Greasy Lake Essay

Greasy Lake Summary
What is "bad"? People associate abominable places with the word"bad" and enticing locations with
the word "good". If someone were to go to Disney World he or she would say it is a good place. But
if that same someone were to go to a run down cabin in the woods he or she would say it was a bad
place. The story "Greasy Lake" by T. Coraghessan Boyle takes place in Greasy Lake. The narrator
of the story describes the lake as "fetid and murky, the mud banks glittering with broken glass and
strewn with beer cans....". Just from this one sentence it is clear that the lake is a bad place. As the
story progresses T. Coraghessan Boyle uses the setting of Greasy Lake to first give hints about the
theme and then to reveal the theme in the end of story. To begin, the setting is introduced with "It
was 2:00 A.M; the bars were closing. There was nothing to do but take a bottle of lemon–flavored
gin up to...show more content...
The narrator gets into a fight with a "bad greasy character" after disturbing him and his girlfriend.
"The first lusty Rockette kick of his steel–toed boot caught me under the chin..." Later the narrator
and his friends try to rape the girlfriend. "We were on her like Bergman's deranged brothers– see no
evil, hear none, speak none–panting, wheezing, tearing at her clothes, grabbing for flesh. The
events that take place at Greasy Lake intensifies the theme of "bad" as the reader finds out that
being bad is no longer looking cool and defending oneself, a courageous and dignified attribute.
Now "bad" is preying on girls. Boyle uses the setting to show two of the three aspects of the theme
so far. First he plays around with "bad" and makes it look cool. "There was a time when chivalry
and winning ways went out of style, when it was good to be bad.." Then Boyle uses the events that
happen at the setting to suggest that being "bad" can get out of
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"Greasy Lake" and Its Many Historical References
"Greasy Lake" and its Many Historical References In T. Coraghessan Boyle's short story "Greasy
Lake," there are many subtle historical references. These references pertain to different events that
were happening during the time period that the story takes place, and help to describe different parts
of the plot. Casual readers may not even notice these interesting little bits of information, but upon
paying closer attention; they would become aware of the small, almost unnecessary references that
make this story so fascinating. T. C. Boyle uses many military and political terms from the Vietnam
War to describe events in the story. In "Greasy Lake," T.C. Boyle describes the mistake that
worsened the situation ten fold: The first...show more content...
Boyle also uses the term "air blitz" when he illustrates the scene of the early morning of Greasy
Lake in the aftermath of the fight. "I was circling the car, as dazed and bedraggled as the sole
survivor of an air blitz, when Digby and Jeff emerged from the trees behind me."(Gioia 150) A
blitz is "any swift, vigorous attack, barrage, or defeat...." ("Blitz") It is obvious why the narrator
would feel like he had just endured a blitz. He had just narrowly escaped a beating that could
possibly have killed him. Other terms used in the story are guerrilla and commando. Boyle used
these words when discussing the topic of crawling across the ground. "I inched forward, elbows
and knees, my belly pressed to the muck, thinking of guerrillas and commandos and The Naked
and the Dead" (149). T.C. Boyle also uses many references from literature, music, and movies that
were popular during the time the story takes place. In the beginning of the story, the narrator
explains how he and his friends are "dangerous characters" (144). He says "We were nineteen. We
were bad. We read Andre Gide and struck elaborate poses to show that we didn't give a shit about
anything. At night we went up to Greasy Lake" (144). Andre Gide was a "controversial French
writer whose novels...often show individuals in conflict with accepted morality" (144). "Gide's work
can be seen as an investigation of freedom and empowerment..." ("Andre Gide") It is interesting that
the characters in the story

