So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes sexual content, gender discrimination, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual violence and harassment.

“He would ordinarily have taken out his mobile then, to check his messages, but found he wasn’t ready—then wondered if anyone ever was ready for what was difficult or painful.”

Cathal’s response to and reflections on his phone messages foreshadow the narrative revelations about his and Sabine’s ended relationship. The passage also establishes Cathal’s avoidant character. Cathal doesn’t want to look at his phone because he doesn’t want to face what happened between him and Sabine. He sees his situation as “difficult” and “painful”; although he is responsible for it, he perceives himself as Sabine’s victim.

“The woman could cook; even now, he had to say that much for her. But a part of him always resented the number of dirty dishes, having to rinse them all before stacking them in the dishwasher—except for the roasting dish which she usually said they could leave to soak overnight, and was still there in the sink when he got back from work on Mondays.”

The way that Cathal thinks about Sabine, her cooking, and her habits reveals his misogynistic viewpoints. He refers to Sabine as “the woman” rather than by her name, thus voiding her of her individuality. He also resents her habit of leaving dirty dishes “in the sink” instead of washing them right after cooking, conveying his belief that Sabine isn’t fulfilling her female and domestic responsibilities. In these ways, the passage contributes to the theme of How Misogyny and Patriarchal Gender Roles Threaten Women’s Lives and Safety.

“‘About making a life, a home, here with me. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t live here instead of paying rent. You like it here—and you know neither one of us is getting any younger.’ She was looking at him, one eye looking directly into his and the other’s gaze a little off, to one side.”

Cathal’s tone in this scene of dialogue conveys his sexist biases. He is arguing that Sabine has no reason not to live with him and make a life with him.