Making connections.

Our class discussion on Tuesday opened up a whole different way of viewing male and female writing for me. Never before had I thought of their differences in this light. I don't really know if I agree with everything Cixous and other feminists writers propose, especially concerning the extreme connection between sexuality and writing. However, I've come to learn one very important thing this semester: Even if you don't agree with the entire idea, it's always good to listen and craft your own thoughts on the issue. So, I listened to the different views of these feminist writers and I've come away able to make a connection to what I learned and external texts I've been reading.

As noted in Abigail's blog, we've just finished reading the novel How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan. And after reading this story I felt no different; actually I felt like I had wasted a good chunk of my time. Although the book is very entertaining and an easy read, I just felt like something about the plot line was dull and unfinished. Nothing huge ever happened; there was never a moment of suspense or dramatic events. Instead, the entire book just kind of skipped along merrily in the exact order expected. After our class discussion on Tuesday, Abigail and I were fascinated at how much Terry McMillan's novel relates to this non-climatic structure in relation to women's sexual experience. There isn't a place or chapter or event in the book where one can assign climax of the story. No, the entire story is the experience, if that makes any sense.

It is through these connections that I've been able to make with the material we are covering in class with other outside texts that is challenging me and allowing me to sharpen these new ideas/skills I'm learning. Making these meaningful connections is forming a foundation for other things, new information and ideas, I learn to build upon.