“Compared to her I am like a sandwich. I am completely inhuman and benign.”
In the the story “Models Assistant” by Alissa Nutting, she clearly paints a comparison between humanities struggle between medias unattainable perfection, and our own insecurities that lead to the addiction of our consistent validation through these ideals. In this regard, the main character beautifully personifies our insecure society, where as Garla serves as the foil to the protagonist by way of contrasting her in almost every regard. She serves as an archetype of the beautiful, model-esk celebrity and becomes the embodiment of the unattainable perfection most humans crave.
The story begins with the protagonist introducing Garla, explaining she’s from somewhere “Swedishy” and that Garla avoids any and all conversations that divulge into her personal life. Later in the text we find that although Garla has an opportunity to be an incredibly dynamic character, it is proven through an interaction between the main character and the model, that Nutting clearly wants to keep her fairly flat. “”I know you’re more,” my drunken eyes say. They say this in a breathy hesitant manner that insists it has taken them a lot of time to work up the courage to say such a thing, without words nonetheless. “Yes” answer Garla’s eyes, and like all of Garla’s answers it is a mysterious pearl whose value I immediately begin to appraise….”Some type of sausage” Garla says…” (33-5). Instead of a meaningful response, Garla merely reverts to her basic phrases and mean absolutely nothing.
Soon after meeting her, the protagonist is brought to many parties, fashion shows, and really allowed a taste in the glamour that is Garla’s life. Everywhere they go Garla is met up with flashing lights from cameras, and crowds of people drawn to her. Though the model is clearly using the main character as a sort of assistant, the protagonist was using Garla for the small sliver of significance she felt when she was with her. Nutting leads the reader slowly through the transition into addiction, by small remarks the protagonist says about herself, and her future with Garla. For example she says “Since that night my life has changed in a myriad of ways. I am still no one, unless I am with Garla, then I become with Garla, a new and exciting identity that makes nearly anything possible, except being a model myself. And excepting being someone when I am not with Garla” (18).
The balance tilts dramatically as the protagonist’s needs grow, as she desperately wants more, and almost forcibly offers to be her assistant by quitting her job. Garla doesn’t respond to the offer though, and doesn’t return her calls in the week following either. The protagonist goes crazy with worry, and finally comes face to face with the terrible fact that she has become dependent on her model friend, where as Garla feels no dependency. Through hunger strikes and butchering her hair, the protagonist is left with no job and no future in sight. Her only identity has been morphed into what she felt fit best with Garla, and now what was left was a hole in her chest of self pity. Once Garla finally called her back inviting the main character to a party, which just so happen to be where they first met, the protagonist felt betrayed, and angry, knowing full well that Garla never truly needed her. After comparing her drunken pity party to a full bedpan (61) the protagonist drives home in a taxi, frantically looking for her “Garla” phone, and stating ” With a panic I check my purse to make sure I still have it: the Garla-phone, the jewel. The cursed treasure that brought distress alongside fortune. Glistening in my lap it looked too beautiful to be trusted….I have the urge to leave the phone behind for someone else to find and answer. But I won’t. Instead I’ll go home for her to call me and turn me into something special for however long she wants, and this time I won’t forget to be grateful”.
Nutting does a wonderful job creating a personable, and dynamic character. The protagonist in this story is meant to represent all of modern day society that is constantly influenced by the limelight of celebrities, actors, artists, and the like. We consistently seek validation of our own identities based on these unattainable biases that media portrays as normalcy. I have seen this in myself as I watch the kardashians lives on television, I see this when I read a fashion magazine, I am as affected by this as most living in the 21st century. And like the main character, though I realize it affects me negatively, by creating an addictive dependency, I will always come back for more with a smile.
slubberinghoiden 