Allusions In T. C. Boyle's Greasy Lake
Allusions at the Lake The story "Greasy Lake," by T.C. Boyle, is about a man recounting a tale
from his younger days. The man and his two friends, Jeff and Digby decide to go looking for
trouble, and take the narrator's mother's Bel Air up to the local hangout spot, Greasy Lake. They
see a car that believes is their friend Tony's and decide to harass Tony, but it happens to be not the
one which caused stranger greasy guy to fight the three. Originally losing, it takes the narrator
sneakily using a tire iron to beat the greasy guy. The girl gets out of the car, and when the
narrator, Jeff and Digby see her, they attempt to rape her. However, they are interrupted by an
approaching car, and in their guilt flee. The narrator flees into the lake where he comes across a
body. He waits in the lake however, while the men that arrived in the car damage his mother's Bel
Air. Eventually they leave though, and the young men come out of hiding after a long time of
waiting. They decide it's time to go after the dead body's friends had arrived. Boyle's central idea is
that young society does what they can to be seemed cool; however, in reality they...show more
content...
The author uses personifications, such as when the Chevy "winks" at them as they entered the dirt
lot. There are similes, such as how his heart was, "turning over like a dirt bike in the wrong gear."
Additionally the narrator uses countless allusions that appear throughout the entirety of the story.
Examples are his reference to the movie, "The Virgin Spring," the use of zeppelin as a comparison,
or the use of Toltec masks to show the unimpressed nature of the greasycharacter. There are many
more figures of speech throughout the story, but overall the use of the figures of speech help
develop the story and provide to the imagery of it. They help give the reader something to connect
the scenes to that they might more easily

Theme Of Greasy Lake
"Greasy Lake is a short story written by T.C Boyle. The short story mostly focuses on three
nineteen–year–old boys. The three of the boys went one night on a summer vacation in an area
close to a shiny and muddy lake. The teenagers were looking for trouble on a summer evening and
end of finding it. In the story at the author tells the reader, that it was a time when it was "good to
be bad." But the story shows that the three boys are truly lost. The story shows the reader the
changing of time in culture that these teenagers want to be a part of. Even though, they lack to
leave the comforts of their upper middle class lifestyle. The three teenagers wanted to go out one
night to go look for trouble. Digby, Jeff and the narrator all head out...show more content...
When the guys girl gets out of the car they attempt to rape her, that shows how weak they actually
are. Many times, in society young people think they have it all under control, they have it figured
out even though they don't. During these teen phases, they try to experience many things. such
as drugs, drinking, and sexual exploration and become involved in various mischievous activities.
It is about the coming of adulthood. It is no longer trying to be like them, but copying one. The
three friends are not as "bad" as they pretend to be. Boyle gives them an opportunity to rape, but
got interrupted because they wouldn't have done it anyways they were to scared. The author
symbolizes the water as transition and spirituality, the lake is symbolized as the elusive badness
the boys want so badly. The narrator notices that none of them are as bad as they try to act. After
that night the narrator realizes he cannot make it in that life, rather the narrator wants to go to the
safety and security of his home and parents. Throughout the story many bad decisions were being
made because they couldn't handle themselves whether they were drunk or sober and it caused a
lot of trouble and problems for these young men. We sometimes forget to make the right decision
and sometimes is hard to make the right decision when you are hanging out with the wrong people
and wrong set of minds of wanting to be "bad" or "revel" because other people are doing so. "Greasy

вЂњGreasy LakeвЂќ Essay
"Greasy Lake" by T. C. Bolyle narrated from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, told as a
reflective account of his youth. In the story, he recounts details of his experiences on a summer
evening with two friends. The reader experiences the misadventures of the protagonist that night
along as told from the viewpoint of the now mature narrators retrospective. Exposed in the story are
two character traits of the protagonist. Those traits are immaturity and rebellion, along with the trait
of introspection on the part of the narrator. Accordingly the protagonist's lack of maturity is shown
in a lack of concern for the consequences of his actions combined with his belief that a bad
reputation was all he needed .At the confrontation at...show more content...
The protagonist holds to his immature beliefs that by looking, acting and maintaining a false
faГ§ade as a "dangerous character" (Boyle,114) it would bestow on him an the badness he
desires. Additionally we see his rebelliousness, targeted at what he views as a life that is normal
and boring. He rebels by dressing in punk style clothes, paid for by his parents.he read's book's by
author such as AndrГ© Gide (Boyle, 115) who was noted for works that explored conflict and
rebellion. His behaviors and those of his friends are used to set themself's outside of society , to
be perceived as rebels .With their use of drugs ,drinking, cruising all night long and gliding off to
the hoped for glory of Greasy Lake.They strike a pose of teenage rebellion ,all paid for by their
parents. By being" expert in the social graces" (Boyle, 115) they are "slick and quick" (Boyle,
115) in an rebellious stand against what their parents want for them Thus the narrator of the story, as
an older and more mature man, tells the story as an introspective look back at his misadventures.
The protagonist begins to gain some insight into his possible future while in the "primordial ooze"
(Boyle, 119) of Greasy lake .After finding the floating body and dealing with the destruction of his
mothers battered station wagon he is mre reflective of the situation he is in. The narrator, looking
back at

