Birnam Wood Summary

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“Birnam Wood” by T. C. Boyle, is about a young man named Keith who learns a valuable life lesson. Keith is a part-time on-call substitute teacher who lives in a small, rundown “shack,” with his unemployed girlfriend, Nora. (156) After being evicted, Keith and Nora bicker as they struggle to find a new place to live. With the help of their friend Artie, Keith and Nora eventually secure a house-sitting opportunity at a mansion. Eventually, Nora obtains a part-time job at a local bar working as a hostess. One evening, while at the bar where Nora works, Keith has a deep conversation with another patron, Steve. When Steve eventually shows up unannounced at their place with a bottle of tequila to see Nora, Keith begins to realize that he might have said some things he didn’t mean. After Nora grudgingly allows Steve to stay, Keith is upset and leaves to go for a walk to clear his mind. In the end, Keith is left standing outside “peeping” into a window of a nearby home, watching a couple as they prepare for bed. This story reveals how conflicts in a relationship that go unresolved can lead to greater misunderstandings, and sometimes, loss can be what pushes us to grow and mature. …show more content…
This type of instability usually is a result of insufficient conflict resolution and often affects those who are young or immature. Rather than discussing the problems at hand with a significant other in a mature fashion, one might become extremely angry and say things that could be avoided. Maturity in a relationship takes time. Sometimes losing something you care deeply for pushes your desire to grow and improve. This was the case with Keith, a part-time substitute teacher who learned that he, “wanted to do something right for a change.” But in the end, he didn’t.
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