Human Failure "4 1/2 minutes" is a story full of the darkest human emotions and human interaction at its worst. The main character, Miles, will take the reader through a journey and one will wonder why it ends so abruptly. Miles has already begun his torrential downfall eventually leading to his absence of mind and life. Kate Sheofsky wrote this story to show the realness of humans and not to put a sugar coating on it. The …showed first 75 words of 722 total…

…showed last 75 words of 722 total…can achieve. The use of imagery and metaphors helped show who the main character was and the effects society had on him. Even though he may have been insane he still had the mental and physical strength for a non-stop, full body tattoo and to allow himself to slowly drown and die. Sheofsky, Kate . "4 1/2 Minutes." Short Stories. 01 2002. 11 Oct. 2005 <http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/FourHalf.shtml>. "Acceptance." Dictionary.com. 4th ed. 2000.