In "Numb" Sophie has experienced a bad day at work when her mother calls to let her know Will, Sophie's ex-boyfriend, has been in a terrible car accident. Sophie is torn between the memories of the years she spent with Will and her hatred towards him for leaving her for another girl after they'd been together so long. Upon Will's death Sophie feels a sense of relief, because she doesn't have to feel anything towards him now that he's gone.
I really liked the flashback to the middle school dance when Sophie and Will's journey as a couple began. It showed how much time had been invested into the relationship: even if they hadn't been romantically involved as a couple since middle school, this flashback shows they'd at least known one another for a good while. While the situation with Will was tragic, I liked how Sophie's visit home allowed her to swallow her pride and admit to her mother she had lost her job and was going to move back home.
At the beginning of the story, Sophie's best friend, Zoe, is introduced. However, Zoe doesn't play any sort of role in the story at all, and therefore I believe she could be left out entirely. In addition, it isn't until near the end of the story that Sophie admits what happened at her job; there could be more hints as to what occurred on the job that lead to her being let go. I thought Sophie was pretty cold toward the whole situation. Sure Will didn't handle their relationship in the right way, but that doesn't mean she should be indifferent to his death. I wish Sophie would have felt a little bit more acceptance towards her town at the end of the story, especially since she would be living there again soon. It's insinuated in one line that moving back would cause her to become her old, vulnerable self. Vulnerable to what, exactly? Will? I also found it interesting that the other girl Will left Sophie for never came to the hospital to see him.. or maybe she was just a fling and not an actual relationship.
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