Blog Entry #5, due August 19—Scene 9 through end of the play. Select one prompt to respond to, and follow the guidelines for writing and posting. Be sure to refer to specific details and ideas from the text, using a balance of short direct quotes and paraphrasing.
A) How do SARA and CALLIE each come to terms with their affection for each other? Compare and contrast their differing reactions and responses. Is there a crystallizing moment for each when we see them realize their feelings?
B) Discuss your impressions of SARA and CALLIE’S relationship toward the end of the play. What direction is it headed? How do you know? What aspects of SARA'S personality and lifestyle does CALLIE find most valuable? Has she started to incorporate these into her life? How about from SARA’S point of view regarding CALLIE?
NOTE: After everyone posts a comment on the 19th, read the entries and post a follow-up blog entry by the 23rd.
NOTE: After everyone posts a comment on the 19th, read the entries and post a follow-up blog entry by the 23rd.
(I appreciate your respectful discourse thus far, and want to remind you that most good literary fiction allows for disagreement about a text's meaning--this is one of the piece's strengths. It is also important to assume good will when responding to each other's entries--the occasional misinterpretation is to be expected, as one's own words may be construed differently by others, especially if ideas have not been fully fleshed out. This should not be a cause of resentment, as the misunderstanding can be easily clarified.)
Josselyn
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the last scenes of Callie and Sara’s relationship in Stop Kiss, I would say that their relationship is heading in the right direction. As I read the ending pages of Stop Kiss, it was evident that what Callie and Sara shared wasn’t going to be a onetime experiment, but rather transform into a caring, responsible, and steady relationship between two people who shared a deep love for one another. During Callie’s visits to Sara’s hospital room, we see Callie stepping up her responsibility in hopes of keeping a place in Sara’s heart and mind when Peter (Sara’s ex) begins to talk of taking Sara home to her parents— the old life that Sara had just escaped from at the beginning of the play. Though I must admit when I began to read the play I saw Callie as the type who couldn’t commit to a relationship due to her relationship with George. I think she began to realize this too when she met with Mrs. Winsley in scene eighteen:
CALLIE. But I do visit every day.
MRS. WINSLEY. It must be exhausting for you.
CALLIE. Well her family is here—
MRS. WINSLEY. Are you close with them?
CALLIE. No… not close…
MRS. WINSELY. Oh, I’m sorry I thought you two were—
CALLIE. I know….
MRS. WINSLEY. So you’re not really—
CALLIE. No like I said I go there every—
MRS. WINSLEY. But you’re not really involved.
Even though this comment was a hard hit to Callie, I feel that it was for the best because it made her undergo a transformation. She went from being unsure of how she felt about Sara to trying to make some impact upon the decisions Sara’s family was trying to make for her. Personally I think it was a big step for Callie, going from only caring about herself to caring about Sara as her girlfriend. She didn’t want her to go back to St. Louis. Her meeting with Mrs. Winsley had strengthened her caring for Sara. For the first time Callie was able to take hold of her feelings and make them come true. In the past she had never let George know of her jealously, and that prevented her from having a real relationship with him, but because this time she let Sara know how much she cared about her, their relationship became reality. It was from there that my view of Callie began to change and as she watched Peter try guilt trip Sara into coming home in scene twenty it was evident that she had no intent of standing by and watching people make decisions for Sara any longer.
After overhearing Peter trying to convince her to come home, Callie enters and asks the nurse to show her how to bathe Sara. The reason why I felt this scene was important to the growth of their relationship was because before in scene sixteen Callie didn’t want to give Sara a bath. She didn’t feel comfortable being around Sara in that way because their relationship wasn’t defined enough for Callie to feel she should take that responsibility for Sara. But after Callie takes that step toward being in a caring relationship with Sara, she realizes in order to prevent Sara from going back to her old life in St. Louis, she has to prove to Sara that she is strong enough to keep her safe and support her without the help of her parents or Peter.
ReplyDeleteI also think that what saved their relationship were the parts of Sara’s personality and lifestyle that Callie valued the most. In many scenes I saw that Callie valued Sara’s amazing teaching skills, her kindness to everyone, and her freedom. In scenes sixteen and eighteen as Callie told others of what a great person Sara was, her constant admiration for Sara began to come off to me as being proud. Before I got the feeling that she was ashamed of Sara because her feelings weren’t registering with her. But as Callie began to obtain the responsibility as Sara’s partner, she no longer hid Sara but rather showed her off. In scene eighteen Callie told Mrs. Winsley of how kind Sara was to those less fortunate than her because she would always smile and give the homeless a dollar instead of a few cents. Sara was nice to everyone she met, and to Callie that made Sara even more dear to her and attractive. I think it was Sara’s shining personality that caused Callie to care so much for Sara in the end. She realized that if she just let her go, she wouldn’t be able to find anyone else like her. By being with Sara, Callie’s personality changed and became more caring and helpful in order to incorporate traits from Sara’s lifestyle into her lifestyle. By the end of the play Callie went from being so introverted to being more extraverted like Sara. I think these changes really show in scene twenty-two as Callie helps Sara dress. To me it was almost as if the two had switched personalities completely because Callie was normally the quiet one who wasn’t sure of herself, while Sara was the helpful, caring, and strong one. But in that scene it is Sara who is the quiet, unsure one and Callie who was the helpful and caring one who is being strong in order to show that she can take care of Sara.
