Eisenberg's Reverse Epiphany
Unlike many short stories, “Twilight of the Superheroes”
doesn't end with an epiphany, or moment of realization; rather,
it ends with just as much uncertainty and hopelessness that it began
with. Because epiphanies have become so common in contemporary American
short fiction, many readers expect the status quo to be overturned
at the end of every short story, or at least expect the protagonist's
disorganized thoughts to coalesce at some new awareness. Eisenberg,
however, rejects this formula as unrealistic, and she strives to
write stories that maintain the confusions and uncertainty of modern
life. In this way, her “reverse epiphanies” as she calls them, alter
the common short story blueprint by remaining convoluted and realistically
complex at they end.
“Twilight of the Superheroes” features an excellent example
of a “reverse epiphany” because the story itself is about the inaction
and uncertainty of its characters. Nathanial and his friends are
stuck in one of life's ruts while Lucien is constantly trapped in
his memories of the past. A significant portion of the work is spent
following Nathaniel's stationary thoughts and dwelling on the events
of his past that can't be changed. When the story ends, Nathaniel
still hasn't decided how to move forward, and Lucien hasn't moved beyond
the confines of his memories. Instead, the story ends with one of
Eisenberg's characteristic reverse epiphanies: both characters continue
to dwell on the same issues that confuse them. In fact, the entire
story takes place in only a matter of minutes, emphasizing Nathaniel's
and Lucien's mental and emotional turmoil and keeping them stuck
in time: at the end of the story, Lucien is still standing in his
gallery, and Nathaniel is still reminiscing with his friends on
the terrace of Matsumoto's apartment. Instead of having a revelatory moment
of realization, when the lives of either character change, Eisenberg
is interested merely in showing us how each character lives and
thinks. She documents the status quo, leaving us with a realistic
image of life to make better sense of the world.
