Long Distance by Victor LaValle

Long Distance, by Victor LaValle, the author recounts his love life during his early twenties when he was obese. He had formed a two-year relationship with a 50-year-old woman named Margie, on an adult chat line. It was very hard for Victor being so overweight and having to hide behind the phone. He was embarrassed of his body. Later in life, Victor lost all his weight by dieting and exercising and he finally had some real interactions with women. He went on real dates and had actual sexual contact. The author is credible because he recounts his own love life.

 Victor LaValle is also a 2010 Guggenheim Award winner and an assistant professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. The author was writing about his life after he lost weight, but he kept recalling how unhappy he was when he was overweight. He wrote this essay to show how he is still affected by his past and how hard it was for him to overcome it.

This essay was written for those struggling to overcome a confidence problem to show them that it is possible to change and be happy with themselves. The author uses many metaphors to describe what he looks like and how he feels. Humor and sarcasm are also used. The tone and mood of the story really stick out and people that do not even have an obesity problem, or a confidence problem, can relate and understand what the author is feeling because of the descriptive language he uses. I think that the author did not really achieve his purpose because he wanted to show people that it was possible to overcome a confidence problem and be happy, however, he was not happy and cannot get on with his life because the obesity will always be a part of him.

This image from Hartford represents Victor's obesity and how it affected and scarred his whole life.