ben aley Blog 1

I find the relationship dynamic between Lenny and Eunice infinitely fascinating. Both of them are, to some extent, "damaged goods", albeit for different reasons. Lenny is a man who finds himself too old for the society that he lives in, as he is incapable with technology and prefers reading books to the incessant media streams of the apparats. He also has a recurring attraction to girls who have a past of violence and hurt, and feels that is it his job to be their caretaker. This is what draws him to Eunice. Eunice grew up in a traditional first-generation immigrant Korean household with a father who often got drunk and abused her. This expresses itself in her attitude of indifference and anger towards those who show her affection. However, underneath this cold exterior is a girl who wants to be loved unconditionally, and secretly wants to be able to return love without worrying about being hurt. This is why her and Lenny's unlikely relationship continues. The act of Eunice lashing out only makes Lenny feel more responsible for making her feel loved, instead of driving him away like it might do to a self-confident and self-loving person. An example of this is when Eunice tells Lenny that she is leaving and goes on a tirade of cold fury because Lennys expresses interest in meeting her parents. Lenny literally gets down on his knees and begs her to stay. She calls him pathetic, but she stays, allowing her hope for love win out over her anger. I am interested to see if this toxic, yet symbiotic, relationship works out or if it crashes and burns.