Both of the stories by Ron Rash are concerned with characters who have a deep, longing dissatisfaction with life. In the case of “Chemistry,” Paul’s illness is brought on by some malfunction of the brain, while in the case of “Burning Bright,” Marcie’s unhappiness is more situational. The two characters share more than just a similar affliction; both throw themselves, wholeheartedly, into distraction, even at the disapproval of others. In “Chemistry,” Paul takes up scuba diving and snake handling, while Marcie in “Burning Bright” takes on a young, exciting husband.
In both stories, while we know these distractions are instrumental in the characters’ short term functionality, it’s unclear how well, if at all, they are able to help them in the long term. While Marcie’s story ends before we can find out if her husband’s (alleged) fires caused any permanent damage, we know that Paul’s hobby eventually kills him, in what I personally interpreted as a suicide. Our coping mechanisms sometimes cause more hurt than help. Both stories made me think of my dad.