2 Voices

Initially, Written on the Body was a very confusing book to me. I found it hard to understand because the narrator was never fully disclosed, I still don't even know if the narrator was a man or a woman. So, at first it was hard for me to get into the book because I did not even know who the narrator/protagonist was. Then I started to realize that maybe that's the point. Our lives, who we are as people are so defined by boundaries, by what a man should do versus what a woman should do. The two voices that seemed obvious to me, was the stereotypical male and female (a male who just wants sex and a female who wants more).
Male: I can have sex with a woman with no emotional attachment. Sex is just sex, two people using each other as a means of sexual pleasure. I liked how the main character has a lot of sexual partners. It was something that I could really relate to because I think it is a realistic portrayal of human relationships.
Female: Sex is something special and an intimate thing shared between two people. The only way for sex to be fully stimulating and pleasurable is for it to be with someone who you love and deeply care about. Sex is something that is meant to be kept sacred and should be saved for a special person.

Desire is a concept or idea. It has no concrete definition and people interpret it differently. People also desire different things at different times. What I desire now, as a 21 year old, will be quite different twenty years from now. Although it changes according to context, I think desire is love with sex. Someone can love another person without being physically attracted to them, like a friend or relative. But as soon as you add a physical or romantic connection, it becomes desire.

The painting "Fire and Desire" represents the concept of desire very well. The roses, candles, and wine suggest a romantic or sexual connection between the two people. I noticed that many of the roses were just petals and got to thinking about how it is usually rose petals that are associated with love. Could it represent eliminating the possibility of getting hurt, the thorns?

I also noticed their position and her facial expression. Her eyes are closed, suggesting that she is so content and comfortable with him. She feels safe and trusts him enough to let him hold her. He's holding her in such a way that suggests he really cares about her and wants to keep her as close as possible. The painting isn't dramatic, there is no action. Its just simple. The only thing they care about is each other.

"Desire"

The roses, candles and wine gives the impression of sex
The way he is holding her makes it look like he loves her and wants her to be safe and protected
Her facial expression and closed eyes gives the impression that she is comfortable around and safe

Skim

I really liked this book. I think it was easier to relate to than the other books we read this quarter because I think everyone had good and bad memories of high school. Although the events in the book were not typical of a normal high school experience, they were still more relatable than the experiences from the other books. Throughout high school, people have similar, maybe not as dramatic, experiences in love and tragedy.

La Perdida

To begin, I liked that La Perdida was like a comic. It was different from most novels that I have to read. Sometimes my mind wanders and lose focus on what I'm reading. The drawings helped me stay on track and understand the story the novel better. I also liked the story. Being in Mexico and meeting many different people, the story was like an adventure. I thought that the end of the book were confusing. It kind of left you with inconclusive ending.