Summer Project Findings: Intellectual and Sexual Journeys

in Verena Stefan’s Shedding

By Abigail Grable

Background• Set in West Germany in the 1970s• Detailed glimpse into physical and sexual journey of young

protagonist • Travels throughout Europe, struggling to gain acceptance as

both physical object and intellectual being• Experiences unfulfilling relationships and sexual encounters• Gains exposure to new political attitudes and medical

advancements• Ultimately becomes advocate for women’s civil and

reproductive rights

Outline of Findings

The novella effectively showcases the protagonist’s struggle for both physical and intellectual acceptance as a woman, through the use of:• Recurring themes• Unconventional chronology• Subtle foreshadowingIt also provides powerful perspective to obstacles that women battle even today

Recurring Themes• Sexual appeal VS. intellectual respect• Desire to attain physical cohesiveness

“from head to foot” through sexual identification and satisfaction (Stefan 5, 6, 13)

• Determined to experiment sexually through the birth control pill

• Relief in being unable to acquire the pill suggests the daunting implications of being sexually active

• The pill becomes a metaphor for the threat that sexual acceptance poses against a woman’s own physical and mental well-being

Unconventional Chronology

• Alternates between progressing and regressing in time

• Emphasizes similar roadblocks encountered with each romantic partner

• Pinpoints dissatisfaction with her partners and her growing cynicism toward sex

• Contrasts the protagonist’s desire to empower other women with her dwindling interest in spending her life with men

Subtle Foreshadowing• Predict the protagonist’s sexual rebellions and their impact

on her sexual identity• Hints at her growing interest in women’s politics and

women’s rights at various instances– Diverting from sexual engagement in the process

• Indicates protagonist’s eventual acceptance of women as intimate partners– Prove to be more emotionally fulfilling than past relationships with

men• Sexual rebellions highlight the protagonist’s self-acceptance

as both a sexual and intellectual being• Reinforce her eventual lack of dependence upon men for

such affirmation

Empowering Women• This sexual and mental journey can be especially

enlightening for modern American women, who are fighting for their reproductive rights

• Since contraception, abortions, and a woman’s sexual identity are largely controversial

topics in the United States today, Shedding can provideuseful perspective into the internal and external struggles that accompany them

Conclusion

Shedding effectively showcases its protagonist’s struggle for both physical and intellectual acceptance as a woman, using:• Recurring themes• Unconventional chronology• Subtle foreshadowingIt also provides powerful perspective for empowering women today

Questions

What questions do you have for me?