If you liked "Sexy"...
If you liked Jhumpa Lahiri's "Sexy"....
then you might also enjoy ”Two Step” by Maile Meloy or "The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For Friday, read the first of those stories and post a 4-5 sentence reflection/reader response here as a comment to this blog post. You also need to REPLY DIRECTLY to 2-3 of your classmates comments (think: Instagram/Facebook feed, but slightly more detailed than a series of emojis or five word responses!) as part of this assignment. There's no need to include actual textual evidence in either your original response or when you comment on classmates' work, but you certainly can. If you're having a hard time generating ideas, feel free to look back to the short story questions we used last term. I just want to get a sense of what you thought about the story you've chosen; there's no pressure, so have some fun and be creative. I can't wait to have a virtual discussion with you all!
then you might also enjoy ”Two Step” by Maile Meloy or "The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For Friday, read the first of those stories and post a 4-5 sentence reflection/reader response here as a comment to this blog post. You also need to REPLY DIRECTLY to 2-3 of your classmates comments (think: Instagram/Facebook feed, but slightly more detailed than a series of emojis or five word responses!) as part of this assignment. There's no need to include actual textual evidence in either your original response or when you comment on classmates' work, but you certainly can. If you're having a hard time generating ideas, feel free to look back to the short story questions we used last term. I just want to get a sense of what you thought about the story you've chosen; there's no pressure, so have some fun and be creative. I can't wait to have a virtual discussion with you all!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Jhumpa Lahiri's short story "Sexy," Maile Meloy in "Two-step" humanizes both the wife and the mistress in an infidel relationship by portraying the pains and vulnerability that the women share. Lahiri and Meloy criticize the men for their superficiality and point out that they seek relationship outside of wedlock to validate their masculinity. In both stories, food symbolizes culture and intimacy: in "Sexy," Dev takes Miranda to fancy restaurants while Miranda seeks food from his culture on her own, implying that he keeps his distance from her and does not open up to her; in "Two-step," Alice's husband stops cooking for her but has cooked for Naomi in a motel--food is likewise a representation of love, comfort, and personal charisma. Both stories intend to reveal the disadvantage of women in such situations, depicting them as "faithful retriever" depending on their "master." When I read "Two-step," I was surprised to find out that Naomi has been cheating with Alice's husband toward the end. However, when I went back and reread it, everything made sense. Meloy deliberately uses the pronoun "he" to recreate the characters' confusion and internal conflicts to the readers, emphasizing the universality of people of the same gender.
ReplyDelete--Linda Liu
In "Two-step," the food can also represent relationship strength, and active love. As cooking takes time and passion, and it can show the reader the characters true feelings, and also add the confusion as the pronouns do, as even the husband is conflicted.
Delete--Kate Golson
Yes! The scrambled eggs!
DeleteThe connection between the two stories is really interesting too because they both show a situation where the relationship between characters is considered to be wrong stereotypically, but the insight given about the characters reasons for their actions provides a new way for readers to understand that kind of relationship.
Delete- Devlin Hieber
I found it very interesting that the author intentionally leaves the Husband nameless, like you pointed out, but names and humanizes Max, Naomi's now ex-husband. It could be because Naomi is a foil to the husband, and Max to Alice. They are both being left by their partners due to cheating, and because Max is being left, he isn't dehumanized, like the husband.
Delete-Gus
That's a great point, Gus...I hadn't actually noticed that and love how you're all bringing this together. I also like Devlin's observation about how Meloy helps capture who these characters are with such little details. You can tell exactly the kind of person and husband and Alice are in particular, I think.
DeleteIn the short story, "Two-step" there is a complicated relationship between a married couple and the wives friend, who is also married but is involved with the others husband. Theres an overall theme of forced identities, and trying to be someone you really aren't that is shown by all three of the characters. Alice is trying to be the perfect wife and avoid confrontation or conflict with her husband by dismissing it through the two-step dance that they do. Alice is also quite sneaky because she is kind of setting Naomi up in the way that she explains the whole situation to Naomi and then forces her to stay and watch Alice dance and be happy with her husband even though she knows the truth. Naomi is trying to denying herself true happiness by making herself available to Alice's husband but only on his terms, and in doing so she loses her connection with her own husband. Alice's husband is living a sort of double life, because he is trying to force himself into being a perfect husband for Alice even though that isn't what he really wants. It seems as though his relationship with Naomi is the escape for his true self, but it is unclear if that is because of Naomi herself or because of the thrill of the forbidden relationship. All three of these characters seem to be struggling to truly find themselves and are using each other in an attempt to do so.