Greasy Lake Theme Essay
Greasy Lake The primary theme of. Boyle's "Greasy Lake" is the journey that people take to their
own dark sides, although the propensity of males toward violence is also a theme. The story begins
with three men heading out for an adventure that soon goes wrong and ends up changing the
narrators personality by making a change of maturity towards the end .
Three young men are about to undergo a rite of maturity that will take them from innocence to
experience and from the last vestiges of childhood into the opening round of maturity. The unnamed
narrator and his friends Jeff and Digby are what would today be referred to as poseurs although what
they are really are merely young men struggling to find their identity in an increasingly confusing
...show more content...
None of the boys said they have, but the protagonist thought to himself that their friend was dead
and lying in the river. He was terrified of this, and he did not have the courage to tell them about
the dead body. Young people do not show fear when they think that they can handle a situation. This
can be caused by the fact that when they are together they think that they can do a lot with no harm
coming their way. This is made worse when they take alcohol and other substances that distort their
thinking and reasoning and increase their confidence. The narrator perceives that they were
dangerous characters meaning that they were to be feared and they were not afraid of anything.
The thought of him having killed a person and the possibility of facing the law scares him. The
little epiphany he has in the story is when he feels something soft and he is not sure what it is. This
makes him more scared and his fear is heightened when he realizes that it is another dead body. At
that time, he realizes the consequences if his actions. This story shows how a person can grow and
become mature overnight after realizing the consequences of his actions. The next morning gives the
three young men another chance to

Greasy Lake
Prompt #1
Characters do what they do because of their various motivations and desires. Often, their desires
conflict with their ethical or moral responsibilities. For example, personal belief, love, a thirst for
vengeance, a resolve to rectify a wrong, or some other ambition may cause a character to conflict
with a moral obligation. Write about a literary work in which a character's motivations/desire conflict
with his/her ethical responsibilities. Working thesis
Watch out who you hang out with because the others can lead you into trouble and down the wrong
path in life by using drugs and alcohol. Learn to make the right choices and choose your friends
carefully.
Boyle, T.C. (1985). Greasy Lake, Greasy Lake begins by...show more content...
Greasy Lake does not reveal any revelation in the characters. The story is told by a narrator that
describes himself as a privileged teen that considers himself friends with evil traits. The narrative
technique is deemed to be modernist. Greasy Lake is set in a small town with adolescents who
are in search of a good time. Boyle's writing style is face paced. He uses a lot of metaphors and
usually uses more than one metaphor. Boyle like's to establish mood and purpose by figurative
language and fluidity. Boyle was born in 1948 and was a Vietnam vet.
Boyle likes to write about the moral of a problem and has received national attention for this. Moral
blindness is often common in revelation stories. When the two women come up to the lake, the boys
do not tell them about the fate of their friend Al because they believe that silence is essential. Boyle's
fiction show's that the post– modernist fiction is capable of mastering the contemporary world.
Boyle's work illustrates the world as one without an ethical dimension.
Dziemianowicz, Stefan (January 2015) T. Coraghessan Boyle. Salem Press
Encyclopedia Of Literature
T. Coraghessan Boyle is about the author of "Greasy Lake" and his upbringing. He was born and
raised in Peekskill. He then moved to
Southern California to teach. Boyle got into a lot of trouble as a youth because of

