Online Journal 7: Analysis of the Short Story ‘EyeCandy’

Maya is a middle aged woman who lived in the Philippines with two ore more children with his salary husband, Richie. The story starts off with her waiting for her husband to come to their dinner date from work, but he ends up coming later than expected. She got bored of waiting and got more aware of her surroundings. She became very self aware of how people perceived her in the restaurant, she viewed herself in the perceptive of the people around her, acting out unnecessary movements from ordering a much more sophisticated drink, to peeking under the glass as if performing for an audience.

She put her attention towards the other customers to pass the time as he waits for her husband. She spots various business men, waiters, she also put her attention to the architecture of the building. She liked the round wood tables and the overall organized feel the restaurant is giving. She has always liked things to be organized because as an accountant she must be organized to process her job. But then a seemingly loud cackle swayed her attention from the cupboards to a rich woman with white hair that she perceived to be a witch and her date that was a tapered, manly figure that she perceived as her prey. The “witch” made her very insecure about her own stature as a woman, and continue to eye her for the rest of the evening.

Maya was very jealous of the witch’s freedom from the shackles of marriage. She was free to date and obtain all the young boys she wanted, the thought of her stripping Andrei made her angry. She made her long for the times she and Richie had the time to be romantic and foolish but she says to herself there’s no need for stuff like those now that they feel secure of one another. Nevertheless she was also jaundiced of the woman’s dignified and rich lifestyle that she likes to think of herself from time to time that was easily terminated the moment she laid her eyes upon her.

The character was very well written, her actions and thoughts were influenced by midlife crisis. Nonetheless she was both afraid of growing old, but also wanted to act and become a distinguished woman herself.

The character is well aware that she is only getting older, she is stuck in reminiscing all the memories she had while she was younger thus making her hate the white haired woman.