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N. K. JemisinA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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A security guard watches as a woman in gray dances in the elevator in front of the security camera. He goes home to his government issued house and wife and does all that is expected of him while simultaneously dreaming of the dancing woman. He watches the camera constantly now hoping to watch her dance again. She only dances if she is alone since dancing is illegal. The man worries about getting in trouble but still does not report her.
Finally, he can’t take his desire for her anymore and he tries to find her in the building, but he can’t. Occasionally, he sees her dancing in the elevator, but he cannot find her anywhere else. He thinks she is the “sound” of God (236). He gets “help” and is told she is only a “temptation” he is meant to ignore, but he will never stop wishing for her (237).
This story functions as a warning to remain skeptical of the government and its stake in individual well-being. While the government has selected a domicile and spouse for the security guard in this story, what has been chosen is not what truly makes him happy. In the end, he considers both home and job life to be a duty because both are controlled by the government—not by him.
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By N. K. Jemisin