... with anyone and "had no desire to have a penis near [her] vaginal area" (Bell, 40) for a long time after. There is an issue here that has been a repetitive theme in Alicia's life, that as men get close to her they begin to discomfort her. As a defensive mechanism, Alicia developed a way to "play the game." She would use ... especially when it was someone that found her good-looking. In terms of relationships, "the more distant a man, the safer he felt to her" (Bell, 41). There is a reoccurring theme of environmental surroundings and cultural surroundings affecting ones identity as seen ...

• Word Count: 1743
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... to claim that the stories are totally free of conviction towards freely gratifying sexual desire, it is not at least to say that they were to a very large extent. The theme of lustful attraction and ensuing sexual intercourse is played over and over throughout the book without second thought from the characters, except on occasion only for the purpose of figuring ... a philosophical argument we only have a compilation of stories. Therefore, Boccaccio's personal beliefs must be interpreted through identification of currents of thought within the various stories. I was able to find one re...

• Word Count: 1609
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate