Other questions:
- Swenson thinks after the sex scene, "Chicken soup! The adulterer's wife cooks him chicken soup. You couldn't get away with writing a scene so obvious and corny..." (177). And yet Prose is writing that scene right there. Does she get away with it? Why or why not?
- The sex scene is a kind of fulcrum, a point that pivots everything else. We've been heading toward this moment for over 100 pp and then it happens and changes everything. How do you see Swenson, Sherrie, and Angela now? What has changed?
- After Swenson reads the sex scene in Angela's novel, he feels determined to prove that he's not the music teacher in her book, that he's better. What do you think?
- What does the broken tooth symbolize?
- Now that the sex has happened, what do you predict will happen next? (If you've read ahead, don't give it away for those who haven't.)
- What questions do you have?
I thought from the beginning that Swenson was the type of person that would have sex with his student. However, he is a victim in a way because I think Angela is lying to him. I don't trust Angela and Swenson definitely shouldn't. I think Swenson is the teacher in Angela's novel. Deep down Angela really feels what the character in her story feels.
ReplyDeleteI think Swenson was determined to prove that he wasn't the music teacher in the book because he's doesn't want to believe that hes that kind of a person. I think deep down he knows that he's becoming like the character in Angela's book. the broken tooth symbolizes the mistake he making by sleeping with Angela. It sort of represents the improper relationship between an old man and a young girl whos also his student. it symbolizes there forbidden relationship where its going lead to a bad outcome. The fact that broke is tooth during the sex scene already says a lot about how there relationship is going end. What I think is going to happen next is that Swenson is going get caught and it isn't going end well. I think he's going to lose everything that he has like job and his family.
ReplyDeleteWhen Swenson slept with Angela, I wasn't shocked because it was kind of obvious he was going too. Prose was dropping hints throughout most of the earlier chapters that it was going to lead up to that. Actually, it would've been surprising if Swenson didn't sleep with Angela as most of the novel revolved around Swenson daydreaming about putting his hand up Angela's skirt. Prose doesn't get away with writing the obvious and corny scene where the cheating hero simultaneously wallows in guilt and luxuriates because she didn't give much suspense. The sex scene was obvious and corny because the reader knew it wasn't going to happen. Adding in the sex scene was the most cliche thing to do. Like I said before, it wasn't a surprise, it would've been better if Swenson didn't sleep with Angela or if he slept with another one of his students that no one expected. I view Swenson as a sick man who is going through midlife crisis and doesn't know what his purpose in life is anymore. Instead of dealing with his insecurities and urges he cheats on his admiring wife who is totally in the grey and is dealing with second hand embarrassment and doesn't even know it yet. Angela on the other hand is just conniving and one of those females that come into your life to ruin it. She knew Swenson had a wife and still pursued a relationship with him. The scene where Angel and Swenson went to Burlington to get a computer, in the car ride Swenson was constantly mentioning Sherrie. Although he was self conscious that Angela would get upset or jealous of him mentioning his wife repeatedly, she didn't seem to care as she ignored every comment he made involving Sherrie. It seemed to me that Angela enjoyed seeing Swenson in such a sticky situation. Like a sadist. Everything has changed. Before Swenson was able to communicate with Angela like a normal person even though he was having inappropriate thoughts about her. Now he could barely make eye contact with her or be around her without feeling like he's about to face a judge and get a 10 year sentence. Same with Sherrie. He could barely be around her without feeling guilty or acting weird because he's trying so hard to avoid the truth. I feel he is the teacher in Angela's novel. He knows it, Angela knows it and so does the reader. Angela knew what she was doing from the beginning and so did Swenson. He's only trying to prove he's not because he did something he wasn't supposed to and wants some type of closure or relief. The broken tooth symbolizes the universe stopping Swenson from going even further with his relationship with Angela. It symbolizes that Swenson shouldn't even be in Angela's dorm room and the broken tooth is buying him some time to get himself out this situation. Now that the sex scene has happened, I expect Swenson to say something to Angela that doesn't sit well with her so she goes back to his wife and tells her everything.
ReplyDeleteInteresting response, Andrea. I wonder about your contention that it's predictable that Swenson sleeps w/ Angela. I agree w/ you, but I don't know if your other outcomes--he sleeps w/ some random student or sleeps w/ no one--would offer the same narrative punch. But this raises an interesting question: Can a predictable story be pleasurable? Even though we know the two people are going to eventually get together in a love story, can that still be pleasurable? Even though we know the murderer will get caught in a mystery, does that matter?
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