Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity is a book drafted and advanced by Kerry Cohen. The book is a presentation of the challenges that girls go through in modern society. The main character, Kerry, used by the author helps the readers understand the various experiences that girls encounter as they grow. The character demonstrates a number of issues that affect individuals in present times. Some of the factors that the author uses in her presentation include gender inequalities, character, dysfunctional families, as well as self-realization and courage. It is vital to explain that while most of the aspects appear in the course of studying the book, self-realization and courage appear in its later parts. Concisely, the author uses the book to open up on issues that affected her as she grew. The act of opening up demonstrates courage and self-confidence, which only takes effect after she has realized her true self. Therefore, the essay examines the presentations of Kerry who is the main character in the book Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity.
Gender Disparity
In the book, several instances depict the matter of gender disparity. Some of the factors that substantiate the issue include stereotyping, despise, unfair treatment, objectification, role definition, and societal perspective. These factors help the readers to understand the challenges that the lead character, Kerry, experienced as she grew. Through the character, the author presents the matters of gender inequality in a vivid manner. It is evident that the society looks down at a woman and despises her, a concept that the author presents in her book. According to Cohen, society sees women as lesser than men and objectifies them (63). The explanation provided by Cohen enables the readers to understand some of the reasons that led to Kerryâs descent to promiscuity and immoral behaviors.
Stereotyping and Objectification
The author, Cohen, uses her book to demonstrate the concept of stereotyping in society. From the book, the author uses characters that perceive women as lesser than men. It is practical that Cohen tries to look for her identity and in the process is exposed to the effects of a stereotyped society. Stereotyping has led to the wrong perception that women do not have the ability to undertake the various roles that men execute. Moreover, society believes that women are objects that they can exploit to satisfy their needs. Household chores and homemaking are some of the roles that society believes belong to women because of stereotyping. In the perspective of Carrington, stereotyping leads to wrong beliefs concerning the roles that men and women should play (11). Therefore, through her lead character, Cohen provides a clear presentation of the various stereotypes that exist in the modern world.
Objectification is another concept that is evident in the book. Apparently, Kerry, who is the lead character, becomes a subject of objectification when men use her as an object of exploitation. The men capitalize on the fact that the character does not have self-confidence and use her in line with their wishes. Besides using the character in the book to present the challenges she experienced, the author also creates a picture of how society looks at women and objectifies them. In the words of Cohen, men used and dumped the character after satisfying their desires. Use and dump is a practical concept applied to objects when people dump them after optimizing and exhausting their role (Szymanski et al. 17). It is important to explain that objectification is one of the challenges that the feminine gender experiences as they struggle to find their place in a modern society dominated by men.
Despise and Unfair Treatment
Other concepts that compound the subject of gender disparity in the text include despise and unfair treatment of women. Through her book, Cohen explains the various instances when men despised her because of her gender. According to her presentation, men looked at her as a lesser being and neglected her personality. Cohen alludes that the low self-confidence that she developed soon after the divorce of her parents worsened because of the vilification that she experienced in the process of trying to find her true self (21). It is important to explain that even today some people believe that women are lesser beings and that they do not deserve any kind of respect. Surprisingly, the characters in the book needed Kerry to fulfill their pleasures and as they did so, they failed to look at the various efforts that she put forward effectively. Instead, they downplayed these engagements and looked at her as a woman who did not deserve respect and appreciation.
Unfair treatment is another concept that is evident from the study of the book. Exploitation, use and dump, and demeaning the lead character are some of the aspects that the author uses to present the concept to the readers. After reading the book, one understands the perspective through which various societies look at women. The kind of treatment received by Kerry in her journey towards self-realization was unfair and demeaning. Soon after realizing that she was vulnerable, men started to treat her unfairly and as an object. Carrington states that one nightstand, as well as use and dump, are some of the various scenarios that demonstrate the unfair treatment accorded to women (8). In her words, Kerry stated that although she expected to find real intimacy, which entailed unconditional love, what she encountered was exploitation and unfair treatment from society. The experiences of Cohen all through the book explain the treatment that the women grapple with as they try to define their positions in the modern world.
Role Definition and Classification
Role definition is evident in the book Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity authored by Kerry Cohen. In drafting the book, Cohen ensures that the aspects of role definition are clear and succinct. The author uses the lead character to explain the position that society believes men and women should occupy. It is important to explain that the concept of role definition is not only practical in the book but is also apparent in the modern world. The dominant gender, which is the male, usually ensures that they dictate what the women should do.
It is fundamental to explain that society expects each gender to follow the provisions and undertake the roles that are within their parameters. Zimmerman and Dahlberg explain that domestic activities executed within the homestead are among the roles that society classifies as feminine (74). Due to their dominance, men usually take up good roles and classify them as theirs. The author uses the book to explain the various challenges that young women experience as they try to dictate their space in the society that has a class of roles defined for each gender.