ReplyDelete- Devlin Hieber
The differences within the husband's character of wanting to be perfect while also deliberately cheating can add to the confusion that the husband feels while trying to find himself, and even his "escape" causes mental and emotional turmoil.
Delete--Kate Golson
Do you feel sympathy for the husband?
DeleteIt is so interesting how Meloy depicts the emotional struggles of Alice, Naomi, and Alice's husband simultaneously, humanizing all three parties in adultery, overturning the traditional criticism of their immorality in such situations. I am surprised that you think Alice knows the truth all along though--that would make sense with the two-step dance being a performance of her happiness. This way, the two-step dance functions just like the dress and make up in Lahiri's "Sexy."
Delete--Linda Liu
Answering Dr. Hynes question:
DeleteI feel sympathetic for the husband in the sense that I can tell he feels trapped and I feel as though he is hiding his true self behind the image of the perfect husband which he thinks he should conform to. But in regards to him cheating on his wife, I think he was too focused on his personal self to realize the true effects of his actions on his wife.
- Devlin Hieber
I agree with Devlin about having some sympathy for the husband^^. I feel as though his nature and who he is allows him to do these kinds of things to the women in his life which is wrong, but it is apart of who he is due to maybe emotional damage he has faced in his past. He is a very selfish man though and puts himself over anyone.
DeleteYes, I love the little details Meloy gives about the husband. He's clearly someone who wants to be in charge and likes that power over people, which we see in his personal and professional life. I agree with Devlin that he's pretty self-absorbed, and I think Malika is on to something...there's that picture of the little boy in the hallway who is Alice's stepson, so they haven't even been together all that long, which suggests a potential pattern...maybe Alice is so nervous because SHE was the other woman at some point??
DeleteAnd to respond to Linda...I didn't think that Alice knew it was Naomi, either. I think she suspects the affair, obviously, but I don't think she knows it's Naomi. If she did she would be one cool customer to be having that conversation with Naomi!!
DeleteI don't sympathize with the husband because, even though he is selfish and deceitful in nature, it always works out in his favor. He has nothing to feel remorseful for because he got everything he wanted by the end of the story. He keeps his wife happy and reinforces his marriage, and still manages to salvage his relationship with Naomi, even if she is unhappy.
DeleteThe turning point in the Maile Meloy's "Two-Step" occurs when Alice's husband comes home: 'Hello!' he called, and Naomi felt as if a guitar string in her lower abdomen had just been plucked, and left to vibrate, by the sound of his voice. For all of the characters, this is the moment in which tensions are at their highest, and the description that Naomi gives of the guitar string being plucked illustrates the atmosphere very well. For Alice, this is moment where she begins begins interrogating and confronting her husband, while simultaneously, whether she knew it or not, testing Naomi. Alice's husband enters a very high stakes scenario in this moment as well, as he has to juggle not only convincing his wife of his loyalty, but also placating his lover. After this moment the tension begins to wind down as the husband chooses his wife over Naomi, and she resolves to leave the house.
ReplyDelete- Vincent Moroz
This is such a great line--it shows the physical and emotional power he has over these two women as well as the tension in the room that we, as readers, understand in a way that the husband and Naomi do but Alice does not. Do you think that Naomi will leave her husband now? Or will she have to now that she's told him the truth?
DeleteThis is one of my favorite lines. This moment of confrontation is the first time when Meloy depicts clearly the charm of Alice's husband over Naomi. Before, Naomi only drops hints about her relationship with him but does not seem to have much emotional fluctuation. But from this point on, the vulnerability of Naomi, Alice, and Alice's husband is all revealed.
Delete--Linda Liu
Also, the first thing that the husband says to Naomi directly is "How's Max?" This follows what Vincent said about him choosing his wife. He's reminding Naomi of her wrongdoings, and making her feel like she's the evil one.
