Reading Response Questions Vagina Monologues #1

1)The genre of this piece of literature is drama, meaning that Ensler wrote these monologues to be performed. Why do you think she wants vaginas to be publicly performed? Why does she want vaginas to be physically embodied? What effect does this have on the way we see and think of vaginas?

I believe Ensler wants vaginas to be publicly preformed because performances allow people to come together and experience something that comes off the page of the book. If the audience can not hear how the piece was written or intended to be read then the message of the writer is not fully understood. If the author’s purpose is not interpreted properly by the reader then their intentions for writing might as well be lost and the book never published. A writer is nothing without their words being understood. This author’s purpose was to strike up a conversation and for her audience to understand the severity on the topic of genital mutilation. This author wanted to talk about the things that were taboo and unspoken and that is why I myself wanted to get involved in such a movement. We can help one another if she share our experiences. We are afraid of the unknown and experience creates knowledge and if we shares those experiences we will no longer be afraid as far as speaking about taboo subjects such as sex and vaginas. This is why we have to embody vaginas because if we don’t a sense of fear will always remain. We need to come together to support one another to let each other know we are normal and we have all have had similar experiences as the women in these monologues.  Vaginas are part of who we are and in order to experience who we are and know our true identity we must know our vaginas and how we feel about them. In order to successfully do this we must take part in the conversation. We must have a positive experience that we want to share with others or find someone else who has had the same negative experience to share in order to start this conversation.