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| Neb English Support Class 12 |
The Chaser | John Collier | Summary | Neb English Support Class 12
The Chaser by John Collier
ABOUT THE STORY
The Chaser by John Collier
This short fiction, "The Chaser", was written by John Collier, a British author. It was first published on December 28, 1940, by The New Yorker. It is about a young man wanting to buy a love potion to win over the woman he likes. The story hints that it might be part of a larger plot. Here, the main character, Alan, is manipulated just like he tries to manipulate Diana. The major theme in the story is the concept of manipulation. Other themes include the difference between true love, obsessive desire, and fairness in relationships.
MAIN PLOT SUMMARY
The Chaser by John Collier
Entering a New and Magical World
Alan Austen is looking for an address on Pell Street. As he moves up the stairs, the steps make noise. On a dimly lit landing, he carefully stops and looks for the right name on one of the doors. Alan moves into a small room with just a rocking chair, another chair, and a kitchen table. There are two shelves on the wall with around a dozen jars and bottles.
An old man, who is in the rocking chair, is reading a newspaper. Alan has a card to introduce himself to the old man. The old man greets Alan in a very polite manner and invites him to sit. Alan then asks if it's true that the man has "a certain mixture" with "extraordinary effects."
What's for sale?
The old man mentions that he doesn't have a big range of products, and he doesn't sell common things like laxatives. What he does sell is diverse, and everything he sells is unique. Alan begins to explain, but the old man interrupts and takes a bottle from the shelf. He describes the liquid inside, saying it can't be noticed in other liquids like wine or coffee. It's as colourless as water, nearly tasteless, and impossible to detect in an autopsy.
This scares Alan, and he wants to know if there's poison in the bottle. The old man, however, remains calm and almost dismissive. He suggests Alan call the liquid "glove cleaner" if he prefers. It could be called a "life cleaner" too, because sometimes lives "need cleaning."
Alan objects, saying he doesn't want something like this. The man responds that it's probably a good choice because it costs $5,000 for just a teaspoon. When Alan expresses hope that not all the man's creations are that expensive, the man dismisses this concern. He explains that charging so much for a "love potion" wouldn't make sense because the people who need them are usually young and don't have that much money. Besides, he adds, if they had a lot of money, they wouldn't need love potions. The man shares his reasoning: by making customers happy with one potion, they'll return for another, even if it costs a lot more.
Alan goes back to his main question, asking once more if the old man sells love potions or not. The man says he wouldn't have mentioned the other item if he hadn't. He only shares that kind of information when he believes he can assist the person he's talking to. He assures Alan that his love potions are effective, bringing plenty of love persistently and for a very long time.
About That Love Potion...
Encouraged by Alan, the old man explains that the love potion also takes care of the "spiritual side" of love, ensuring deep devotion and adoration. Alan just needs to give it to the woman, mixing it with some other liquid, like soup, orange juice, or a cocktail, and it will change the woman completely. No matter how lively or cheerful the young woman is, she will be transformed. From that moment onward, she will only want to be alone with Alan.
Alan doubts it because the woman whom he loves, Diana, enjoys parties. The old man insists that Diana won't like parties anymore; she'll be too concerned that Alan might be interested in other girls there. Alan is happy to hear that Diana will be jealous of him. The man assures Alan that Diana "will want to be everything" to him. Alan says she already means everything to him, but it doesn't matter to her. The man assures Alan that once Diana takes the love potion, everything will be changed. After taking the love potion, Diana will care intensely about Alan - and nothing but Alan.
As the old man continues explaining, Alan becomes even more joyous. The man says Diana will want to know everything about Alan - everything he does, thinks, and feels. She'll take care of Alan all the time, never allowing him to be tired, sit in a draught, or neglect his food. If he's late coming home, she'll worry that he's either dead or with another woman. Moreover, if Alan is ever tempted by another woman, he "needs not worry." Diana will be hurt, but she will always forgive him. She would never divorce him or give him any reason to worry.
The Transaction
Alan eventually inquires about the price of this "wonderful mixture." The old man assures him it's not nearly as expensive as the "life cleaner," which he mentioned earlier. The love potion is $5,000 - always that price - but Alan would need to be older, having had time to save money, "to indulge in that sort of thing."
Alan reminds the old man that he really wants the love potion. The old man takes out a "dirty-looking phial" (small bottle) from a drawer and casually tells Alan it only costs a dollar. As the man fills the phial, Alan warmly thanks him. The man mentions that he likes to help people, and when they're older and have more money, they come back to buy "more expensive things."
After receiving the potion, Alan thanks the old man and says, "Good-bye." The old man responds, "Au revoir."
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