When first reading ” Whatever Happened to ____” something that I enjoyed was the transparency that the author provided. She let us know that she was a mother, teacher, wife, and writer and how she went through abuse from her husband. In her writing, she states “being a mother, a woman, wife, and a writer is different from being a writer-writer”. This quote really stood out to me because it demonstrates to us that women have to go through more barriers than a man would. I also really enjoyed how she constructed her story because for me the story kept me wanting to keep reading, I was really engaged with the story. The reading also showed the struggles women still go through, but also how they can overcome it and become successful. One question I have is why the author decided to stay as Anonymous?
About
Professor: Jessica Penner
Email: creative.writing.citytech@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. I’ll be available through Zoom and will send an invitation via email that you should keep all semester. Try to join my meeting at the start of the hour, not at the end—since I may be talking to other students or have another appointment after the hour is up. If those times don’t work with your schedule, we can schedule a different time. This means you’ll have to schedule an appointment in advance. I suggest you have multiple times in mind, since your schedule may not mesh with mine!
I agree with your thoughts on the author’s transparency because I think this allowed her to be more relatable. Her tone throughout this piece seemed conversational and it also made me want to keep reading. I like that you acknowledged the struggles many women face not only in their social lives but in their marriages as well. If I had to guess why she decided to stay anonymous I would say maybe because she didn’t want to risk her husband reading this and knowing she was the one that wrote it.