Little Expressionless Animals Instant

I am thinking of the vole. Or perhaps it is a shrew. It is difficult to tell from a distance, and they do not like to be approached. They are the color of dried blood and wet earth. They move with a frantic, twitching precision, tunneling through the undergrowth, dissecting the world into safe and unsafe. But when they stop—truly stop—the theater of the wild drops away.

If they do not judge me, I do not need to perform for them. I do not need to be "happy" or "sad" for the benefit of the shrew. I can just be a breathing thing in a cold place. little expressionless animals

Little Expressionless Animals " is a short story by , originally published in The Paris Review in 1988 and later included as the opening piece in his first collection, Girl with Curious Hair . Plot Overview I am thinking of the vole

Julie’s romantic involvement with Faye Wattle, a production staffer. Their relationship is characterized by intense emotional distance and a desperate search for "real" connection. Key Themes and Symbols They are the color of dried blood and wet earth