Text Exploration #2

            Text Exploration #2

In towards the end of the story T’Gatoi (TG) and Gan have an argument over who TG should impregnate as Gan debates within himself if he would be able to live comfortably knowing that TG’s maggots would be crawling inside her.

“Would it be easier to know that red worms were growing in her flesh instead of mine?”-pg 26

Wording/Syntax:  Gan calls the newborn children of the Tlic mere “red worms.” This shows the amount of respect Gan has for these children that no they are not valuable lives but mere red worms compared to the importance of his sister.

Word Definition: According to the OED the word easy is to be “At ease; characterized by ease or freedom from pain or constraint.”

Connection/Trouble: While it may seem heartfelt that Gan wouldn’t be able to live peacefully knowing that she bears the worms of TG this statement still seems somewhat problematic. Gan does this so that he could live easily but doesn’t consider how his sister would feel that he’s undergoing the pregnancy. While yes he only does this to put himself at ease that the pain his sister is going through won’t be his fault but he doesn’t actually consider what if she actually would like to bear TG’s worms instead of her own. I mean who would want to bring children in such a manipulative world their in?

Paraphrase: This is when the vicious scenes of pregnancy come into play and make this short story as intense as it was. With the reader cringing along with the main character on what he had viewed it doesn’t make it difficult at all to relate to him. To understand what you’re sacrificing for the sake of others.