Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is about the main character Calliope Stephandies growing up in detroit in the 1960's where she discovers that she is a hermaphrodite; raised as a girl, the body and the mind of a boy. She tells the story of how this mutation of her chromosome 5 mutated leaving her the unique genetic make-up and a troubled identity. Now 41, Cal digs into his family history to find out how he became how he is. He tells the story about a Greek family immigrating to the united states, settling in Detroit. The books goes through significant events in history: Greco-Turkish war, industrial revolution, prohibition and the depression years, also race riots, and discrimination. Once Cal's parents find out the truth of their daughter, they go to New York to see a genetics specialist. He concludes that hormones andcosmetic surgery will complete Cal's female identity. She will not be able to have kids, adoption is her only option for a normal family. She runs away, transforms herself into a boy and hitchhikes across the country.
The reader explores the the story of a girl going through puberty, tyring to fit in and questioning herself about her feelings and trying to understand the changes her body is going through. While Cal is trying to be normal she knows she is quite different from everyone else. The author uses Cal as a figure of the humane. The reader sees more than a "freak" but a person who they eventually root for at the end of the book. The authors attempts to show the readers that no matter how unique, strange, or different we are, everyone has genetic history. He really makes you care about this awkward girl in the begining of the book that you would have never of imagined of understanding her situation.
I think the book is very insightful; it shows us how to look past someones appearance. Everyone has history and a background, but just because someone is different doesnt mean we should treat them differently. i mean think about if you were in Cal's situation: imagine being an hermaphrodite; going through life especially different from everyone else. Imagine not understanding whats going on with you and your body. No comprehension of the thoughts your having and no control over the action your body makes. Imagine waking up one day and realizing that your a "freak" that you have to take dramastic measure to live as normal human being; surgically removing apart of you, not knowing which half of you is the right half. Living all your life being raised as one sex but realizing that your a whole different sex. Can you really picture a life of being a girl and second guessing yourself or your sexuality because you may like someone of the same sex; recieving mixed signals and mixed feelings.
I think the book is great, i highly recommend it. The book starts off really slowly so if your person who cannot do with the long beginings then this book may not be for you, but it does take a while for the book to unfold. Once the book does start getting into the meat of the story that it flow nicely.
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6 comments:
I didn't read your SSR report becasue I want to read that book for myself, and I don't want it to get spoiled. I am responding to the questions that you had abhout my book. Well the money that he stole was dirty money, and he found out about it by wiring his building because he knew something sneaky ws going on. He had no remorse for leaving his wife because she was having an affair that he knew about for years. Every time he would go one a businesss trip, she would invite this guy over. Right after his fake death, the guy that his wife was cheating on him with moved in. Ok, affair right... so he had speculations about the child. Child wasn't his!! Yea crazy right. So he was planning his departure for a while. He wanted to get away from his fake life, but he had to wait for the right timing.
sounds like a pretty neat book, Zaneta!
Well I must say that book sounds, very interesting, and because of that I am very interested in that book. I especially love how it ties in historical events. I think, from you explaination of the book, that the historical evidence only enhances the idea that you should look past a person's appearance and look into their core. Sounds great.
This book sounds very interesting. I am not much of a reader but from what you have summarized, it sounds like a good book. It sucks that it has a slow beginning because thats the harderst part of the book for me to read (the beginning). I will give it a try and see if I like it. I also like the fact that it ties back to histroy. Sounds like a good book.
Zanetta this sounds like a really good book. I feel terrible because I once used to think that hermaphrodites were kinda like "freaks". The truth is that I'm ignorant in that matter/subject so I just judged it because I didnt know about it. I no longer think like that because I know better; we are all children of God and we shouldnt judge. But I do think that this book can help explain some things or at least let me get into the thoughts or a hermaphrodite to try and understand what they go through.
ok this book has really gotten my attention. i want to read it because i have never read anything like that before. it seems really good so i'm gonna give it a shot!!
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