Living with Strangers Case

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Hustvedt isn’t a fan of this law as she makes it clear with this quote “To live in strict accordance to the Pretend Law all the time would be unbearably dull” (line 104-105 page 8). To support this she also has a story, this time it’s about her daughter Sophie.

Sophie is, like all other New Yorkers, following the “Pretend it isn’t happening law”. Every day she walks around with her Walkman in her ears she shuts out the outside world. This worked for her, until one day she had a very bad experience on the train. A white guy in his thirties was staring shamelessly on her and she felt very uncomfortable and when he finally left the car he knocked on the glass and told her he loved her. Nobody around her reacted at first and Sophie was very embarrassed, but then the man next to her said “It looks like you have an admirer” and Sophie felt relieved and as Hustvedt says it “With those few words, and at no cost to himself, he gave her what she needed - a feeling of ordinary human solidarity” (line 95-96 page 8).

In the essay genre you typically write about your own experiences which Hustvedt does throughout her entire essay. This also makes the essay more trustworthy which for us readers make it more relatable, by being a trustworthy author Hustvedt uses ethos since the reader has to trust that what she is saying is true. Another important part of the essay genre is to reflect which Hustvedt does when she compares Minnesota and New York, especially in New York. In an essay you often talk about different experiences which Hustvedt also does “my body pressed so tightly against them, I could smell their hair oils, perfumes, and sweat” (line 15-16 page 6). In an essay you also often describe the atmosphere of a situation, which Hustvedt also does “I could feel the cold, stiff resistance to his words among the passengers, but not a single one of us turned to look at him”.

It can be hard to move to a new city, it can take some time to get used to new places and new routines, but it’s important not to isolate yourself, and try to acknowledge each other’s existence, as you don’t know what a friendly comment at the right time might do to some people. “Most of the time, we insulate ourselves out of necessity, but every once in a while we break through to one another and discover unexpected depths of intelligence or heart or just plain sweetness” - “Living With Strangers”, line 107-109 page 8, Siri Hustvedt, The New York Times, 2002.