achieve upward mobility. The complex also fosters a feeling of isolation. The close proximity of the residents contrasts with the emotional distance they experience from one another, enhancing the sense of loneliness and imprisonment. The physical walls of Th...

One concept that Tess Gunty raises for discussion in her novel The Rabbit Hutch is the idea of reality; more specifically, the ways in which certain characters in the novel perceive themselves as present in society and how feeling chosen by others affects their feelings of realness. One character that experiences conflict in this area is Tiffany/Blandine. Before the changing of her name and throughout her relationship with teacher, James Yager, she comments on feeling “unreal”, or less present in her life than those around her. In this way, she exists as a fantasy character in her own world, possibly because she has been neglected by the foster care system and abandoned by previous family members. Tiffany’s loneliness and isolation becomes more evident once she gains a relationship- one with her teacher, whom she feels most seen and chosen by because of his manipulation of power over her. In comparing herself to Yager’s wife upon their meeting, she describes how Meg “is here, in three ...

Tess Gunty’s The Rabbit Hutch takes us into the messy, often painful lives of the residents of a run-down apartment complex in Vacca Vale, Indiana. The building itself feels like a character, its crumbling walls and heavy atmosphere reflecting the emotional weight that its inhabitants carry. At the center is Blandine Watkins, a young woman who's searching for something deeper in life, a feeling that many of us can understand. One of the strongest themes in the book is isolation. The residents live close together, sharing the same space, yet they seem worlds apart. Gunty shows how disconnection creeps into everyday life. The Rabbit Hutch feels claustrophobic, a place where time stands still, and people are stuck, going through the motions. It’s not just the building that’s falling apart, but the lives of the people inside it too. Blandine stands out because she refuses to accept this as her reality. She’s searching for something more, something real and meaningful. She’s fascinated ...

Charles Yu utilizes inventive formatting and a conversational tone to immerse his readers in the confines of racial stereotypes in his contemporary novel Interior Chinatown . By using the template of a screenplay, Yu illustrates the feeling of being typecast in one’s own life. Through tropes commonly seen in daytime TV series like cop shows, kung fu movies, and other popular media, he is able to depict the novel’s main character, Willis, as feeling like there are finite possibilities for him as an Asian man in America. The screenplay format becomes confusing at certain points, perhaps intentionally, since it seems that the “show” is of Willis’ own invention. In the final act of the novel, Turner, a character labeled “Black” in the metaphorical cop show “Black and White” that is perpetually being filmed in Interior Chinatown, points out Willis has “internalized a sense of inferiority. To White people, obviously. But also to Black people” (224). Turner’s quote effectively encapsulates th...

 In Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu tackles the theme of racism through a satirical lens, giving readers a window into how Asian Americans are subject to systemic and cultural racism. Structured as a screenplay for a cop show on TV, the novel follows Willis Wu, who plays Generic Asian Man. “In the world of Black and [w]hite, everyone starts out as Generic Asian Man. Everyone who looks like you, anyway. Unless you’re a woman. ...” (Yu 24) A central motif in the novel is the idea that Asian Americans are consistently relegated to certain stereotypical roles both in media and society and struggle to break free from them.  It is important to note that in the late '90s and early 2000s, racism against Chinese in America was rooted in longstanding political, economic and cultural tensions. This influenced how Chinese and broader Asian representation was portrayed in American TV shows and movies.  The movies have typecasted Asians in roles such as Martial Arts or Kung Fu Guy as ca...

            Interior Chinatown is an inventive and unique novel that uses a creative approach to discuss topics of racism, identity and racial stereotypes. Yu structures the novel as a screenplay. This structure alludes to the theme of racism and stereotypes that is seen throughout the novel. The structure mirrors the experiences of Asian Americans that Yu is writing about. Being written like a script, Interior Chinatown touches on the idea of performance and how that relates to Asian American experiences and identity. As Yu mentions, Asian Americans often feel the pressure of fitting into a certain “role” to meet expectations and sticking with that role. In describing the different roles of Asian Americans, like “Kung Fu Guy”. Yu furthers his point of society's preemptive ideas of what Asian Americans should be and what their limits are. Having the character hierarchy for Willis Wu being stereotypes or caricatures with no individual identity or name, ...

  The American Dream in a Box The American Dream symbolizes the chance to redefine one’s life, moving beyond the past circumstances and seizing opportunities based on individual interests and talents. This dream has drawn countless immigrants to America, offering the hope of a better life for themselves and their families. However, the American Dream, despite being so convincing, is often constrained by rigid, predefined roles for people of different backgrounds. Willis’s ultimate dream of becoming the "Kung Fu Guy" showcases how deeply ingrained these limiting beliefs are in the minds of Asian Americans, holding them back from dreaming bigger. “You’re here, supposedly, in a new land full of opportunity, but somehow have gotten trapped in a pretend version of the old country.” Throughout "Interior Chinatown , Charles Yu uses a screenplay format that blends the realities of Asians in America with the roles they are often confined to, by showcasing the characters in their...

  In Interior Chinatown , Charles Yu writes a powerful tale on the nature of racial identity, focusing on how Asian Americans, particularly the protagonist Willis Wu, are reduced to stereotypes both on and off the screen. What stands out most in the novel is how deeply ingrained and inescapable these stereotypes are. One of the most striking moments is when Willis reflects on his desire to become “Kung Fu Guy,” which, while seemingly a step up in the hierarchical world he inhabits, is still a narrow and limiting role. "In America," he laments, "everyone is the star of their own story. But not all stories are created equal." The entire novel feels like a critique of how media representations bleed into real life, dictating the ways people are seen and the opportunities available to them. I found this to be particularly illuminating because it shows how even when someone “succeeds” by societal standards, as Willis dreams of doing, they may still be trapped in a system...

               Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown critiques how American society imposes confined roles on individuals based on race, culture, and societal expectations. The novel follows Willis Wu, an Asian American actor who aspires to be “Kung Fu Guy”(Yu 12), the pinnacle of success in his world. However, even when Willis achieves this role, he finds that the respect he thought he would gain is empty. He realizes that how he’s seen is based on his ability to conform to a stereotype and not on his true self. As Willis reflects, “You don’t get to be more than what you are. You’re Generic Asian Man"(Yu 25). This speaks to how society’s respect is conditional, based on conformity to roles rather than personal merit. This feeling of entrapment reveals the greater theme of the novel: society pushes us into pre-structured boxes, and even when we succeed within these roles, the rewards feel shallow.            ...