Several possible themes emerge from Gilb's story "Love in
L.A."; however, one is certainly dominant: the most prominent form of love in the big
city is love of self." This story is a twist on traditional love stories, as it
primarily depicts a man in love with himself--and his
car.
Jake is consumed with himself and with gaining more
pleasure for himself. His first obsession is with his car, and this is what he
wants:
He
needed an FM stereo in something better than this ’58 Buick he drove. It would have
crushed velvet interior with electric controls for the L.A. summer, a nice warm heater
and defroster for the winter drives at the beach, a cruise control for those long trips,
mellow speakers front and rear of course, windows that hum closed, snuffing out that
nasty exterior noise of freeways. The fact was that he’d probably have to change his
whole style. Exotic colognes, plush, dark nightclubs, mai tais and daiquiris, necklaced
ladies in satin gowns, misty and sexy like in a tequila
ad.
He wants much more than
he has, and he wants it in order to help him "get" more women. He clearly sees himself
as a ladies' man and uses every opportunity to collect them. The main incident in this
story is a minor car accident during, of course, rush-hour traffic in L.A. Jake uses
even this opportunity to make his moves. As he gets out of the car, he doesn't ask if
the young woman is okay; instead, he asks, "So, how you doin?" and follows with the
remark that he "kinda" hopes she's not quite all right so he can talk with her
longer.
This is the consistent attitude and behavior
throughout the story--a desire for "love" at the most shallow and self-serving level.
Thus the theme.
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