Simple Passion
What I found remarkable about this piece is how unashamed Ernaux
is of the foolish things she does because of desire. She makes wishes in church
and consults fortunetellers, hoping that he calls today and at the very least
left her with aids. These are things
that I would be far too ashamed of to admit out loud. Furthermore, Ernaux doesn’t deny her
obsession or have any desire to wean herself off of A. On the occasions that
she did begin to distance herself, she commented, “These fleeting moments of
detachment were prompted by external factors; I did not wish for them.”
The manner in which she openly acknowledges herself as the
author and talks about the act of writing makes it feel like a letter from a
friend. It makes her more personable and relatable. Her style seems very raw
and unfiltered, so she shares internal dialogues that most authors would choose
to cut. Because of this style, she’s able to establish herself as a strong
independent woman while simultaneously telling the story of becoming an obsessed
slave to desire. This dichotomy is unique to say the least, and extremely
effective in conveying deeper emotions and more personal thoughts with the
reader. After reading only two chapters of her writing, I feel as though I’ve
known Ernaux personally.
This text especially demonstrates the destructive nature of
desire. Ernaux explicitly acknowledges that she, “experienced pleasure like a
future pain.” (p. 33) The brief time she spends with A is sublime, but she is
ever aware of the misery to come when he leaves. She also acknowledges that
desire has a time release; Eventually A will not fulfill her. By coming to know
her own desire, she was able to let go of A and break a barrier between herself
and society. Desire is a fundamental emotion for humans, and after experiencing
it for herself she is able to have a deeper understanding of those around her.
We’ve briefly looked at desire as a means to know the other, but Ernaux
demonstrates this concept seamlessly.
The Reconstruction of Desire and Sexual Consumerism
in Postwar Europe taught me things about
sexual norms that I never would have thought to explore. I was under the
impression that many modern sexual liberties had only become commonly accepted
within the past ten to fifteen years. In reality, there were a number of
vibrant subcultures associated with taboo sexual practices that became popular
as early as the late fifties. I must admit, I got a certain sense of
satisfaction out of reading that, “when a factory forewoman was put on trial
for providing abortions, her female workmates sent her flowers.”(P. 204)
This text was more informational than what we’ve looked at
in the past, but it conveys an important message; when it comes to love, humans
are generally in sync. Individuals’ various desires help them to understand and
find others in a similar situation. It's remarkable that something as abstract and personal as desire can act as a bonding agent for people who are otherwise completely unconnected. During years when desire had a very negative
public connotation, subcultures of people overwhelmed with unexpressed desire daringly
emerged and incited change in public opinion.
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