Welcome to the Monkey House

Content Warning: The story discusses suicide and contains depictions of rape and group violence against a single person.

As the protagonist, 63-year-old Nancy is the character whose insights are most prevalent in the narration and action of the story. Nancy is described as a tall and strawberry blonde, and her looks are highly sexualized by the hostess uniform of “white lipstick, heavy eye makeup, purple body stockings with nothing underneath, and black-leather boots” (31). Hostesses, in general, are described as being “pretty, tough-minded, highly intelligent girls” (30), and Nancy’s initial skepticism of the police officer, anger toward Billy for what he might do to her, and boredom with her job and clients is indicative of this. Nancy reveals at the end of the story that she is secretly discontent with her virginity. Due to the nature of her job, Nancy does not likely have a significant other or any other relationships outside her coworkers. She seems to hold a high value for the sisterhood among the hostesses, which contributes to the betrayal that occurs when they have come to beat her and help Billy rape her. At the beginning of the story, she is scandalized that any of them would allow Billy to do such a thing, because she holds her job sacred, as it gives her value and purpose.