Introduction
The character of a person is revealed through his/her thoughts, attitudes, actions and the things owned by him/her. Among the various possessions that human beings value, car is one such thing which tells lot about the character of the owner. An individual selects a car which matches his/her taste and qualities. In the short story “Love in L.A” by Dagoberto Gilb, the traits of the protagonists Jake and Mariana are revealed through the model of car owned by them. The cars in the story represent the attitude and the thinking of the person owning the cars. The story depicts the meeting of Jake with Mariana when his car hits Mariana’s car while driving through traffic on a busy day in Hollywood. Although there is some damage to Mariana’s car, Jake utilizes the incident as a chance to impress Mariana and arouse her interest in him. The cars are an important part of the plot, for they bring forth the nature of both the characters and aid the reader in figuring out the intentions of Jake and Mariana.
Cars
The model of car owned by Jake symbolizes his personality and his attitude towards life. Jake possessed a 58 Buick, a car which is known for its tough exteriors. Jake is driving 58 Buick but thinking about a car with better interiors than the one he is driving now. “He needed an FM radio in something better than his ’58 Buick he drove. It would have crushed velvet interior with electric controls for the L.A summer, a nice warm heater and defroster…….snuffing out the nasty exterior noise of freeways.” (Gilb 279). From his day dreaming, the reader can understand that Jake was an individual who was not satisfied with the life he was leading now. He desired for a life of affluence but failed to take the necessary efforts to progress in his life. He thinks about owning a better car but never thinks about the means through which he will earn the money to buy the car of his dreams. Jake is a type of person who craves for prosperous life but never thinks of working hard to fulfill that desire. His daydreaming lands him into trouble as he hits Marinna’s car but he manages to escape from the trouble by succeeding in wooing Mariana.
The other aspect of Jake which is exposed through his car is his financial position. His car is of good model but owing to the lack of proper maintenance, it has lost its sheen. Jake was not employed and had no insurance but when Mariana asks Jake for his insurance, he jots down the name of the insurance company of his old girlfriend. “He made up a last name and address and wrote down the name of an insurance company an old girlfriend once belonged to.” (Gilb 280). Jake wanted to impress Mariana so he hides his real economic condition from her and aims to present himself as a wealthy individual. The sturdiness of Jake’s car was similar to his persistence in making an impression on Mariana. Even after hitting Mariana’s car, Jake’s car was not damaged in any way. “He slammed the car door twice to make sure it was closed…..of his Buick for damage on or near the bumpers. Not an impressionable scratch even in the chrome.” (Gilb 279). Similarly, even though Mariana refuses to have breakfast or coffee with Jake, he continues to strike a conversation with her in the hope that she will be attracted towards him. Jake was an ostentatious person and so was his car with its showy and exotic looks.
The car owned by Mariana defined her personality and preferences. Mariana was driving a Toyota, a car which was more modern compared to the model owned by Jake. The car with its fragile body was damaged owing to the bump it received from Jake’s car. Jake also comments on the fragility of the new cars in an effort to highlight the sturdiness of his car. “It’s amazing how easy it is to put a dent in these new cars. They’re so soft they might replace waterbeds soon.” (Gilbs 280). The fragility of her car is symbolic of Mariana’s fragility, for she falls for Jake’s advances and gives her phone number to him. Initially she refuses to accept Jake’s offer to have breakfast or coffee with him but in the end she gives her phone number to him thereby revealing her fragile nature. Like Mariana who gave in to the advances of Jake, her car was also too fragile to withstand the bump of Jake’s car. Mariana failed to look beyond the pretense of Jake, as she believed his claims of being an actor and musician. Her gullible nature is represented by her car which is dented even by a mild bump from Jake’s car. The cars owned by Jake and Mariana divulge their nature and attitudes.
Conclusion
The cars in the short story “Love in L.A” by Dagoberto Gilb are an important part of the plot, as they enable the reader to understand the thoughts and attitudes of the characters in the story. Jake’s car with its flashy and exotic looks, is similar to his nature. Although Jake was unemployed, he makes Mariana believe that he was a musician and actor so that she is attracted towards him. Mariana, unknown of Jake’s pretense, falls for his advances and gives her phone number to him. Mariana is fragile like her Toyota car whereas Jake is tough like his Buick car. In the accident also, it is Mariana’s car that is damaged while Jake’s car remains undamaged. The cars in the story represent the thinking of their owners and also bring forth their attitude towards life.
Works Cited
Gild, Dagoberto. “Love in L.A.” The Magic of Love. Location: Publisher. 1993.