Delete-Gus
Both Naomi and the husband are at fault of course, but the way the husband contradicts Naomi and Alice when they are all together is interesting. He at first shows no affection towards Alice when he comes in because "he is sweaty" and later he hugs her and dances with her in front of Naomi. It is pretty clear he is a player and wants Naomi to feel hurt, lonely, and confused.
DeleteOooooh, you're making great arguments about why the husband is a dirty dog and a frightening emotional manipulator! Imagine him walking into that scene in the kitchen...bringing up Max is pretty cold and calculating. I also feel sorry for Naomi here, even though she's an adulterer. She's probably going to end up on her own and the husband will just keep on going (probably to the next affair...see my comment in an earlier post about why I think he's a serial adulterer).
DeleteTo answer Dr. Hynes first question:
DeleteI read the end of the story as if she resolved to continue on with the adultery. Her choice to sleep in the husband's car and wait for him to come and apologize made me think that she would eventually be okay with her position in the love triangle. And even if she did want to go back to Max, she states his character is so morally strict that he would never forgive her for cheating.
The title of the short story, "Two Step," not only references the way Alice and her husband dance to stop fighting, but it alludes to the theme of power, and how it affects relationships. When partners dance a Two Step, one is the leader and one is the follower. Traditionally (though rather patriarchal), the male is the leader and the woman is the follower. He determines the pace and steps of the dance, and the woman follows along, completing the moves with him. According to the religious comparisons that Alice makes, (how he could lead a cult, and how she saw him as a "god"), this appears to be the same effect that the husband has on Alice. Where he goes, she follows. He has the power. When Alice has figured him out and is ready for him to confess, she has slipped from his control, shown by how she "never really expected contact," however, she loses this when they decide to dance again. The husband, instead of coming clean, has chosen to manipulate further, and continue to feign loyalty for his wife. Alice's strong defiance is no more, and Naomi points out how "they had always been dancing like this, and always would be, and anything else was only a vivid hallucination." He will never stop taking advantage of his wife's affection, and her accusations are now just "hallucinations."
ReplyDeletethis is Gus by the way, whoops
DeleteI love the way that you outlined not only the significance of the dance in said relationship, but also how the dance put different pressure on the husband and Alice. The dance helps illustrate the power dynamic that you mentioned, most notably when the husband "chose to manipulate further, and continue to feign loyalty for his wife". The manipulation also runs deep into a more psychological state with the statement, "her accusations are now just "hallucinations" (quotes from Gus's analysis).
DeletePreach @RonikG.
DeleteGreat job with the title, Gus! And I love that she chose "two step" instead of waltz or something else. There's literally no room for a third person, even in the name of the dance. And yes, Ronik, he is a master manipulator. She wants to believe her hallucinations even though she knows she probably shouldn't!
DeleteI think you could also place that concept of the two-step signifying patriarchal control in the context of the husbands relationship with Naomi as well. Even though she is fully conscious that in the end he picks Alice over her, she still allows herself to be under his control by sleeping in his car, waiting for her turn with his affection
Delete.
I like the way you're reading Naomi in the car at the end, Vincent...those are good details to close read in the context of her character.
DeleteIn "Two Step," by Maile Meloy an important symbol that is also in Jhumpa Lahiri's "Sexy," is the demonstration of the reality of marriage and a relationship in relation to having an affair. In both scenarios, the husband inevitably chooses his wife over their mistress. In "Two Step," Naomi's guilt is not transparent until the end of the story but we as readers can see how Alice's relationship and the things Alice says about her husband has an affect on Naomi. The husband in both stories always go back to their wife as sometimes love can be tricky, complicated, deceitful, and messy. One thing that is apparent is that no matter what the bond and strength in a marriage and in his relationship with Alice will persist regardless of any side factors. To really let go of someone you are bound to, to go to someone else is a task many cannot follow through with... Even in "Sexy," Dev would enjoy his time with Miranda but would always go back to his wife. Even when things ended between them, he was not necessarily sad but instead was not as committed emotionally to Miranda than to his wife. Cheating and betraying one's spouse is never right, in this situation even though the husband left his previous wife for Alice it is debatable that he would leave her again for Naomi. I think he truly has love for Alice and won't really let her go, but due to the man he is, he falls back into his old ways and that's why is able to still have an affair with Naomi. When Alice and him fall back to each other and dance as a way to make up it shows that their love is confusing but strong.