In conclusion I believe the personality changes Callie underwent showed Sara that being in a relationship with Callie would be safe and secure for her. Though in the last scenes Sara is unable to talk, she communicates her trusting of Callie through her gestures. As I read, I was unsure of just how deep Sara’s trust for Callie ran. Would she choose Callie or her parents and Peter? It was evident that her love for Callie was deep for when Callie asked Sara to choose her in the last paragraph of scene twenty- two and Sara smiled. Even though they had been through something so terrible that had the potential to affect Sara physically for the rest of her life, her willingness to choose Callie was amazing to me and showed that the love they shared ran deeper than what was portrayed. I am happy for both of them.
The relationship between two of the main characters in the play Stop Kiss, by Diana Son, is complex. Sara and Callie are two women who were secure in their sexuality until they meet each other and romantic tension begins to form. At first, however, neither of the women accepts nor acknowledges this. As the play progresses, they are forced to confront their feelings.
ReplyDeleteFor Sara, accepting these feelings comes more easily. She is willing to love Callie for who she is in spite of her gender and hand ups. She demonstrates this to Callie when she sends her ex, Peter, back to St. Louis.
Callie: He left . . . New York?
Sara: Yeah, he changed his flight. He left a couple hours ago. I told him to tell the driver to take the Van Wyck.
Callie: Something happen at work?
Sara: No it—I asked him to leave (Son 55).
Although Sara was ready to become involved with Callie before this, I think that this is a defining moment for her. It demonstrates to the reader, and to Callie, that she is ready for something new.
Changes, however, are not as simple for Callie. She is still clinging to an unfulfilling relationship with her “friend” George, afraid of moving out of her comfort zone. Even though Sara and Callie go on a date, I think that Callie is in a state of denial until after Sara is attacked and in the hospital. Peter and Sara’s parents want to move her to a rehab facility in St. Louis. Callie realizes that she might loose Sara. So, she learns how to take care of Sara, therefore giving Sara the option of staying together. Callie’s clarifying moment, however, does not come until she finally asks Sara to “choose me” (Son 60). This demonstrates to Sara that Callie wants to be with her despite her earlier hesitation and despite the lingering effects of the attack.
Sara and Callie’s relationship is, to say the least, complicated. Throughout the play one is unsure of what’s actually happening with them because of the jumping time sequence. I think towards the end of the play it’s still really hard to gauge what’s going to happen between Sara and Callie. In scene 22 Callie comes into Sara’s hospital room. While I’m not sure this scene can tell us where Sara and Callie’s relationship is definitely going I think it tells us Callie’s true feelings and maybe where she’d like things to go. She’s talking to Sara and at the end of the scene I believe its clear what Callie wants.
ReplyDelete“Callie: We gotta work together on this one, OK? Are you helping me? Yes. You are. The shoes go last. And like that. Now you’re gonna stand up. I’m gonna help One, two, three--. I can do this, you see? Choose me.”
When Callie says, “choose me” it’s clear that she wants something more from Sara and then just friendship, and I like how she just says it outright. However, I think that when she’s talking to Sara about having to work together to put her clothes on, she’s also talking about working together towards what they want. Its almost as if helping Sara change her clothes is a metaphor for their relationship, or some sort of test. At the end, Callie is up for it.
I think what Callie likes the most about Sara is her dedication to her teaching job. In scene five Callie and George are talking about it and it’s pretty clear that they’ve never heard of someone teaching in the Bronx because they want too.
“George: What’s she do?
Callie: She teaches up in the Bronx.
George: Oh, so she’s a nut.
Callie: There’s something wrong with us.
George: Why?
Callie: Because that’s what I thought when she told me.
George: You have to wonder about people who want to do stuff like that. What does she want to do—save a life? Give a kid a chance? Or does she just feel good trying.”
Both George and Callie think its strange to want to have this job but I think that Callie actually really respects Sara for it and it’s something she’s never seen before, which she likes. I think part of the reason Sara likes the whole teaching thing is because she’s good at it, and she knows she has something that she has a knack for. I think Callie realizes this when she goes to talk to Sara’s class about her job. That night, in scene nine, she tries cooking. I think that Sara inspired Callie to try and find something that she has a “knack” for. I think that in Callie’s mind she thinks she must look pathetic to Sara. I however, think that Sara regards Callie has some kind of force. Doing what she wants to do, living in New York City, and knowing a lot about it. Because the play isn’t from Sara’s perspective it is hard to tell.
