Baby Scream

BABY SCREAM

The constant use of similar events while progressing to the different conclusions of the story demonstrates in “The Babysitter” human’s lack of responsibility. The story initiates its narration by the arrival of the babysitter at 7:40 and continues by the successions of events as the evening progresses. The course of actions by the babysitter and the other characters are all, initially, unfamiliar to the reader but as the evening progresses, the events start to repeat themselves. Eventually, there comes a point in the story where all that changes in the various section of the story is the ending, which nonetheless is due to the death of the characters. For instance, Robert Coover (author) makes the reader aware at the beginning of the story of the “sounds of a baby screaming” (Coover 334). This description of the child’s behavior becomes constant after she regret telling Jimmy to brush his teeth for “she hears the baby stir in its crib” (346). The stirring goes on to turn into a cry and finally into a “scream” (349). “The baby screams at the top of its lung” (350) thereafter and is only silenced after she “shakes” (351) or drowns him in the tub. So much was the annoyance of such an innocent child that she decides to ignore him and treats him harshly when attending the same. No longer is the babysitter doing her job but becomes agitated at the occasion and atmosphere surrounding her. Her indetermination to continue the struggle leads not only to her death but the death of everyone. The answer lies on taking responsibility for ones actions and confronting the problem with courage and perseverance. Only then will these obstacles stop harming us and instead, contribute to the strengthening of the self.