Marigold Blue writes about a past love between two college sweethearts in the short story “Once Again.” Two characters which remained nameless throughout the story have a strong connection which was even stronger when they were younger college students. The strong love they shared is affectively expressed in this story through flashbacks that the nameless female has while reuniting with her college sweetheart. The theme of love is deeply expressed between these two characters through a well thought out use of the literary element of flashbacks.
The author does a good job at showing the love they shared and somewhat still share. She describes how the lady still obviously in love with him, “ I wanted him to be different so that I could put my feelings for him aside, and stop the "what if" thinking that had been going on in my mind for years. But he hadn't changed, and I still felt a pull towards him.” (Marigold, Paragraph 7). She clearly still has feelings for him and thought about him frequently. At the end of the story it is also shown that she still wants to be with him even though he has a wife and kids. “Across the parking lot he yelled, ‘I'll see you!’ I said softly to myself, “‘Oh, yes you will. Because you and I are not done yet.’” She still wants them to share a love that they once had and it seems as though she will make sure to have him back.
Marigold uses good senses of literary elements in “Once Again.” In the beginning she characterization to describe the man and show that he looks a lot more mature and different from when she last seen him. “Back then he had been skinny and lanky. Now he was still long and lean, but manly and masculine. He now had the body of a man, not a boy. He still had brown hair, no grey in sight. He was wearing glasses, which he hadn't had the last time I saw him. His button-down shirt was starched and he had the sleeves rolled up to mid forearm. He no longer had the body of a twenty-year-old. He looked good. Damn he looked good. There he was my college sweetheart,” (Marigold, Paragraph 1). He changed a lot over the time; he became more “manly and masculine” which she liked and thought he looked good like that. Although there isn’t characterization of the female and how she looked or looks now, she most likely changed also. She also has a good use of flashback in showing the things that they used to do together and how much they loved each other. “As we talked, little bits of our history together flashed through my mind's eye. I thought of the first time he had kissed me, so tender and sweet on a warm evening in June. I could tell he was nervous when he walked me to the door. He turned and asked if he could kiss me and then he put his hands around my face and he had slowly, sensuously pressed his lips to mine. I thought of us cuddled together on the couch under a blanket watching movies and feeding each other popcorn. I thought of the times we tried to study together but ended up giving in to our passion,” (Marigold, Paragraphs 9-11). Here she is realizing all of the good times they had together and giving in to the fact that she does want him back.
The theme of love is clearly shown in the story “Once Again” by Marigold Blue. The use of the literary elements flashback and characterization help to express this theme. It is an important story that gives real insight into a past love and relationship.