ReplyDeleteNice connection to "Sexy," Malika! I like that you've brought up his previous marriage, which Meloy slides in pretty subtly. I agree that he's more likely to stay with Alice, perhaps, because she's part of this whole world he's created for himself with his big house, his job, his Subaru, etc. I feel for Alice, though, since she bought into the whole thing kind of like Miranda did, only Alice is more trapped and isolated, and now one of her best friends turns out to the be the person he had the affair with, whether she knows it or not. Speaking of, do you think she knows that it was Naomi? There's been some debate about that in another thread.
DeleteCarlie is having trouble posting, so here's her response:
ReplyDeleteIn "Two Step", by Maile Meloy, the title alludes to a few things within the story. The husband is two-stepping with multiple women at once throughout the story, and Alice and her husband have to two-step to stop arguments. The husband is "two-stepping" with different women, at first its his ex-wife and Alice, and now its Alice and Naomi. He is literally stepping twice, into the lives of two different women at the same time. Then when he and Alice get into an argument, they have to two-step to stop arguing, which is an interesting way to solve an argument that is probably a result of him two-stepping with another woman. He hold immense power over both women, in both of his "two-stepping" scenarios, one of the women is pregnant with his child, and the other is infatuated with him. He can then manipulate both of them at the same time to stay with him because of the power he has. Alice is aware of the fact that he is cheating on her, but she feels obligated to stay with him because she's with a child and she doesn't want to let go of the white picket fence life that she had imagined with him. Naomi is also wrapped around his finger, even after discovering that he would be a father, she still waits for him in his car because she knows he will come to her soon. The two-stepping is a symbol of power and control, he controls the women by coming in and out of their lives and he controls his wife by whisking her away in what seems like a romantic gesture of dancing in the kitchen.
Carlie--I like how you've added another layer to the significance of the "two step"--it's allowing him to "dance around" or sidestep his responsibility in this whole situation!
ReplyDeleteAdichie Chimamanda's "The Thing Around My Neck" brings to light the social circumstances that many immigrants struggle with in the United States through Akunna's eyes. The title of this story refers to the feeling Akunna has every night before she goes to sleep, as if she is being choked by some invisible pressure. I think that the thing around her neck represents the stressful duality she deals with that keeps her from writing to her family. She knows that she is unhappy in America, with its ignorant people and stark cultural difference to Nigeria; however, she feels shame in vocalizing her unhappiness because of the pressure her family and friends put on her through their hope and jealousy. Akunna, as a result of this, feel's stuck and chooses to isolate herself because of it. Only through her relationship with her boyfriend does she begin to find some solace in juggling american life and nigerian memories. She realizes though the ups and downs of their relationship that she has reached a level of giving and taking that she is happy with. As a result, she feels no shame in returning to Nigeria after the death of her father.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the relationship with the boyfriend is what allows her to gain confidence in her transition into American life? Or at least to reconcile with her conflicted feelings about it?
DeleteI think that her rejecting the boyfriend's gifts can be seen as a turning point then, as she is rejecting the "taking" that America supposedly brings. By refusing to accept the gifts (or at least keep them for herself) she is refusing to let America convert her and shape her into something that she's not. She can therefore return to Nigeria with "no shame" as Vincent put it.
DeleteI think her relationship with her boyfriend is definitely an important step in her realizations, but I think mainly what he contributes is giving her a different point of view of things, a new kind of insight I guess. Really I think her growth comes from within herself. Her relationship isn't necessarily the cause of her happiness, but it acts more as a guide to help her revaluate her thoughts and emotions, which leads her to changing herself for the better and therefor becoming happier. I agree too with Gus that the gifts are symbolic of her refusing to let America change her, and allowing herself to change in a way that benefits her without disregarding her background.