Water in T. Coraghessan Boyle's Greasy Lake Water is a powerful medium for introspection. This
truth is evident in the short story, 'Greasy Lake,' by T. Coraghessan Boyle. In this story, water
serves as a catalyst for self–reflection, as it propels the protagonist into a certain degree of conflict,
and ultimately works to reveal and confront the character?s inner struggle. In 'Greasy Lake,' the
dualism of the characters' nature is ever–present. They are self–proclaimed bad guys who 'cultivated
decadence like a taste' (79). As the story progresses, however, it is revealed that just the opposite is
true. While they are essentially caricatures of themselves, it is this dynamic that drives the story.
Their tough exterior is just...show more content...
They drive until the ?street lights give way to the thin streaming illumination of the headlights?
of their car?until they lose civilization. Although Greasy Lake is described as ?fetid and murky,?
this is merely its physical representation. The protagonist and his buddies are unaware of the
clarifying effect the water will have upon their lives. The true power of the lake, overlooked by
the protagonist, lies in its long forgotten past. The narrator himself alludes to the lake?s early
history, recalling its previous name of ?Wakan, a reference to the clarity of its waters.? Once the
protagonist and his friends enter the realm of the lake, it indeed clarifies the obscurity of the these
boys? selves. On a more literal level, the narrator says he ?spilled? his keys, an action which he
credits as ?the one that opened the whole floodgate? which is this night. This idea is extended as the
narrator attempts to find his lost keys, ?peering vaguely into the night that puddled up round [his]
feet? (80–81). The metaphor of water in ?Greasy Lake? elicits the fluctuating nature of the universe
encompassed in the lake itself. The lake is seemingly a microcosm. It encompasses all of ?nature,?
and is responsible for both cause and natural resolution of conflcit. The narrator?s use of liquid
imagery describes that which he contends with, yet at the same time, that which will eventually
enlighten him. The protagonist?s journey to

Greasy Lake Research Paper
Greasy Lake, musty, fetid, and uneasy to one's eyes, still intriguing to explore. This lake was
mysterious, yet it was a clear invitation for these teens. It was the only place where one could go
and not worry about the real world, it was as if it was fantasy. As grimy and evil the lake was they
still felt an attracted to it because it was a mirror reflection of their lives. Digby and Jeff did not
know what they wanted to do with their lives, lost, young, and hopeless. In addition, these kids
wanted an adventure, wanted to stop thinking about school and real life. These kids wanted an
escape, yet in Greasy Lake they actually found how cruel the real world is. The nineteen–year–olds
felt like they did not care for a single thing and as they

Greasy Lake Essay
Greasy Lake Essay
In the short story Greasy Lake written by T.C. Boyle, the story is about three friends who believe
they are "bad". On a particular night they go out looking for trouble, and trouble is what they
find. The tone of this story is serious, dark, and very graphic. This story is full of literary devices.
Metaphors and similes come thick and fast on the shores of Greasy Lake, and Boyle never contents
himself with one when he can offer two or three. The comparisons for their abundance, are neither
aimless nor without purpose; they enable us to see the referent from strategic points of view. For this
essay I will analyze the unnamed narrator whom is the protagonist in the story. The story opens up
with the narrator describing...show more content...
The narrator references the history of Greasy Lake saying the Indians referred to it as Wakan
(clarity of the waters). But now the narrator describes the lake as fetid and murky, the mud banks
glittering with broken glass and strewn with beer cans and charred remains of bonfires, As the boys
pull up in there parents station wagon they notice a 57' Chevy and a Chopper leaned against its
kickstand. Digby misidentifies the Chevy as one of there friends cars and they start honking
their horns and beaming their bright headlights at the car in order to interrupt the mischievous act
Tony has going on, hopefully pumping his girlfriend. All three hop out the car. The driver gets
out and mistakenly loses the keys in the grass in the process, walking up to the car they notice
there is a difference in that 57' Chevy and that of their friends Tony's but its to late. The cars
owner, a real greasy character by the name of Bobby, is a man of action who is indeed looking for
a fight. He gets the best of all three friends until the narrator gets hold of a tire iron. The tire iron
brings a turn of events. The narrator hits the greasy character on the ear and believes he has killed
him. The girl gets out of the 57' Chevy,

Greasy Lake Summary
We often share large parts of our world view with our peers and our parents. That is because our
environment is a key factor in defining who we are, and in the case of younger people, who we
are to become. In the short story "Greasy Lake", the narrator goes through a life changing event
that begins to mold him into the person he will be. By using a mix of setting, allegory and
characterisation in "Greasy Lake," Tom Coraghessan Boyle brings forth the defining aspect of the
late teenage years in young adults and how those years play a major role in the development of
one's world view.
For a start, Boyle makes use of the time and setting of the short story to portray a violent atmosphere.
The short story is littered with aggressive connotations and military language, whether it is used to
illustrate the environment or the actions of the characters. Early on in the story, the protagonist
describes the island in the centre of greasy lake as "a single ravaged island a hundred yards from
shore, so stripped of vegetation it looked as if the air force had strafed it" (132). Ravaged hints at
the ever present aggression in the story whereas strafed and the air force refers to the militaristic
undertone. In addition to this, the main character also references to well–known military events:
"This was a tactical error, as damaging and irreversible in its way as Westmoreland's decision to dig
in at Khe Sanh" (133). Once again, the use of tactical marks the atmosphere as warlike. By

