Ever since I began my writing for assessment in my course I've handed in something at least a little bit kinky, or at least with something naughty about the story. This time, I was committed to playing it straight and work with a narrative entirely non-kinky. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides was entirely appropriate, I decided, to launch myself into real literature and to give smut a break. I determined that to be a serious writer that is what I needed to do. Work with the material of a Pulitzer Prize winner and a writer of whom I am in awe and I was heading on the right track, was my estimation.
Ah! But, I would not be entirely right at all. For Jeffrey is perfectly capable of a little smut himself and he handles the material deftly.
One night in their unit, Leonard asked "What's your most secret sexual fantasy?"
...
To placate him, Madeleine thought for a moment, "This'll sound weird, but I guess it would be to be pampered."
...
And, for the next hour or so, Leonard went about fulfilling it.
\...
She was frightened to ask Leonard what his secret fantasy was. But in the spirit of reciprocity, a day or so later she did ask. Leonard's fantasy was the inverse of hers. He wanted a sleeping girl, a sleeping beauty.
...
Well, that was easy," she said afterward.
"You got off lucky. It could have been a slave-master sort of deal."
"Right."
"It could have involved enemas."
"Enough!"
The spirit of exploration that now dominated their bedroom had a strong effect on Madeleine. It led her, a little while later, to confess to Leonard one night, when he wanted to repeat the hairdresser scenario that being pampered wasn't really her secret fantasy. Her *secret* secret fantasy was something she'd never told anyone and could barely admit to herself. It was this: whenever Madeleine masturbated (this was hard in itself to confess to) she pictured herself as a little girl, being spanked. She didn't know why she did this. She had no memory of being spanked as a girl. Her parents hadn't believed in spanking. And it wasn't really a fantasy of hers; that is, she didn't want Leonard to spank her. But, for some reason, thinking about herself as a little girl being spanked had always helped her to have an orgasm when was touching herself."
So, here's what I think about all that.
(1) The writing in this scene turns me on much more than the writing in 50 Shades of Grey.
(2) I'm feeling slightly all powerful and am not at all inclined to tell you if Leonard does spank Madeleine (but could be bribed to do so...).
(3) I really really want to work with this narrative source now.
(4) All through the book I had this sense that Madeleine felt rather like me. The above is evidence of this fact.
So, as Al Pacino would say, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
Ah! But, I would not be entirely right at all. For Jeffrey is perfectly capable of a little smut himself and he handles the material deftly.
One night in their unit, Leonard asked "What's your most secret sexual fantasy?"
...
To placate him, Madeleine thought for a moment, "This'll sound weird, but I guess it would be to be pampered."
...
And, for the next hour or so, Leonard went about fulfilling it.
\...
She was frightened to ask Leonard what his secret fantasy was. But in the spirit of reciprocity, a day or so later she did ask. Leonard's fantasy was the inverse of hers. He wanted a sleeping girl, a sleeping beauty.
...
Well, that was easy," she said afterward.
"You got off lucky. It could have been a slave-master sort of deal."
"Right."
"It could have involved enemas."
"Enough!"
The spirit of exploration that now dominated their bedroom had a strong effect on Madeleine. It led her, a little while later, to confess to Leonard one night, when he wanted to repeat the hairdresser scenario that being pampered wasn't really her secret fantasy. Her *secret* secret fantasy was something she'd never told anyone and could barely admit to herself. It was this: whenever Madeleine masturbated (this was hard in itself to confess to) she pictured herself as a little girl, being spanked. She didn't know why she did this. She had no memory of being spanked as a girl. Her parents hadn't believed in spanking. And it wasn't really a fantasy of hers; that is, she didn't want Leonard to spank her. But, for some reason, thinking about herself as a little girl being spanked had always helped her to have an orgasm when was touching herself."
So, here's what I think about all that.
(1) The writing in this scene turns me on much more than the writing in 50 Shades of Grey.
(2) I'm feeling slightly all powerful and am not at all inclined to tell you if Leonard does spank Madeleine (but could be bribed to do so...).
(3) I really really want to work with this narrative source now.
(4) All through the book I had this sense that Madeleine felt rather like me. The above is evidence of this fact.
So, as Al Pacino would say, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
'slightly all powerful'
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully submissive way of putting it!
With what could you be bribed?
Anon: A game. Always, a game. Thrill me and I'll tell.
ReplyDeleteGoodness me, we are feeling playful aren't we?
ReplyDeleteWe must be careful what we wish for, like the monkey's paw, it may come to pass!
Anon: Games don't come without risks, but therein lies the attraction.
ReplyDelete