When Oskar hits Eli

[gkmoberg1]

What do you think this scene meant to Elias?

Oskar clenched his teeth, said calmly: “Let me go.”

She did not let go. The cold arc of anger in Oskar’s chest started to vibrate, sing, and he threw himself on top of her. Landed on top of her and pressed her backwards into the couch. She weighed almost nothing and he had her pinned up against the armrest, sat down on her chest while the arc bent, shook, made black dots in front of his eyes as he raised his arm and hit her in the face as hard as he could.

A sharp slapping sound bounced between the walls and her head jerked to the side, drops of saliva flew out of her mouth, and his hand burned.

We're not told what Elias thinks in that moment. But right at the end of the next paragraph, this is where I really wonder what Elias considers.

He sat on her chest, looked bewildered at her little head that lay turned in profile against the black leather of the couch as a flush bloomed on the cheek he had struck. She lay still, her eyes open.

[sauvin]

In the Twilight Zone, she's thinking it's going to be another fifteen or twenty years before Peroxide Boy taunts Buffy in saying "You always hurt the one you love, pet".

[Opeth]

Peroxide Boy

! Oh you... I am so glad I recently finished Buffy.

[BravoHotel]

This part of the book to me felt like Eli was doing everything he could to keep Oskar there, I can't pin myself why exactly but bringing up the walkman when Oskar tried to leave shows this.
My best answer is that Eli was keeping Oskar there till he started asking the questions about Eli that needed to be answered eventually, about the infection, killing people etc, so Eli wants to get it out of the way now because while he may have had it before it's still difficult for him, and when Oskar hit Eli his lack of reaction was because Eli has gotten used to hiding his emotions. The hit may have really upset him or angered him but he didn't want to show this because Eli may see showing emotion as weakness and Eli doesn't want to be weak/can't be for her own survival. Especially because I think Oskar was trying to upset Eli to gain some kind of power or control from the situation and Eli knew this and while wanting this situation to occur still didn't want to end up worse off.

The wrestling after that I have two ideas on, number one that it started out of Elis' retaliation but turned into the two of them venting frustration for each other, but becasue they love each other even while they are fighting they without realising try not to hurt eachother which is why after Elis' initial move he didn't tear Oskar in half.

The second is that Eli thought of it as a way to distract Oskar for a while so that Oskar would stop asking questions, without Eli having to show they are making him un comfortable, plus this allows Oskar again to vent a little of his frustration without doing it through questions intended to emotionally hurt Eli meaning Eli again somewhat has the upperhand.

[gkmoberg1]

I would presume that after 200+ yrs of being what he is, Elias has taken enough physical abuse that a hard strike - even though it would still hurt - is not going to upset him. Even so, it's coming from his friend - and that might hurt. However, yes, he recovers after a couple of seconds. The ensuing wrestling is a physical release for the boys, who don't have the maturity & patience to sit there and thrash it all out as adults would.

My curiosity lies in wondering how the strike confirms or alters Elias' view of Oskar. What would it mean to Elias that Oskar just struck him as hard as he could?

[sauvin]

Asking this question is a lot like asking exactly what was going through Eli's mind when Oskar touched her cheek the first time. The question "What did you do that for?" was very telling. Later in the novel, she says she'd not been in a normal relationship in a long time (words to such effect), but doesn't give anything more than this. A "long time" might mean "since I was a real boy".

She might recover very quickly from a physical blow, and probably wouldn't even remember having been walloped during a real fight, but she might not have the social experience to interpret this wallop one way or another. At the moment, my best guess is it left her in that acutely confused emotional state we'd call "stunned".

[BravoHotel]

At the moment, my best guess is it left her in that acutely confused emotional state we'd call "stunned".

True but what in your opinion was it that lead Eli to make the descision that wrestling would be the appropriate response? And not to, say
give up on Oskar or persist with trying to "indoctrinate" him is my best way of putting it.

What would it mean to Elias that Oskar just struck him as hard as he could?

I've never really thought into this before, but my first opinion is that it might confirm for Eli that with the right motivation or trigger that Oskar may be capable of the violence he wishes to be and Eli sees in him, back when Eli sees Oskar pretending to be a killer.

[a_contemplative_life]

I think Eli's later encounter with Zombie Hakan raises a question as to how much Oskar's slap really caused pain from a physical standpoint. Hakan hit Eli with enough force to knock down a horse; later he turns Eli into a human pretzel, causing Eli to feel some of his ligaments giving way; yet, Eli's experience of these obviously painful assaults seems somewhat detached and not debilitating, as overwhelming pain might render one of us incapable of conscious action while the pain persists. It could be that Eli is able to control pain, just as he seems to have some ability to will his body to heal itself.

Of course, my point doesn't really address the emotional aspects entailed in being slapped by a friend. But it seems as though Eli recovered quickly from that as well. I'm not sure to what extent Eli understood his role in produçing Oskar's anger, but either way it turns out happily in the end.

[metoo]

I've started several times on my view on this event, but I find that it is very difficult to write it down. However, the slap is in the middle of a chain of events, starting in the basement when Oskar cut his hand, and ending when Oskar writes YES at the paper below Eli's message.

The slap is part of of a process of Oskar accepting what Eli is, and Eli accepting that Oskar knows.

[a_contemplative_life]

I agree...Oskar gets mad because he feels that Eli is lying to him...he's frustrated that he can't seem to get a straight answer from Eli. Eli, OTOH, is desparately seeking acceptance. All the little lies she has told are coming home to roost. Eli doesn't want Oskar to think of her as a freak; he wants a genuine friend like all the non-vampires have; and when Oskar moves to leave in a huff, Eli grabs his wrist and won't let go, causing Oskar to lose his temper.