The theme of the monster, that John pointed out in our last class, continues to resurface throughout Books 3 and 4 of Middlesex. What is interesting to note is that the point when Cal finally accepts him/herself as a unique being, not a monster, is when his/her body is displayed in a freak show of […]
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/08/opinion/08collins.html?src=me&ref=opinion An opinion by Gail Collins on the anniversary of the pill. She considers what has changed since then, especially in regards to formal sex ed. And, bonus for our discussions, she mentions Sanger and Comstock.
Hi everyone, what a terrific group of posts! It’s clear that you all have a strong handle on the play and its intricacies as well as it occasional weaknesses, so I think we can focus on significant scenes by having each of you prepare ones you want “staged” and then discuss it. Collectively, you have […]
Finding Angels in a World of Loss The angelic prophecy has been revealed, and it has been rejected—by its own would-be prophet, Prior Walter. The prophecy is to just stop: to stop moving and migrating and changing, and if that happens, maybe God will return. Prior finds this prophecy a farce at best, dangerous at […]
Once again the definition of the label “homosexual” is questioned and placed on the examining table in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. “Roy Cohn is not a homosexual. Roy Cohn is a heterosexual man, Henry, who fucks around with guys.” (Millenium Approaches, 46) This quote is part of a striking dialogue between Roy Cohn, a […]
http://www.cracked.com/article_18494_15-unintentionally-perverted-toys-children.html
Nel and Sula Nel Greene (nee Wright) and Sula Peace seem as if they could not be more different than they are. Nel is cool under pressure, rational, and, like her mother, Helene, retreats into rigid structures of tradition and custom when unsure of what to do. Sula is the direct opposite: she is hot […]
The way Sula’s community reacts to both her life and death is an interesting realization of Foucault’s idea that where there is power there is resistance. Sula lives her life with a sense of power. She sleeps with whomever she wants, refuses to marry, allows her mother to be placed in a home, and lives […]
A child’s moment of self-awareness and self-recognition is a major aspect of character development. We discussed this theme in The Scarlet Letter when Pearl sees her reflections in the lake and on Hester’s chest. Nel’s moment of self-awareness in Sula is a more complex and nuanced situation. She gains self-awareness because she is compelled to […]
I read this piece on the BBC website about a retailer pulling a selection of padded bikini tops from its shelves. The controversy: The bikinis were marketed to young girls. There was a great article in the Guardian about this, protesting the removal of the bikinis. It has some great commentary about sexuality, and the […]