Greasy Lake Thesis
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY Serena Vasquez Professor Collins ENG 125: Introduction to
Literature July 18, 2016 Prompt # 1: "There was a time when courtesy and winning ways went out
of style when it was good to be bad when you cultivated decadence like a taste." Working Thesis:
"Back when it was good to be bad as a rebel without a cause, but scared to go looking for who you
are." Boyle, T.C (1985). Greasy Lake. Three nineteen–year–old men surround greasy Lake at the time
when it was good to be bad they are driving around trying to find an escape from their suburban
lifestyle, so they go to Greasy Lake where people drink, smoke and listen to rock and roll. Once they
get to the destination, they park behind a car who is believed to be

Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle
Nature has a powerful way of portraying good vs. bad, which parallels to the same concept
intertwined with human nature. In the story "Greasy Lake" by T. Coraghessan Boyle, the author
portrays this through the use of a lake by demonstrating its significance and relationship to the
characters. At one time, the Greasy Lake was something of beauty and cleanliness, but then came to
be the exact opposite. Through his writing, Boyle demonstrates how the setting can be a direct
reflection of the characters and the experiences they encounter.
The lake itself plays a major role throughout the story, as it mirrors the characters almost exactly.
For example, the lake is described as being "fetid and...show more content...
It is ironic that not only is the lake named Greasy Lake, but the individuals who hang out there are
also referred to as being greasy characters as well. The 3 main characters find themselves
surrounded by "dangerous" characters, and get stuck in the middle of a huge fight. As if things
aren't bad enough, the main characters then attempt to rape a girl that is with the man they just
fought. Very soon after more people show up ready to join in the deviant behavior, all while in the
presence of this dirty, disgusting lake. "I'd struck down one greasy character, and blundered into the
waterlogged carcass of a second" (128). No matter what the main characters do, or how they react to
the conflicts presented, they constantly find themselves in the presence of more greasy characters at
the greasy lake.
The author also makes a connection between the lake and the characters in his use of the word
"nature." Fairly early in the story Boyle explains that the characters go to the lake to "plunge into
the festering murk, drink beer, smoke pot, howl at the stars" which again shows us the connection
between the disgusting lake and the deviant teen boys. (125). Boyle then concludes the paragraph by
saying, "This was nature," which describes the attitudes and behaviors of the teenagers that go to the
lake (125). Yet towards

Greasy Lake Short Story
Summer break after a long year of tortuous academics, teachers, classes and the gleaming light of
the summer just an arm's length away. T. Coraghessan Boyle elaborates on the adventure of the
bad boy imagines. Although their deceptions of their characters will be challenged, you will
understand that they are snobby, unappreciative teenagers who want to be admired and realize that
life isn't easier because you are privileged.. Jeff, Didgy and the narrator are wannabe outlaws who
stay out late and cause carnage,everywhere they went. They went to all the bars and clubs within a
20 mile radius. One comparisons in the short story: "Digby pounded the dashboard and shouted
along the Toots & the Maytals lyrics" while Jeff, "hung his head out and vomited...show more
content...
They were looking for their friend on the motorcycle. As the woman asked the narrator, he could
not stop and think of the man he found in the lake. So why wasn't he the bad boy persona as they
were the night before? This is what they were looking for? The harsh realities of being adolescente
hit home. The immature state was confronted: there in front of all three of them, this was exactly
what they were looking for at Greasy Lake and they couldn't commit. The agony of defeat when you
realize that you are not the bad boy imagine, but just a child in a

