Loneliness and Alienation

Several of the stories in this collection examine the pain caused by personal loneliness and alienation, specifically highlighting the feelings of disconnection between characters. For example, in “The Moon,” Val must ultimately reckon with the isolation and stagnation of his own life. He has a casual sexual relationship with Martina Boran, who is about ten years his junior. Although Val seems to take a posture of nonchalance regarding the relationship, his disappointment after her abrupt departure is implicit. Val sends Martina a text message in which he says, among other things, that “he was looking forward to seeing her the next time she made it back from the moon” (44). This wording refers to the fact that, although she is only going to another county for college, they essentially occupy separate worlds. Meanwhile, Val confronts the seeming smallness of his own world.

“Stand Your Skin...