All Comments on 'Today My Name is Amy'

What a powerful story, and superbly written! The story feels distant, and at the same time full of emotion! It hit me with feelings of the anguish and self loathing, perfectly portrayed in her thoughts and the way she behaves!

Thank you!

Very well written and the emotional impact is powerful. While most would have little sympathy for the wife and mother, she is living in her own personal hell and that is very well portrayed by this author. Kudos - extremely well done.

a hell maybe but not her own personal one. Maybe she is hurting a little but not as much as she hurt the son (and maybe husband).

Sometimes things arent ok just because you feel bad about it. She seems to say its her fault and she is sorry she wasnt stronger and whatever. My problem is that she seems to expect everything to be ok once she says sorry. Not that she expects the husband to want her back or that she even wants to go back. She seems to be saying 'Im just a weak person and I do bad things but you gotta cut me some slack because its not really my fault, its just the way Im made'. Thats a bunch of shit no matter which way you slice it.

The story was powerful but it was powerful as a character study of how selfish and immature people can be these days. Its not powerful as a portrait of a person who deserves your understanding or empathy. I dont think the author intended us to try and absolve the main character. We can identify with the desire to run away from responsibilities and tough situations because Im sure we've all felt that. Most people feel it often to greater or lesser degrees.

I dont think the author intended for people to like, sympathize or absolve the main character though. I think the story was written entirely from the main characters pov so we could see just how shallow and worthless she really is. Why else would she include the passive-aggressive sophistry or make the wife keep trying to justify the unjustifiable? She (lead char) is trying to tell herself that its the husbands fault as well for being an uptight, moral prig so she wont have to feel as bad about things as she does now. 'He knows that Im a weak person so he shouldnt expect me to go against my nature. Its not really my fault Im like this.' You can see the little gears in her head working but the gears are made of lead and fall apart as soon as you put any stress on them.

Anyway, thats my take on the story. Maybe I got it wrong as far as what the author intended, but I dont think I did as far as what's really happening. Maybe I was supposed to empathize with her and believe it wasnt really her fault that she's weak. If she was short or tall or some other physical characteristic, that argument might hold water. It doesnt for a person choosing to run away though. Thats not a flaw that a person has no control over, its a choice that they make.

Either way, its a good story.

than some of the comments might indicate.

A strong person always to seem to have trouble accepting that some people are weak. Being weak doesn't make them bad ... just weak!

For sure a sad story. The depth of emotions are carefully understated giving the story an especially strong impact.

The degree of her sense of the betrayal she has committed and her sense of worthlessness is exhibited by her creating alternate lives to try to get through each day. Her penance of saving every penny for the boy's medical treatment and not allowing herself to establish roots and relationships tugs at the heartstrings.

Definitely a complex story that stays with you after reading it!

Kudos!

Regards, Jack

Very well done, thank you.

Quite a poignant tale once you get into it, the emotion still lingering long after you've finished.

So well written!

And heart-breaking. Very honest and truthful.

She's one fucked up narcissistic cunt. Her husband should have divorced her for abandonment but he has more pressing matters taking care of his dying child. Hope she has a miserable life.