Besides defining the roles that each gender has to undertake, the society also classifies individuals into two distinct categories. The classification is an outcome of the stereotypes that society defines in relation to the roles that they believe each gender should perform. The experiences of Kerry in the long journey to seek and realize her true self is a clear demonstration of the classification that the society places men and women. Before the society, Kerry was a woman and therefore, her sacrifices and expectations of true love did not materialize (Cohen 146). Since society has classes for each gender, Kerryâs class meant that she would receive the kind of treatment that women received in line with the stereotypes and places in which the society put them. It is critical to explain that while the lead character in the book engaged in unethical behaviors with several men, the men did not receive the kind of admonishing that she received. The scale of reprimand that women receive in the aftermath of the immoral engagements is a clear demonstration of the lower class that the society places them in respect to that of men.
Effects of a Dysfunctional Family
Another major subject that the author presents in her piece of literature is the role of families in the overall growth and development of young children. The writer uses the book to demonstrate the role that families play in dictating the destiny of an individual. The main reason that initiated the challenges that Kerry encountered was the divorce of her parents that took place when she was an adolescent. The events in the family led to her descent to the lowest levels of womanhood, a factor that almost made the girl lose her dignity. According to Mancini, a dysfunctional family has a close relationship with the loss of morals among individuals (23). The divorce affected the young adolescent and initiated a number of concepts, which included unethical behavior, fear, and destruction of self-confidence.
Unethical Behavior
In the book Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity, the author brings the subject of behavior and morals to the forefront. By using a loose girl, the author explains the challenges that she experienced after undertaking activities that were unethical. It is clear from the book that the lead character was vulnerable and could undertake immoral acts easily and without caution. From the onset of the book until some stages towards the end, the character is loose and acts in accordance with the requirements of others. In a number of cases, she downplays her wishes, likes, and preferences in order to please others (Cohen 117). The behavior that is evident in the book is a reflection of the kind of life that modern teenage girls encounter in society as they try to identify their true personalities. Towards the end of the book, the author provides the direction that is ethical and informs the readers of the essence of adopting the right ways of living.
Fear
Fundamentally, a divorce is one of the serious challenges that a child can experience. Carrington asserts that when families break, the individuals who suffer the most are the children (6). The children later blame themselves for the events that transpired before and after the divorce. In the context of Kerry, the event led to fear and uncertainty. Her journey to find true love, affection, and intimacy is an outcome associated with the experience. After the divorce of her parents, Kerry started a quest that entailed seeking appreciation, affection, and love from people outside the family. The journey is a demonstration of young children who have unmet feelings. When families break, children do not get to optimize their experience with both parents, a phenomenon that is evident in the literature advanced by Cohen.
Loss of Self-Confidence
Additionally, the engagements of the young woman, Kerry, demonstrate the loss of confidence. It is imperative to explain that parents are the first role models who define the overall progress of their childrenâs lives. As such, their separation is a challenge to the child who fails to acquire the requisite values and confidence. In the perspective of Kerry, the separation plunged the young woman into a state of fear and initiated low self-esteem, a matter that made her vulnerable to exploitation (Cohen 37). The values that the parents should have inculcated in Kerryâs life did not materialize after the divorce. Therefore, the young adolescent became a subject of societal training and acquired a misguided opinion about true love, intimacy, and affection.
Self Realization and Courage
Towards the end of the book, Kerry realizes her wrongdoings and identifies her true self. The young woman understands that real love, intimacy, and affection are not acquired through selfless sacrifices to individuals, who are not appreciative. The realization leads to her acquisition of dignity and abstinence from undertaking immoral activities that she used to involve herself in up to that time. When finally Kerry meets her fiancé, the young woman demonstrates lots of integrity and dignity until they eventually get married (212). The message that the author tries to convey concerns the fact that people can correct their mistakes and regain their lost glory irrespective of their past engagements. After realizing her true personality and abstaining from the misdeeds, Kerry regains her former dignity and gets the courage that leads to her drafting a book, which has the accounts of her life. It is practical to assert that the record of her accounts that are in the book Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity could only transpire after she has gained the courage through the process of self-realization.
Conclusion
The book Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity presents several concepts and matters that concern modern society. From the accounts of Kerry, who is the lead character in the book, the author demonstrates the matters that affect women and young girls in the modern world. According to the author, the society has stereotypes and classifications that dictate the position of women and their roles. The writer uses the character to demonstrate the perception of women by society. Apparently, the author takes the readers through the journey of loss, descent into immorality, and an eventual realization of self. The journey that the author employs when providing the events of her life helps the readers understand the benefits of ethical behaviors and the demerits of immoral engagements. The book is indeed very important in our modern society characterized by stereotypes and exploitation of the feminine gender.
Works Cited
Carrington, Kerry. “Girls and violence: The Case for a Feminist Theory of Female Violence.” International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, vol. 2, no. 2, 2013, pp. 63-79.
Cohen, Kerry. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity. Hyperion, 2008.
Mancini, Lisa. Father Absence and Its Effects on Daughters. Thesis, Western Connecticut State University, 2010.
Szymanski, Dawn, et al. “Sexual Objectification of Women: Advances to Theory and Research.” The Counseling Psychologist, vol. 39, no.1, 2011, pp. 6-38.
Zimmerman, Amanda, and John Dahlberg. “The Sexual Objectification of Women in Advertising: A Contemporary Cultural Perspective.” Journal of advertising research, vol. 48, no.1, 2008, pp. 71-79.