The “Masking” of Identities in “Life After High School” by Anna Pusateri

Joyce Carol Oates’ “Life After High School” is a story of masked identity that the two main characters, Sunny and Zachary, experience. Society’s views on sexuality and what was perceived as “right” or “wrong” influence how each character is developed, but as the story progresses the characters evolve and “shed” their masks. The descriptions Oates uses for each character’s persona are crucial for growth in order to sway the reader’s perceptions on the evolution of the character from beginning to end. The evolution the character’s face throughout the short story is very important to the idea that as they mature and find their true selves, thus they shed the “masks” that they hide behind. In Zachary’s case, he hides behind his true sexuality and Sunny hides behind what others want her to be and who she truly wants to be.

The characters are all described by the narrator as “living behind masks” in order to conceal their true personas. Each character struggles with the ideal of themselves society has forced upon them. Zachary Graff’s “mask” is portrayed in his physical appearance, covering the fact that he is homosexual. Although Zachary cannot help how his looks are physically, he could change aspects of how he dresses and is presented to the public, such as his choice of clothing and glasses. Oates does not fail to describe in detail the severity of his looks, stating “[h]is head appeared oversized, even for his massive body; his eyes were deep-set, with a look of watchfulness and secrecy (…)” (487). His character hides behind his outward appearance in order to conceal his sexuality. Also, more than once his glasses are referenced in the story. “And he pushed his chunky black glasses roughly against the bridge of his nose, as he did countless times a day, as if they were in danger of sliding off” (487). The glasses represent a shield that Zachary’s character put up between the world and himself. This portrays the fear that Zachary’s character had that someone would find out that he was homosexual by comparing Zachary’s fear with the fear that his glasses would fall off and someone would be able to look into Zachary’s eyes and see his true sexuality.

Just as Zachary hid behind his physical appearance, “Sunny” Burhman’s mask was her name and personality. Her character was given the name “Sunny” by a teacher in Middle school. Her teacher instructed the class to begin calling Barbara “Sunny” because “that’s what she was” (489). Sunny was given no choice in the matter pertaining to her name. It just stuck. It is no mistake that Barbara’s name was changed to “Sunny”. It reflects the opinion others had of her persona that she felt she had to live up to, being happy and “sunny” all the time. Gates says, “Like Sunny Burhman, who was, or seemed, even at the time of this story too good to be true” (486). The previous quote illustrates that she “seemed” to good to be true, as if the narrator of the story was questioning her real personality. This is interesting because Barbara was really an intellectual who wanted to shine, but wanted to please and conform to what other people around her wanted her to be and act.

Both Zachary and Sunny’s characters face the moral dilemma of living up to society’s standards, reinforcing why they hid behind their “masks”. Zachary’s father was a well liked Doctor, so it was a surprise when Zacharay committed suicide. It was “out of character” for this type of tragedy to befall such a respected family. This was because Zachary had been hiding behind the mask of what others wanted him to be, rather than being his true self. He became unhappy and confused as to whether or not he truly had feelings for Sunny or Tobias. Sunny was faced with the pressure that she had to be nice to everyone. It’s illustrated by the statement that”(…) Sunny could not tell Zachary Graff to get lost. Such words were not part of her vocabulary” (489). The choice of words stating that she “could not tell Zachary Graff to get lost” (489) are ironic. It was not impossible for her to state simply “no”, but the fact that she was worried how others would react to stating her true feelings, mean or not.

In consulting the larger theme of the story, however, we need to consider Oates’ choice of a title. “Life After High school”
not only centers on death, but it also plays into the moral of the story. Just the wording “life” is interesting because it contrasts with the idea of Zachary’s character’s death and Sunny’s character’s false personality “dying”. For two of the characters, Sunny and Tobias, life moved on and changed after they were out of high school. They shed their “masks”. Sunny’s character became a writer and left her “Sunny” persona behind. “The irony had not escaped Barbara Burhman that, in casting away his young life so recklessly, Zachary Graff had freed her for hers” (495)”. By committing suicide, Zachary had given the Sunny the chance to be an individual. Although Sunny had escaped her former high school persona, she still felt guilty for Zachary’s death. She never told her husband of 28 years anything about Zachary, as if she still felt guilty (495). Yet, Zachary had ended his own life and forever was embedded with his high school identity, still stuck with his “mask” on. “Forever, Zachary Graff, the most brilliant member of the class of 1959 of South Lebanon High, would remain a high school boy, trapped, aged eighteen” (495). Close reading illustrates that when Zachary killed himself, he was “stripped to his underwear” (494). This alludes that at the end, Zachary wanted to show his true self, with no limitations or coverings.

The time period in which “Life After High School” is set adds to the theme of the story. This piece was set in 1959, although Oates first had the story published in 1996 (498). Oates writes the story about a homosexual boy to portray the change of times and social norms from 1959 to 1996. Zachary’s death was instigated by the fear that he would not be accepted by the social norms of 1959, thus leading to his untimely suicide. This is illustrated by the following passage. “Their ghost-selves were there - not aged, or not aged merely, but transformed as the genes of a previous generation are transformed by the next” (496). Just as the “genes” of a generation are changed, so are ideals about what is socially acceptable, such as homosexuality.

The reoccurring theme of innocence is also very prevalent in this story. Towards the beginning of the piece, Sunny is constantly being referred as to being pure and “virginal” (487). Oates uses the technique of foreshadowing when she writes,
Though one day, and soon, Sunny would examine her beliefs, and question the faith into which she’d been born; she had not done so by the age of seventeen and a half. She was a virgin, and virginal in all, or most, of her thoughts (487).

She foreshadows the unseen circumstances that will soon befall the characters of Sunny and Zachary. Religion is also brought up numerous times throughout the piece. In the beginning, Sunny is a devout Christian, praying and relying upon her religion to get her through tough times. Whether or not she is a practicing Christian due to her personal beliefs, or due to the fact that her parents’ wanted her to, is unknown. As Sunny’s character changes and leaves her “Sunny” persona behind, she also leaves behind the Christian religion. Zachary relies on religion towards the beginning of the story, and yet, after he kills himself, he is found with a Bible in his car. This means that even though he wanted to escape reality, he still valued certain points in his life, such as personal beliefs.

Sunny and Zachary’s characters evolve greatly from the beginning to the end of the piece when both characters finally “take off their masks”. Sunny’s changes influence her views and perceptions, as she matures and begins to think as an individual and more independently. Zachary’s character changes in the way that he “escapes society” by killing himself. Both characters are examples that society’s expectations influence development and growth, whether it is for better or for worse for one’s self.


Works Cited


Oates, Joyce Carol. “Life after High School.” Perrine’s Story and Structure. 10th ed. Thomas R.
Arp and Greg Johnson. Boston: Wadsworth, 2006. 484-498.