Interpretive Essay – Sleepy Time Gal
           Sleepy Time Gal, by Gary Gildner, is a short story that centers on the
tried-and-true tale of love and loss that takes place in a small, unnamed town
in Michigan
during the Great Depression. The primary
character, Phil, is a friend of the narrator’s father. The narrator himself is a third-party in the
story, recounting the tale through his father and mother’s experiences;
presenting each parent’s view on the past events, as well as a little of his
own interpretation. Â
Primarily, the narrator attempts to
re-tell the story as his father did; with an emphasis on the Great Depression
without focusing heavily on love and its loss.Â
This is indicative of a male stereotype in that it portrays men as
somewhat devoid of romanticism; but is countered by a revealing of the
narrator’s desire for a more emotional take on certain aspects of the
story. Yet even without the emphasis on
the loss of love, it remains the vital part of the story.
