The Night Blake Lost All Power

The Night Blake Lost His Power

In the beginning of “The-Five-Forty-Eight” John Cheever leaves readers pondering about the mysterious woman Blake sights in the lobby. Does Blake know her? Are or were they in love? Why does Blake not want to confront the mystery woman? After the first three paragraphs are questions are answered. It is revealed that Blake does know the woman he spotted in the lobby. They had worked together and ended up having a short affair six months ago. After the affair ended Blake had her fired and cut off all communication. The woman was out for revenge and was able to bring Blake to his knees helpless to save his life.

It was obvious from the start Blake wanted to avoid the woman he had spotted. Soon after noticing her, Blake dashed out of the lobby and walked expeditiously towards Madison Avenue where he thought he would be able to lose her in his trail. It was raining and Blake tried to listen for the woman’s footsteps so he could tell whether she was following him or not. Momentarily, Blake spotted a reflection of her standing only a foot or two behind him. Instead of confronting his ex-lover he continued to flee. He wondered if she was meaning to kill him. He became panicked. He felt if he reached Madison Avenue he would be able to escape her and he would be safe for no one would harm someone in a crowd. Blake was mistaken. The pain he had made her feel was too strong for her to give up. She was determined to demean him as he did her.

After having the women fired, whose name we learn to be Miss Dent, it seemed as though Blake felt no compassion for her. He could not even remember her name just that he had spent a night with her and then had her fired by his secretary. It was as if he felt he never would see her again so why should he be bothered with her issues. And as it turned out she did have issues that needed to be dealt with. The woman had said she had been “terribly sick” and the hospital was never able to find a cure for her. Through the short story I wondered if her sickness was a mental illness. The way she spoke of Blake and referred to him as her husband in a letter she wrote to him made me question if she was truly disturbed. Soon I felt my assumption to be true.

When Miss Dent first was able to get contact with Blake it did not seem as though she was out to hurt him. She was crying and did not make threatening comments. But shortly she became demoniac. She forced Blake into the subway and threatened, “Don’t move or I’ll kill you.” (33) In a state of fear Blake did not dare to utter a word for help and followed her commands. He understood the woman he had betrayed meant business and would not leave him alone until it was finished. While on the train Miss Dent told Blake, “Even if I did have to kill you, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to me except put me back in the hospital, so you see I’m not afraid.” (43)

Miss Dent revealed that she had been scheming revenge on Blake for weeks and Blake would not be able to escape what she has in store for him. She had brought a pistol with her to ensure that. Once they reached her desired stop she brought Blake to a poor lighted site and had him put his face in the dirt while she yelled at him in a forceful manner while still holding the pistol. Blake was crying. His life could end at any moment. There was no telling what Miss Dent could do. She was in full control of his destiny and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Once Miss Dent realized this, she knew she had accomplished want she wanted to do. She made Blake feel the same oppression that he had left her feeling. As she walked away from Blake with a sense of power and new found freedom, Blake rose from the dirt and without even trying to clean himself off, he walked home.

In class many people thought that Blake would not change his ways. That he would continue to take advantage of vulnerable women and would feel no remorse for his actions. I feel that Miss Dent scared the daylights out of Blake. She stalked him in a way so sly he did not know whether to confront her or run. Once she had him under her power he was too scared and unable to escape. In the dirt Blake lay weeping, vulnerable and helpless. In triumph Miss Dent walked away. Blake arose in shock and walked away emotionless. This left me feeling that he was so frightened by this experience that he would never want to treat another woman with such disrespect again, let alone have an another affair. I feel that Blake will never put himself in any compromising situation whether it involved men or women or business or pleasure. Blake was shaken to the core the night Miss Dent took away any means of power he had and nothing will erase the fear he felt.

(897 Words)