Extra Credit

Chrissy Dente

CNF extra credit

Carolina/Tennessee by Anna B. Sutton is a great example on how authors “face their dragon.” In this piece, the author writes about her love affair with a married man. When you are the “other woman” it’s hard to open up and admit that you are possibly ruining a marriage. The author makes it clear that she feels guilty about the man that she has been sleeping with is married; it’s hard in general to point out the things we are guilty about. This situation can also be shaming and embarrassing for the author, knowing she is used for sexual attention, since the man goes home to his wife instead of her. It’s a lust relationship, which is often frowned upon in society. The author addresses all of these dragons: the lust, the wife, and the guilt. She does so sorrowfully and regretfully. Another dragon she faces is the places they meet up, thanks to their lustful relationship. It’s any place and any time, as long as she has it. To truly face her dragons, she moves away. Distance should cure all. She admits diving into his temptation when he calls her two months later, but she defeats her dragon by not continuing her journey to meet him.

            I really liked this piece because I feel like it can be relatable to some people. It’s a real life situation; people often get caught up in lust and don’t always deal with the consequences, but this author does. I admire that she faced her dragons. By her facing her dragons, all of the aspects of this relationship that are completely wrong, she is able to say goodbye. Facing her dragons allowed her to stop all the problems she avoided. She freed herself from the dragons.

            I Remain Very Sorry for What I Did to That Little Black Kitten also shows the dragon of guilt. The author brings up throwing away the kitten, which seems crude and cruel, and how she feels guilty. She remembers this when her daughter brings it up. By her facing this dragon, she has to face that what she did was wrong, and she cannot change it. She was at a tough age, where image mattered. If only she didn’t care about what others thought and she would not have to live with the guilt. Speaking up about an embarrassing moment of immature guilt can hopefully help her move past this event and not be struck by guilt anymore. 

            Landlines also deals with guilt. I feel like each of this pieces that we read deal with the authors facing an embarrassing moment in their life that they feel guilty about. The author in this piece felt wrong for leading a man on like that at such a young age. Yes, her and her friend knew it was wrong and gross, but continued to lead the man on because it was fun and interesting. The guilt arises when Stevie actually finds the author. How do you tell your parents your stalker is a creepy man you would talk to on the phone at the mall? She felt guilty about her actions and this piece of writing makes her face her dragons. She has to face the fact that she was young and naïve, and made a bad decision. She was also very scared. The author faces the guilt because she feels stupid about the decisions she made as a young girl.