DeleteI completely agree with Devlin in that Akunna's relationship with her boyfriend gives her an inside perspective on American culture and heightens her feelings of alienation. Her boyfriend is one of the only people in America that do not judge her based on stereotypes of Africa, yet he disappoints her with his wealth and inability to empathize with her, as seen through her confusion when she receives the useless gifts, as Gus mentioned. This is when she realizes that she can never be completely at home in America because of the inherent differences in the American and Nigerian value and perspectives.
DeleteYes...how do you feel about the boyfriend (interestingly unnamed)? He's intriguing to me. He seems like a good guy initially, but then I feel like he's attracted to her because she allows him to project a certain version of himself.
DeleteI agree with all the comments above.. I think that her boyfriend provides comfort and support, but she what she truly discovers is who she really is and becoming more independent. Responding to Dr. Hynes question above: I think her boyfriend is good for her but only temporarily.. nothing about their relationship in the reading really sticks out to me that he is really THAT good for her. Yes, he buys her gifts and is kind to her, but it also seems that he could potentially really hurt her and if she does come back to America, I doubt that their relationship will continue. I think he was a great addition to the short story and taught Akunna certain things, but he seems a little clueless and doesn't really know what she's going through even though she says she feels comfortable about telling him about herself.
DeleteI like how Dr. Hynes put it. I feel like the main reason he is attracted to her is so that he can fully embody the open-minded and "woke" person that he is projecting himself to be. His lack of name seems to further prove that he is not truly special or different to other Americans.
DeleteIn the short story "The Thing Around Your Neck," Chimamanda Adichie uses the symbols of cars, food, and the figurative chain around Akunna's neck to convey the alienation and despair one feels when moving to another culture. The car represents not only status and wealth but also social mobility. Akunna's father crashes into a car that is "wide, foreign, and dark green, with golden headlights like the eyes of a leopard," which draws a sharp contrast with the limited scope of reality of the family. The father is in despair not only because he has to pay for the repair of the valuable car, but also because he has to confront the cruel reality of his poverty. In fact, the car crash foreshadows the family's inability to move up the social ladder and the father's death. Like the hot mix in "Sexy" and the scrambled eggs in "Two-steps," the cultural foods in this story symbolize the performance of fusion or acceptance of different cultures. For example, although dining at Chang's seems to demonstrate the couple's love for each other and the integration of different cultures in society, the Chinese waiter does not regard them as a couple, judging them based on their race. This incident offers a very interesting perspective because it reverses the stereotype that racist beliefs are only held by white people against black people. The "thing around your neck" is a metaphor for the culture or memories that haunts Akunna as she is being whitewashed. As she first moves to America, they "very nearly choked" her. However, as her relationship with her boyfriend develops, the thing starts "to loosen, to let go." She changes from holding back to letting go of her past life and values. What is interesting is that at the very end, she hugs her boyfriend "and then you let go." Before, she gives up her culture for exotic love, and now she turns away from the superficial comfort America and her boyfriend gives her, embracing her traditional values. In this story, what intrigues me the most is Adichie's use of the second person pronoun "you." It pushes the reader to empathize with Akunna and emphasizes the universality of humankind regardless of race or background.
ReplyDelete--Linda Liu
I also love that this story is written in the second person...it's pretty rare to find that in fiction, and I think Adichie uses it very effectively here. I also love your analysis of the car (such a great description) as well as the way you're tying all three stories together with their use of food. Nicely done!
DeleteAlso the food that Akunna cooks makes her boyfriend sick, maybe implying that even he hasn't accepted her culture, because that's what food has usually represented in these stories, as you've pointed out.
DeleteIn "The Thing Around My Neck" by Adichie Chimamanda, the most important piece of imagery is the fortune cookie with blank paper, as it represents the shallow nature of Akunna's experiences in America, and how she was treated while living there. The first layer of this imagery is the cookie itself, as fortune cookies (though advertised as some "ancient Chinese delicacy") were popularized in California, and may have a tiny resemblance to a sweet in Kyoto, Japan. They are an artifact of Americanization, just like the Americanized view of Nigeria and its people that Akunna struggles with throughout the story. The blank fortunes only reinforce how shallow the people around her are, treating her like an “exotic trophy” instead of a real person. The country and the cookie have nothing to offer her, so she returns to her family, apparent by the long hug and her “letting go” at the airport.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis is so true. Indeed, fortune cookie was invented in America and imposed onto the Chinese-American culture. I was very intrigued by the blank fortune as well. It also foreshadows the unpredictability of Akunna's future, as she is slowly losing her culture and being Americanized.
