Written on the Body (1-40)

Summary:

In this novella, both the narrator who has not been identified and a confussed married women discuss the theory of love. The married women beileves that in order to maintain a strong marriage there has to be lots of friendship and getting along between the couple, while the fierce and optimistical narrator says that to keep a marriage strong there has to be lots of sex. There are many disagreements between the two in the true meaning of love, but one thing that they both do agree on is the power of love and what it can do to people. The narrator talks about his/her experiences in love and relationships and introduces three words "I love you". In his/her relationship he/she felt as though she was obligated to say "I love you" in return and that made him/her and insincere person. While the married women has been in a relationship with her husband for years but it is simple out of commitment. The narrator takes us back to a church and describes the altar and what the soon to be married couple say while up there. He/She says that she could never lie up at the altar like other people do, and solomley promise to take care of another peorson for the rest of her/his life. The narrator beileves that some things are better left unsettled and there is no need for commitment when you can just have fun.

Quote:

"I love you and my love for you makes another life a lie" (Winterson 19).
Reaction:

This novella has strong dual narration and the narrator and a married women have completly different point of views. One is more sincere and honest about her feelings, because she has been married for so long. While the other beileves that marriage and commitments are all for the birds, and who needs it. The narrator seems to be the dominant one in the conversation, but what the married women in saying is slowly processing in the narrators mind. They both agree on certain thi ngs while in many ways they disagree so much. <3