Greasy Lake Essay

Greasy Lake

“Greasy Lake” by T. Coraghessan Boyle is a story about a 19 year old young boy, the narrator, who learns that his bad boy image is just an image. Describing himself and his friends, Digby and Jeff, as “dangerous characters” (Boyle 77), he soon realizes that he may not be ready for such a title. Out with his friends one summer night, the narrator, Digby and Jeff head to Greasy Lake in hopes of getting into some type of “adventure” (Boyle 78). Thinking that they have spotted their friends car on Greasy Lake they attempt to play a joke on him and his girl. Once the young boys approach the car they soon realize that the car belongs to some other “bad greasy character” (Boyle 78). The narrator finds himself in trouble, picking up a tire iron and hitting the “bad greasy character” (Boyle 78) in the head, knocking him out. In the heat of the moment, the boys all attempt to rape the girl that jumps out of the greasy character’s car. Just as they are about to commit the act, headlights shine on the boys scaring them off. The narrator jumps into the Greasy Lake in an effort to hide. After realizing what the boys have done, the greasy character, who wakes, and the new arrivals completely wreck the narrator’s car and leave Greasy Lake. The narrator contemplates his

Although the narrator considers himself a “bad character” (Boyle 79) he quickly realizes that he is “in a lot of trouble” (Boyle 78). After the narrator hits the “bad character” (Boyle 79) with a tire iron, more angry characters arrive at Greasy Lake, causing the narrator and his friends to separate and hide. The young boys did not feel safe to come out of hiding in the presence of the angry characters. That is, until the morning after the greasy character and the others have completely destroyed his mother’s