In the short story the author Bobbie Ann Mason walks us through a dying marriage through the eyes of the Leroy Moffit. Leroy, a disabled truck driver, is affected in various aspects of life due to his disability. He spends his days making things out of crafts and smokes marijuana. He insists in building his wife Norma Jean a log cabin for them to live in. Meanwhile his wife Norma Jean is going through a change on her own. She has started to attend bodybuilding classes and night school. Leroy and Norma Jean are changing through the story and it leads to Norma Jean leaving her husband.
Leroy is a disabled truck driver and that reminded me of my uncle. He was a truck driver and his story is similar to Shiloh. Like Leroy while they worked he spent most of his time away and distanced themselves from their families. I felt like Leroy was going to separate from his wife because that's what happened to my uncle. While recently talking to my uncle he mentioned that while being a truck driver many things about scenery and other things went unnoticed in his life. In the story Leroy states that While on the road he never took time to examine anything and always flew past scenery. He also felt guilty over his long absences with his wife and family. Because of the similarities between Leroy and my uncle I was already filling in the gaps like there separation and the distance between Leroy and Norma Jean.
In the story I also noticed that there was a gradual change in the traditional gender roles of marriage. The first sentence mentions Norma Jean working on her pectorals and she started going to bodybuilding classes. I'm not a bodybuilder but my familiarization with the sport made the authors choice of having Norma Jean having bodybuilding classes stick out.The word pectorals is mostly associated with males working out their chest, instead of stating that Norma Jean works out or consistently goes to the gym bodybuilding implies more strength and masculinity. The word bodybuilding also shows that Norma Jean is stronger, bodybuilding is a male dominated sport with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the main icon. While Norma Jean is bodybuilding Leroy is making crafts and staying at home disabled, he is shown as the weaker person in the relationship. Norma Jean is working so she can be seen as the provider as well. Near the end of the story Leroy asks "Am i still king around here?" while Norma Jean flexes her biceps and fells for hardness. Leroy is questioning his place in their relationship while Norma Jean shows her strength and masculinity.
Victor,
ReplyDeleteYou write, “In the short story the author Bobbie Ann Mason walks us through a dying marriage through the eyes of the Leroy Moffit.” This short sentence clarifies a lot – well done.
“Leroy and Norma Jean are changing through the story” = “dynamic characters”, both of whom are “protagonists”
“Because of the similarities between Leroy and my uncle I was already filling in the gaps like there separation and the distance between Leroy and Norma Jean.” I’m glad to see you’re explaining how and why your personal reaction contribute to an interpretation. This is often a missing step for readers who bring in the personal, so it’s great to see you’re taking it. You might elaborate however – would you say your “expectations” are fulfilled because of your personal response? You can simultaneously deal with both “gaps” and “horizons of expectations”.
“The word pectorals is mostly associated with males working out their chest, instead of stating that Norma Jean works out or consistently goes to the gym bodybuilding implies more strength and masculinity. The word bodybuilding also shows that Norma Jean is stronger.” Good, close textual observations here. I like that, even in a reader response analysis, you’re paying attention to diction and small details. Do you think, though, that the choice of “pecs” for instance, is meant to “signal” to the reader that Norma Jean is attempting to reorder her own perceptions of sex and gender (as well as her muscle tone)?
“while Norma Jean flexes her biceps and fells for hardness. Leroy is questioning his place in their relationship while Norma Jean shows her strength and masculinity.” Another good observation. The fact these things occur at the same time is an important detail. Ultimately, though, what do you think the greater significance is here? Why does the author place these two in roles that defy typical gender roles . . . and then show the relationship not working out as a result? Do you think the story is a commentary/critique of traditional gender roles? A critique of non-traditional roles? Try to get at an overarching idea the text is communicating. So far so good, but you will want to have a thesis-like statement/idea around which to focus your observations, and this might be it. Good luck, and I hope the feedback helps!
A