Through reading “Girlie Show” I encountered a wonderfully written story that addressed numerous societal concerns. Firstly, the mentions of domestic violence play a large role in this tale. From Pauline’s perspective we feel the weight of a loathsome marriage. Her husband, Wade, uses her as a model for his painting while telling her, “You’re not anything”. He makes her stand in heels on a stool, naked, in a freezing house for hours on end. When asking her about a lunch she had he, “In one clean move, he backhands her, a crack like a ball bat” then, “The next day, there are carnations.” This represents a common theme in abusive relationships. A violent act is committed, hurtful words are said, and to manipulate her to stay he ices the bruise with flowers. As if to remind her how sweet he is and how much she loves him. The story also glances back at an early time in their relationship, when out of anger Wade pushed Pauline to the point of needing stitches from marital activities. I feel as though this story very accurately addresses the quiet, hidden side of domestic violence. Showing how this behavior has been accepted and normalized. Through the story this theme continues until Pauline discovers Wade has been a regular at a Burlesque Club, which is finally her breaking point. Pauline sticks it to Wade by becoming what he seems to desire, a nude dancer on the stage. Very poetically Wade reacts with violence and though it has worked on his wife, it doesn’t work on the crowd of men. Wade is beaten up, over powered, and left behind just as he has done to his wife. Which I found to be a very satisfying end to an excellent story.