Based on Edward Hopper’s painting of the same name, Megan Abbott’s short story “Girlie Show” follows a woman named Pauline as she experiences a turning point in her unhappy marriage. Pauline’s husband is a painter who, after hearing from a friend about a particular exotic dancer, becomes obsessed with painting her. He enlists Pauline to pose for this painting without revealing to her what it is, and repeatedly returns to the club where the woman works. Pauline, who is so rarely asked to pose for her husband’s paintings, is excited to be receiving his attention again, even though it means posing naked in the cold for hours at a time. However, after noticing his increased coldness towards her, Pauline reveals the painting, and soon decides to follow her husband to the club. This is where she meets the dancer her husband is infatuated with, Mae. Mae is kind to her, inviting her into her dressing room and offering her chocolates, and even agreeing to help her exact poetic revenge on her husband.
Throughout the story, it is clear to the reader that Pauline’s marriage is not, and likely never was a healthy one. Earlier in their relationship, her husband would often paint her, which she enjoyed as some of the only time they spent together. At the point where the story begins, however, he no longer allows her to model for his paintings despite her eagerness, preferring to pay young women. He does not spend any meaningful amount of time with her, feels comfortable having vulgar discussions within her earshot, talks down to her, and even strikes her. She also describes sex that was so violent she had to get stitches. Despite all of this, it seems that Pauline is still desperate for his attention. When he asks her to pose for him, she does so enthusiastically, even though it hurts her. She tries to ignore the signs of his infidelity, choosing instead to believe that he had gotten her a gift and simply forgotten her size, that he was out for legitimate reasons, etc. despite all signs pointing otherwise.
Pauline experiences a turning point when her husband becomes frustrated with her appearance and replaces her as the model for his painting. This hurts her so deeply that she uncovers his painting, revealing a crude image of a naked woman who looks nothing like her. The fiction that she has created is broken, and she decides to follow him one night to confirm her suspicions. This is where she meets Mae, the woman from the painting, who in real life is not so alarming as the painting of her. She is kind to Pauline and understanding of her situation, inviting her into her dressing room and talking with her for a long time. Pauline’s relationship with Mae acts as a return to her independence. Up until this point, her self-worth had hinged on her husband’s approval, but once she was able to accept that he never had, she gained a sense of freedom to express herself.