Prof. Jessica Penner | OL02 | Spring 2021

Johar Martinez, Critique on Anonymous

I enjoyed the things this piece does. Very much so in the sense of how I got a feel for the authors anonymity not being there as protection but to prove a point. As for the point itself, I enjoyed how the author conveyed this message as well as the voices she’d hear of other women who’ve already accepted the conditions she and others were put in. All in all I really enjoy how the author goes about this message, not completing it with a simple “this is my story” but in a way saying something along the lines of “this did not break me.”

Although I really enjoyed the piece, it still felt odd to read. I mentioned believing the authors anonymity being intentional to the point being made, but I still wonder if that was really the case. Was it really as I believed or was it simply due to some religious factor or outside parties? Another question that wondered throughout my head was how did the husband reached the point he did. It’s understandable how he became increasingly jealous to the point of lashing out and getting angry, but how did having two writers in the house escalate from “its great” to not so much?

4 Comments

  1. Ralph Ayala

    I do agree with you regarding about the author trying to prove a point to the readers. The struggle in society for woman proved how unfair it can be. I am curious, why did it feel odd to you?

  2. Nuha

    I agree with you about how some women accept their faith in being with abusive husbands, but Anonymous stood up for herself, and she wrote her story to give a voice to other women who can’t stand up.

  3. Nuha

    I agree with you about how some women accept their faith in being with abusive husbands, but Anonymous stood up for herself, and she wrote her story to give a voice to other women who can’t stand up.

  4. Anna Chen

    I agree with the point on the author’s intent to stay anonymous. For what reasons? What led to her concealing her identity? What kind of culture is it like at her home to make her feel this unsafe??

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