Meaning Of Greasy Lake
Joshua Glidden
English 102 professor Langham
July 8, 2015
"Greasy lake" The title of Boyle's short story "Greasy Lake" before I start lets quickly get introduced
to the word "greasy" and how it is used during this short story. the word greasy is indicating that
the persons manners or behaviors are effusively polite in a way that is felt to be insincere and
repulsive. Also it is based off of Bruce Springsteen's song "Spirit in the Night." The lyrics "It's about
a mile down on the dark side of Route 88". The story focuses on three nineteen–year–old men living
in a time (probably the 1960's) the authors origin and motive of this story is to show the view of
his childhood and the hell that he rose in the 80's, time period and we can relate to this type of
greasy behavior today. And generations to come. The narrator says, it was good to be bad, when
young...show more content...
Also the conflict that was announced in the parking lot where the bad older character was hit with
a tire iron and the three young teenage boys were fighting with this man. For the most part the
narrator consistently talks about his wild life style. He chose even though he was from a well off
family and he didn't have to take that road, but we all have the choice and every generation goes
though it. The narrator also tips of his rebirth and baptism in the lake while he was running from his
fight that he just encountered with the tire iron he trips over a body floating in the lake. All in all
I thought this story was super fun to read and relate to in the sense of being wild and ruthless, but
the song that came along with it was pretty awsome and was fun to listen to and get a feel for the
time period and style back in the day where it was good to be

In his short story "Greasy Lake," the lake with the community teenagers create a stereotypical scene
of current youth pop culture. Many youth who read this story can find the ironic references and
similarities with their lifestyle in today's world. T. Coraghessan Boyle uses the setting of the story
to expose a world lacking self–discipline and showing immorality amongst a community youth,
which can sometimes be rather common today. This also aids in creating an atmosphere that
surrounds suspense and impaired judgement to better develop the characters of the story. Boyle is
able to achieve this by creating a setting with the story of the Greasy Lake and describing the Lake
as both a setting and main character. Greasy Lake is described by the narrator as an aura of
possessiveness and suspense to the average reader. However, while somewhat stereotypical, the
narrator and his friends see the lake as the most ideal location to get together on late nights. This
can be translated as the beginning of setting a scene for a location in which the adolescent youth
can meet, with the reference to Bruce Springsteen's words from a song that opens the story: "It's
about a mile down on the dark side of Route 88" (Boyle, 125). The words from the song create a
scene of how the youth had essentially treated the lake as their own place. The image is further
made clear when the faint island in the middle of the lake is described as "a single ravaged island a
hundred yards from

Summary Of ' Greasy Lake ' Essay
Christine Berndt Ms. Granger English Comp 1A 29 November 2016 A Greasy Turnaround In T.
Coraghessan Boyle's short story "Greasy Lake", the reader is brought into an intense situation that
occurs on one of the first nights during the young adult boy's summer vacation. The narrator, whose
name is never revealed, is out on an adventurous night with his friends Digby and Jeff. While out,
they find themselves discovering whether or not the idea of who they thought they wanted to be
and, associate themselves with, was actually what they desired. This conveys the idea that fantasy
and reality do not always correlate due to inevitable consequences.Michael Adams a British
journalist for BBC described Boyle's upbringing as having a "rebellious youth who played drums,
sang in a rock–and–roll band, and drove fast cars". Along with this Adams states that Boyle "Did not
get along with his father, a school–bus driver whose alcoholism killed him at age fifty–four in 1972.
Boyle's mother, a secretary, was also an alcoholic and died of liver failure". Greasers most often
come from rough family backgrounds and find themselves indulging in fast cars, and enjoy
mischievous activities such as drugs and alcohol. With the rough and untraditional childhood that T.
C Boyle endured perhaps it inspired him to develop "Greasy Lake". The stories central conflict
arises when the characters head out to Greasy Lake after they did not find suitable entertainment
elsewhere. When they

Stereotypes In Greasy Lake
T. Coraghessan Boyle's story "Greasy Lake" (1985) revolves around three teenagers: the unnamed
narrator and his two friends, Digby and Jeff. The teenagers gallivant around town for a for a few
nights. One evening, the narrator and his companions get into a fight, discover a corpse, and attempt
to sexually assault a woman. In this story, the author attempts to convey the following: boys seek to
become men, they want to prove they are men, and many boys will become mature men. Adolescent
boys envision themselves becoming men and often have an image they aspire to. In the story, the
boys perceive being a man as adhering to sexist masculine stereotypes: violent, smart, lustful,
fearless, strong etc. The narrator notions "[They] are nineteen. They are bad" (529), because "[They
wear] torn–up leather jackets, slouch[] around with toothpicks in [their] mouths, sniff[] glue and
ether..." (529). Late at night, "they [go] up to Greasy lake because everyone [goes] there..." (530).
However, the image the teenagers project is a faГ§ade. Digby comes from a family wealthy...show
more content...
The narrator is wading in the lake when he discovers a corpse. In that moment, he realizes "[He is]
nineteen, a mere child, an infant, and here in a matter of minutes [he's] struck down one greasy
character and blundered into the waterlogged carcass of a second" (533). He learns there will
always be someone more dangerous than what he pretends. Now he understands that being a
dangerous character is not a joyous adventure. Afterwards, his colleagues agree in silence as they
enter the vehicle and prepare to drive away. Before they do, a young woman tells them "'Hey, you
guys look like some pretty bad characters...'" (530) and asks if they want to party. Digby declines
on behalf of the group while the narrator is on the verge of tears. Most likely, this is the last time
they play as dangerous

