Samantha Hunt’s piece “Beast” is written on the ‘fantastic’ of a transformation of the physical metamorphosis from human to animal during the night. The result of the emotional and mental conflict that the character deals with after cheating on her partner. Hunt’s work showcases the parallelism of leading a double life, from the sexual cravings of promiscuity in a monogamous relationship to the metamorphosis from human to a wild animal.
Both scenarios happen in the moments from day to night; one moment to the other, she becomes something else, a cheater, a deer, etc.
It is also interesting to note that the comparison between the transformation from cheater to deer is contradictory; in one, it is something the character is well within her means to control, to be able to limit or to stop. Still, in the other, she describes the instant conversion from human to animal.
We find out about the character’s transformation and infidelity after we learn about her brother taking his own life. The interpretation that she craves living another life, a different one after recognizing that hers wasn’t heading anywhere, is fascinating.
The sexual affair is many times the attempt to regain a part of something lost; this we can interpret from her statement that her husband was her high school sweetheart. Infidelity as an attempt to explore control, to renew something she lost.
Similar to the story of “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka in the thematic sense of transformation. The supernatural of one becoming an animal.
One confusing aspect, though, is the meaning of the title in relation to the text. Is the transformation beast-like? Is it referring to the animal characteristics of the lewd act of infidelity? Is the deer a beast?
I agree with your point of view on how the sexual affair was the attempt to regain a part of something lost. In my interpretations, I took it as she wanted something new and exciting. Maybe her transforming was a way of her wanting freedom and maybe him transforming is him wanting the same?