The Relationship Between Smell and Class in Eileen Lilly Milman College

In Ottessa Moshfegh’s novel Eileen, the first person point of view creates a duality between the narrator, Lena, and the younger version of herself, who is the protagonist of the story. This duality allows Lena to pass judgment on her younger self, and to identify moments where Eileen is in denial of her own fears and anxieties. She alludes to her discomfort with her working-class position through a discussion of body odor; Eileen compares her own smell—which is a result of her inability to shower, use expensive perfumes, or buy new clothing—with that of middle class women, who are afforded those privileges. She subverts the stereotypes of class by attributing negative characteristics to fragrance—a sign of wealth and outward vanity—while creating a positive image of herself and her denial of beauty conventions. By not explicitly referring to her class, she emphasizes its importance, as such passages do not align with her candid and brutally honest narration style.

The way in which Eileen aligns herself against members of a higher class shows her desire to escape feelings of isolation and otherness, which are heavily related to her class position. As a single woman living in a poor neighborhood and taking care of an alcoholic...