Theme Of Greasy Lake
Causing Trouble In TC Boyle's story "Greasy Lake" the meaning of the story could be taken in
different ways depending on how you see the story. In the story, we learn about three teenage
boys who think doing terrible things is good. Throughout the story we learn just how much these
boys don't care and realize that their consequences will be bad in the end. By analyzing character,
symbolism and setting in TC Boyle's "Greasy Lake" we can see the theme of having a bad
character is not the way of living life. The narrator of the story is the main character and throughout
the story he makes some decisions that he thinks aren't bad but really, they are. He and his friends
Digby and Jeff spent a night at going to the "Greasy Lake" and they end...show more content...
Next, symbolism can be found in two things in the story. The two items that shows symbolism in
the story would be the lake and the car keys. The lake could be used to symbolize safety for the
narrator. Boyle states, "I don't know how long I [laid] there, the bad breath of decay all around
me, my jacket, heavy as a bear, the primordial ooze subtly reconstituting itself to accommodate my
upper thighs and testicles. My jaw ached, my knee throbbed, my coccyx was on fire" (Boyle
693). Boyle shows how long the narrator had to wait in order to come out and face his
consequences. Another thing Boyle infers to as symbolism would be the car keys. They could
symbolize freedom. We use car keys to be able to drive away in our car, we can also refer to this
as a way of escaping. The narrators says, "[he] spotted them almost immediately, no more than
five feet from the open door, glinting like jewels in the first tampering shaft of sunlight" (Boyle
693). Finding the keys in the sunlight allows the three boys to leave and go back to their lives
before the crazy summer night at Greasy Lake happened. Finding the keys allows the boys to gain
their freedom back, which they lost because they were bad. By having the keys to the car, they can
leave and forget everything that has transpired. Finally, the setting in "Greasy Lake" takes place
during the summer

Greasy Lake Essay
Greasy Lake
Greasy Lake is the story of three friends who are bad characters. Until they run into a situation
where they question, just how bad they are. Just because they act badly and look bad does not
mean they are. They are teenagers in a period, "when courtesy and winning ways [are] out of style
when it [is] good to be bad, when they [cultivate] decadence like a taste." (112) They look bad,
wearing torn–up leather jackets, slouching around with toothpicks in their mouths and wearing their
shades morning, noon and night. They have the attitude, they drive their parents cars fast, and burn
rubber as the pull out of the driveway. They have the bad habits. They drink "gin and grape juice,
Tango, Thunderbird, and Bali Hai,...show more content...
All of a sudden, they see a friend's car. This is all the three need to know; now things will get
interesting, maybe it is not a wasted trip after all. They flash the headlights and honk the horn, a
harmless prank to pull on a friend, "for all we [know] we might even catch a glimpse of some little
fox's tit. And then we [could] slap backs with red–faced Tony, roughhouse a little, and go on to new
heights of adventure and daring." (113) In their haste for a little excitement and adventure, they fail
to realize it is not Tony's car after all, but someone else's car. This is the second mistake. The first is
dropping the car keys in the grass.
The owner of the car, a greasy booted character, does not find this childish prank funny. He comes
out of the car, with fists flying, feet kicking. He is not about to let these guys get away with this
so–called harmless prank. This guy is bad; he takes on all three of the friends, and thoroughly beats
them up. Even after this, they still think they are bad. "[He] [goes] for the tire iron under the car
seat." (114) The narrator still holds onto the idea he is bad, "[He] [keeps] it there because bad
characters always keep

Greasy Lake Essay

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