“Midnight, Licorice, Shadow” In the short story “Midnight, Licorice, Shadow,” Beth Hagenston’s protagonist, Donna, struggles to find her identity in society; her inability to conform procures her the same fate as the cat she adores. The audience is initially given details of Donna’s background as a serial killer when she feels indifference towards harming the people she interacts with. In the flashbacks, the audience is told that Donna has stolen numerous cars just because “there didn’t seem a good reason not to.” In addition, Donna compares Mrs. Jarvis’s home to that of her grandmother’s home, remarking that Mrs. Jarvis’s home has an empty tub without an old lady with “her eyes closed under the red water.” This conjures up an inference that Donna may have killed her own grandmother; the casualty in which she narrates this grim scene is reflective of her inability…show more content… In a way, Donna and the unnamed cat are both Jeremy’s possessions because he determines the fate of both of them. As the story progresses, Donna cannot find a name for the cat; when three days pass, Jeremy chokes the cat to death. This is not a surprise; the cat is never given a real name throughout the whole story indicating that he is simply Mrs. Jarvis’ leftovers. Because the story is not told in the cat’s perspective, being in the hands of an unsafe criminal just by chance is enough reason to die. Moreover, Donna’s unalarmed reaction when Jeremy squeezes her neck to show her his affection on page 229 foreshadows that he is a dangerous force to reckon with. In the end, characters that cannot conform to society's standards or in this case, find an identity, are killed off. After the cat’s death, Donna again, begins researching for a new name; as a result, Jeremy comes forward “badly” wanting the name Linda to fit her, but it does not, and he supposedly kills