DeleteI didn't know that fortune cookies had more in common with a Japanese treat! I love this detail of the story too...so you think that when she "lets go" at the end she's never coming back?
DeleteThis is a really interesting way to look at it! The connection you made between the country and the cookie is cool as both are blank and give her no reason to stay. It's like her fortune in the US is blank and means nothing.
DeleteI'm still trying to understand the significance of the fact that there are two fortunes in the cookie. Perhaps it foreshadows the ending of the Akunna and her boyfriends relationship by saying that there is no future for them?
DeleteI find it very interesting that the story used a blank piece of paper inside of the cookie. I assume that many of us have had a fortune cookie and know that you expect to have some kind of cheesy fortune inside, but with a blank fortune, Akuuna's fortune in America might have been blank, causing her to leave. Really nice job with the analysis though.
DeleteCould the blank fortune also be positive? About possibility?
Delete"The Things Around My Neck" is a very interesting short story because the title is very vague but represents so many different things. Akunna describes it as a pressing weight in relationship to being an immigrant in America. Because the "things" around her neck are never stated completely she struggles to understand what exactly she feels restrained by. I think partially she really struggles with her own guilt, and she feels bad for having these negative emotions regarding being an immigrant. Also the fact that these things are not completely visible means that those around her struggle to see and understand what she is going through, and these people include not only her family but I think are also symbolic of the lack of information and understanding a lot of American citizens have for immigrants. A break through for Akunna is "letting go." Her relationship with her boyfriend really helps her come to this moment, but also the growth within herself helps her let go of the pressure she feels whether it's an outside pressure or a pressure brought on by herself.
ReplyDelete- Devlin
I agree! The thing on Akunna's neck is amorphous yet omnipresent, and not until her relationship with her boyfriend does she come to see what the weight really is--her culture. Your statement about how the thing on your neck is nameless made me think about all the other characters in this story. I have noticed in "Two-steps," Meloy manipulates the masculine pronoun to create confusion surrounding the two husbands. In "The Thing Around Your Neck," all the characters are nameless except for Juan and Akunna. Akunna's family members are nameless because of her familiarity with them but also because of their insignificance in the Nigerian society and therefore the world. Her boyfriend is nameless because he is not unique compared to the millions of Americans reluctant to understand her culture. Juan is the only one named because he, too, has been from a foreign culture and sympathizes with Akunna.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Thing Around My Neck" by Chimamanda Adichie, the symbolism of the American Dream is portrayed to be life-changing and fascinating to Akunna's family in Nigeria, but unrealistic and unattainable to her once in America. Akunna's family is proud that she won the "visa lottery," and expects her to have a big car and house soon, but instead Akunna learns to live on her own and face challenges independently. Throughout the short story, we see that being an immigrant and coming to America is clearly not what it seems. Akunna not only struggles financially, but is affected by those around her as well due to their lack of knowledge and understanding of different cultures and backgrounds. The sacrifice of herself for her family in such a complex and challenging environment shows her strength and loyalty to the ones she loves. Though her family thinks she is embarking on an amazing journey, she hides away the pain from them and chooses to stay strong and work hard in order for them to survive as well. Similarly, Akunna chooses not to write her family until the end and only send them money as a way to hide the experiences she has gone through.. such as being molested by her uncle, running away from that home, finding a new life and boyfriend in a different city, and overall changing who she is due to her new influences and being in America. The guilt Akunna feels in the end due to her father passing away demonstrates that she might have not expected her new life to be as good as it was, due to her falling in love and getting comfortable with herself. She tries to figure out what she was doing, as she was enjoying herself, when her father passed away and that swarms her mind of guilt. Leaving America to go take care of her family resorts back to the original idea that Akunna is able to put anything to the side to take care of her family, which shows her courage and resilience, even if it means leaving her new life and loved ones behind.
ReplyDeleteDo you think she'll come back? Does leaving the boyfriend and "letting go" allow her to gain confidence and reconcile with the reality of the American Dream?
Delete