Thursday, February 11, 2010
SSRJ #4 Minot
This story was very hard for me to read for two reasons: 1)I'm a mother of 3 teen girls and 2)Minot's writing style. I have to be honest and say I hated this story. It was very disturbing to learn of the main character's promiscuous sexual behavior. While at a co-ed boarding school for high school students she couldn't have been more than 18 yrs old and had already had sexual encounters with over 17 boys. Trying to read this story was a challenge as I was constantly reminding myself to keep my emotions in check and instead try to be a critical analyst. As far as literary elements I found Minot's style to be choppy and all over the place. I felt like I was reading the main character's diary that she fills with uncensored abandon. Which is probably the emotion Minot was trying to capture from her reader's. Because the setting was at a boarding school the story was somewhat believable when assuming students have very little supervision or guidance. With the setting such as it was maybe one could also assume the parents of the main character had little control or influence over their daughter. Which would explain (maybe) the lack of judgement, and self respect. Minot did, however, do a good job of depicting our cultural views on female and male responses to sex. She was good at keeping the double standard we live by alive and well throughout her story.
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I agree, Minot's writing style in this short story was like diary entries. I hadn't really thought about how the story may look being a parent, I suppose the story is a little uncomfortable to say the least.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you. I have to be honest too, I did not like this story it was very uncomfortable for me to read as well. But I do think the message about male and females views on sex, Minot portrayed in this story is very true.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to get the point of view of a parent. Not having kids, I didnt find the story that appalling. I also think that saying that the story depicted our cultural views on male and female responses to sex is 100% accurate. While the male response was dead on, the female response was only for one type, the type of girl that doesnt engage in sexual acts because she wants to, she does them because she feels obligated. This is where the sense of feeling dirty comes from or feeling like pounded veal. It should also be pointed out that there is a difference between those who are sexually active and committed with one person and those who have been with as many people as the girl did in the story.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my daughter is eleven. I was thrilled to read this story. Excuse me for a moment while I go clean my shotgun.
ReplyDeleteMinot's style here, though, is an excellent depiction of what is an obviously torn-up psyche. This girl is broken, and she doesn't seem to care.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with your description of the story being like reading a teenager's diary but I kind of liked that style, probably because I'm only 20 and keep diaries :) However, I would also agree that the story was disturbing and made me feel uneasy because of the portrayal of attitudes towards sex from male and female points of view.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Patrick, your comment made me laugh out loud...my dad and you would probably get along just fine.
Do you think that maybe the reason the author wrote the story to instigate anger to parents with daughters? I don't have a a daughter but I feel the same way as those of you that do. As graphic as the entire story was it does seem true to an extent, and gives some insight into male to female stereotypes and visa versa.
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