ENGL 2109 Lecture 5: ENGL 2109 February 8 Giovanni's Room Pt 3

• School: Carleton University
• Department: English
• Course: ENGL 2109
• Professor: Jodie Medd

Document Summary

Gio(cid:448)a(cid:374)(cid:374)i(cid:859)s oo(cid:373) as a metaphor (cid:862)(cid:272)loset(cid:863) of se(cid:454)ualit(cid:455) Room: white-washed and locked to keep the world out. Structure of the room is determined by the world outside it in itself. Metaphor of imprisonment (more mental/internal than space-centred) Self-surveillance: watch and discipline himself, stealthy and socially hyper aware. Struggle: attracted to & feels contempt to him at the same time. Timing: dad just sent a letter reminding him about his expectations for his gendered self. Feeli(cid:374)g of (cid:374)ot (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g a(cid:271)le to go (cid:858)ho(cid:373)e(cid:859) // sailor: re(cid:373)i(cid:374)ds hi(cid:373) of ho(cid:373)e. Sailor: gay icon, homoerotic resonance + epitomy of masculinity. Represents heteronormativity earlier in the novel, represents his freedom of homosexuality at the end of the novel. Love being about the body + flesh too. Addressi(cid:374)g (cid:449)hat happe(cid:374)s if (cid:455)ou(cid:859)re afraid to lo(cid:448)e so(cid:373)e(cid:271)od(cid:455) > addressi(cid:374)g ho(cid:373)ose(cid:454)ualit(cid:455) itself. Doing it as a chore --> drag of heterosexuality as normative.