Other Voices, Other Rooms †Analysis Essay

Capotes opposite Voices, Other Rooms is an exploration into role reversal, gender definitions, and the risk involved in sex activity and love against the harsh contrast of southern ideals. The novel acts as Capotes catharsis in developing his younger self, in the character of Joel Knox, innocent and self-exploring, as he transforms into his seniorer, liberated self in the character of Randolph who truly is the voice carrying the books message. However, to reach his destination of Randolph, Joel must begin his journey with Idabel Tompkins.Joel sees Idabel soon after(prenominal) entering Noon City, and is so mesmerized with her girlish antics that he is oblivious to the man offering him a nickle to capture her, roundthing Joel would not be capable of anyway. She notices him later as well, watching Joel in the soda support from the doorway and asking about him in herboy-husky voice. Immediately, Joel is intrigued on the verge of infatuation and most often referencing her boyish a ttributes in the same breath. On the way to the Landing, his new home, he finds Idabel on the road and picks her out from her babe as, the other moved as jerky and quick as a boy (p31).The pair work down companions and later during a fishing trip, Joel learns not only the risks invilved in loving someone but in any case Idabels evaluation of what they are together.. When she tells him to undress so they can swim naked Joel sheepishly replied, plainly youre a girl (p131) Idabel, frustrated, replies, What youve got in your britches is no news to me, and no concern of mine.I never think like Im a girl youve got to remember that, or we cant never be friends later on proclaiming, I want so much to be a boy (p132). During the same trip, Joel felt he needed to put his arms around Idabel as, the only style of expressing all he felt he kisses her cheek and in return she becomes so mad that he pulls his hair and fights him. Joel learns the danger of loving someone, could mean loosing t hem or being betrayed by them.Idabel comes to get Joel at the Landing, in hopes of picking up a partner in crime to run away with. Joel mistakes this as fondness and suggests theyrun off and get married, picking grapes to support themselves. Idabel rebukes him sternly, I dont want to get married.Who the hell said I wanted to get married? Now you listen, boy you gestate decent, you behave like were brothers, or you dont behave at all. Anyway, we dont want to do no sissy thing like pick grapes. I thought perhaps we could join the Navy (p174) on their way to running away, they first stop at the carnival in Noon City where they meet the alluring blonde midget Mrs. wistaria, a 25 year old carnival worker who also wants to be loved in a society that does not survey her. Idabel is immediately smitten with her and Joel notices, to his dismay, Idabel, more excited than Joel had ever seen her, rushed up and asked Miss Wisteria, please, wouldnt she have some soda pop with them (p191)Joel L ater realizes Idabel is in love with the circus performer. This provokes Joel into a dream where he fears Idabels loss and tells her he loves her. He begins to realize he can never have her love. During their conversation, Miss Wisteria talks about her horrible experiences trying to find love and her sorrow that boys must grow towering and therefor, never want her. We see the perfect triangle of unrequited love that can never be fulfilled and can only bring sorrow. Joel longs for Idabel who is in love with the golden curls of Miss Wisteria, who molests Joel composition confine in a ferris wheel in her attempt to find a boy who will never grow tall. In an affirming signal of Joels realization of who he is, Joel sees Randolph, the homosexual transvestite cousin of his step-mother, at the carnival, while being molested by Miss Wisteria. He runs off scared looking for Idabel and hides from Miss Wisteria in the old abandoned house in town.He realizes he has a home and a kip down at t he Landing with Randolph, while Miss Wisteria is doomed to always be searching rooms for love, as she is now looking for Joel in the old mansion, until she finds her final room, where death awaits. Joel realizes who he is now and is nigh comforted by it. He forgets Idabel for most of the rest of the story and assumes she has run off with her circus girl. Joel is subject matter to remain at the Landing, especially after his one connection to the real world is lost when his friend Zoo comes back to stay after a rape has driven her a little disturbed as well. He knows he belongs there with Randolph, the ghostly lady in the window who wears womens wearing apparel and wig, but is more like him than whats outside. He hides from his old life in the form of a get word from hisoriginal caretaker, his aunt Ellen, and moves towards Randolph, looking back and leaving his innocent self, the other Joel Knox.Works CitedCapote, Truman. Other Voices, Other Rooms. New York Vintage, 1994. Print.