The Chaser is a short story by John Collier. The story follows a man who purchases a love potion from a mysterious seller, only to find that the potion has unforeseen consequences.
The Chaser is a well-written and suspenseful story that will keep readers guessing until the very end. The story is also notable for its biting social commentary, which addresses issues of relationships, gender roles, and power dynamics. Overall, The Chaser is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
The title of John Collier’s story, “The Chaser,” is multi-faceted and provides readers with several potential hints as to what the plot may entail. A chaser can refer to someone who follows another person around, a drink that is consumed after another beverage, or simply a hunter.
The title The Chaser could also have a hidden meaning, which could be that the person who is doing the chasing is actually being chased themselves. The story opens up with a young man named Alan Austen waiting in a line to purchase some flowers. The woman in front of him, Mrs. Rice, is taking her time and he becomes impatient. It seems as if he is in love with someone and wants to get the flowers to her as soon as possible.
He finally gets his turn and purchases the flowers from the florist, Mr. Larson. As he is leaving, Mr. Larson tells Alan that he has something for him and gives him a paper bag. In the bag, Alan finds a bottle of perfume called “The Lilac Girl.” The florist tells Alan that the perfume is very special and that it will make the woman he gives it to fall in love with him.Alan is skeptical, but Mr. Larson assures him that it will work.
As Alan leaves the store, he sees a young woman across the street who looks lost. He goes over to her and asks if she needs help. The woman, who is named Emily, says that she is looking for her brother. She has been in town for a few days and has not been able to find him. Alan offers to help her look for him and she agrees.
They go to a few places where Emily thinks her brother might be, but they have no luck finding him. As they are walking, Alan tells Emily about the perfume and how it is supposed to make the person who wears it fall in love with the person who gave it to them. Emily is skeptical, but Alan assures her that it will work.
Eventually, they find Emily’s brother and Alan leaves. The next day, he goes to seeEmily again and gives her the perfume. He tells her to put some on and she does. As they are talking, a police officer comes up to them and tells them that they need to come with him. It turns out that Emily’s brother has been accused of stealing a car and the police want to question him.
Alan and Emily go down to the station with the police officer and wait for Emily’s brother to be released. While they are waiting, Emily puts on more of the perfume and Alan starts to feel dizzy. The police officer comes back and tells them that Emily’s brother has been released and they can go.
The word chaser can establish the tone for an entre story. I selected this title for its ability to hold multiple meanings throughout the story, which contributes to the unraveling of the plot as a readers wonder what may happen next. The first meaning of “chaser” can be viewed in two different ways.
The first way is a person who actively pursues someone or something with determination. The second way is a drink that is taken after another drink, usually of a different alcoholic nature, in order to continue the Buzz or fix the taste of the first drink. The second meaning of the word chaser has more than one connotation as well. The first being that it can be used as an instrument to catch or capture something.
The second being that it can be used in reference to hunting, and the third being used in poker in which it means to draw cards in hopes of improving one’s hand. The word choice of chaser provides opportunities for multiple meanings throughout the story, which ultimately creates confusion for the reader, but also curiosity to find out what happens next.
Collier’s The Chaser is a short story about a man who falls in love with a woman who sells him a love potion. The potion is supposed to make the drinker fall in love with the first person they see after drinking it. The man, who we will call Al, buys the love potion and drinks it on his way home. The first person he sees is a young woman walking down the street. He falls in love with her instantly and follows her home. When he arrives at her home, he finds out that she is already married. This doesn’t stop Although, he continues to pursue her day and night.
Al would do anything to be with the woman he loves, even if it means going against her husband. The husband, who we will call Bill, is a very large man and is not afraid to hurt people. One night, while Al is outside the woman’s window, Bill comes out and threatens him. Al knows that he can’t fight Bill, so he runs away. The next day, Al goes back to the woman’s house and tells her that he loves her and wants to be with her. The woman tells him that she can’t leave her husband because she loves him too much.
Al doesn’t give up though, he continues to pursue her day and night. One night, while Bill is out drinking, Al sneaks into the house and hides under the bed. When the woman comes home, she goes to bed and falls asleep. Al crawls out from under the bed and watches her sleep. The next morning, the woman wakes up and finds Al in her bed. She is shocked and terrified. She screams for her husband. Bill comes home and finds Al in the bed with his wife. He beats Al to death with a poker.
