Shirley Jackson - Paranoia

Shirley Jackson posthumously discovered story Paranoia in current New Yorker is a great example of her strengths and weaknesses as a writer. As noted in my earlier posts about her collected stories she is great at establishing fascinating premises but rarely knows how to shape and in particular how to conclude her materials. In this story much like a twilight zone episode ordinary somewhat diffident business man on his way home w candy for his wife - her b day - is waylaid by a guy who seems to be following him. Several menacing encounters w this "tough customer" on way home and the guy seems to have gotten random bus driver and shop owner to join in the hunt. There is no apparent motive tho and worse no reason to go to police as he has not been harmed or threatened. At last gets home and it turns out his wife has either orchestrated or participated. Ok I was really tense and engaged as he desperately tried to get home but in the end what sense does it make how could wife have arranged this and why would she? It's a long journey for minimal payoff. And this is typical of so much of her work. She could have been a great part of a screenwriting team but needed someone w better sense of the arc of a story to complete her work. N the less her reputation is solid and secure based on 2 great works - hill house and the lottery. 2 is enough!

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