Sorry for Disturbing You

Sorry for disturbing you

All human beings need some kind of close social relationship with another person to lead a happy and complete life. Several social studies have shown this. But these relationships need caring to last throughout life. The key to achieving true intimacy is communication and respect. But what if these things are missing? What if you make a mistake and every person you have ever held dear refuses to have any form of contact with you? In the short story “Sorry for disturbing you”, written by Richard Knight, the family father Ian lets Michael Phelps, whose family members have washed their hands of him, into his home, unaware of the fact that this man is going to have a huge impact on Ian’s view on both his marriage and life.

The story starts in media res, right as Ian is opening the door to find Michael standing on the doorstep. Right when Ian sees Michael standing outside the door he is annoyed because he thinks that Michael is nothing but a drunkard, “Drunk, Ian thought. Just my luck.” (l. 5) Still, Ian takes pity on Michael and invites him into the house. On his way in, Michael places a muddy and dark handprint on the clean wall next to the door. This can be seen as a symbol of the influence and effect Michael will have on Ian later in the story. Michael’s life is the blank wall, on which Michael leaves a mark on.

During the period where Michael is in the house, Ian has a very hard time communicating with him. He keeps asking him questions like, “Where do you live?” (l. 27) and “Are you ill” (l. 64), but Michael either does not answer or gives a very short reply. Because of the fact that the whole story is told by a third person limited narrator, we only get an insight view on Ian’s thoughts. This means that the portrait of Michael is made entirely on the base of Ian’s perception of him and especially how he appears in the dialogue. So when he does not talk a lot it makes it hard for the reader to fully understand him and his story....