Matthew Diamond a
ReplyDeleteThroughout the play Sara and Callie gradually find through their experiences with each other and their significant others their relationship seems to be something more than just friends. Sara’s moment when she realizes this comes in scene 21 when she is discussing with Callie and George how she told her boyfriend to leave New York City.
Sara. He was being so – he was criticizing everything. “Your apartment’s too small. It’s in a bad neighborhood. Your school is dangerous. It’s too far away.” All he could talk about was how dirty and dangerous everything is.
Callie. ...Well–
George. It is
Sara. What? Compared to St. Louis? I don’t want to live there. I’ve started something here and I – that’s what – because it’s…I love…New York!
George. (Nods.) Mm.
This moment is not just when Sara realizes her love for “New York” but when George catches on as well, that there is something more than a friendship between Callie and Sara. The reason Sara says New York is because she stuttered after saying the words I love, and though she shouldn’t say it at that moment especially in front of George; Callie does not catch onto this but George does which is why he postpones a reaction to this.
Callie’s reaction is much later and very different. Hers came from when she decided that she would like to learn how to bathe Sara. The first time the nurse asks there Callie tried to act nonchalant about not wanting to bathe her and ended up coming off as a little cold. Callie had a much harder time handling her affection for Sara than Sara did for her. Callie has a dysfunctional relationship with her boyfriend George which distorted how she views relationships and she didn’t want to get trapped in yet another. But when she asks the nurse if she could be taught how to bathe Sara she is stepping up into the role and learning that she can be who ever she wants, love whoever she wants, have whatever life she wants and no one can take that away from her.
As the story of Callie and Sara progressed, they both realized their affection for each other is more than just friendly. I don’t believe their realization was a huge moment of awe, but more of a slow awareness of the feelings forming. Neither of them really talks directly about their feelings, but more like subtle hints. I think the first to realize the lesbian attraction to one another is Callie. She reacts by worrying about what other people might think. When Sara comes over and is going to go with Callie to the awards ceremony she comes wearing casual clothes. Callie wants her to wear something nice, so Sara asks to borrow Callie's clothes.
ReplyDeleteCALLIE. I have to go to this thing and I want you to go with me but I don’t want you to wear my clothes. What will people think if we walk in together and your wearing my clothes? (Sara sits down) (Son 39).
Callie knows that she has feeling for Sara, but instead of embracing them, she tries to run and hide from them. She is afraid of what people will think, but I think she is more afraid of being a person who likes girls, because for all her life she has been straight, or so she thought. After this fight that Sara and Callie have, I think Callie knows for sure of her feelings about Sara. She then out of old habit, and comfort, calls George to come over. Callie is not satisfied with this as she was before Sara and she wants more than a casual relationship.
Sara’s reaction to these feelings is very different to Callie’s. She seems to be a little more naive, but also willing to try, and curious about what it means. When Sara and Callie are talking about this dance place that is all woman, it is obvious they both know their feelings for each other. They try to talk about it, but its hesitant and awkward.
SARA. You ever meet a woman there, that seemed…interesting…to you?
CALLIE. …No. (slight pause) Not there. (pause) Have you—? (Son 50).
CALLIE. But I mean have you ever…?
SARA. I mean I can’t imagine any woman who’s never felt attracted —
CALLIE. Right!
SARA. It’s just, I mean you’ve never actually been—
CALLIE. You want a beer? (Son 50).
Niether of them want to actually talk about it, and they both avoid saying any words that could pertain to them, like lesbian or love. Sara seems more curios and wants to know how Callie feels, but Callie is very hesitant to talk about it, and easily changes the subject. I think Sara is just waiting for Callie to admit her feelings, and waiting for her to realize it herself. That moment when they both are at full understand of their feelings, is the last scene of the play. Callie finally kissed Sara, and instead of acting surprised, Sara is happy and proud that Callie finally admitted her feelings. Even though I think they both deep down knew their feelings from the first moment they met.
To me, Callie and Sara’s relationships seems to be on the uphill at the end of the play. They both have a greater understanding of each other than they had ever had, which has allowed them to forge a close bond. I think that a strong indicator is how Callie helped to redress Sara in the twenty-third scene. Callie wasn’t just helping Sara, but she was being sensitive to Sara’s condition.
ReplyDelete“(Callie buttons Sara’s shirt.) Let’s keep you warm. It’s cold in this place. (Callie takes the pants. She helps Sara’s right foot off the footrest.) We’re gonna do this together. I’ll do this one. (She then points to her left.) That one you can do. (Sara takes her left leg off; it spasms.) Oh—Oh. OK. OK. (Callie flips the foot pads up. She scrunches up the right leg of the pants and wrangles it on.) We’re gonna do this together.” (Son 59)
This is more than just helping someone with some clothes. Callie’s willingness to help out Sara showed how much Callie cared for Sara. In addition, this scene shows how Sara was willing to trust Callie, even after the incident. This combination of trust and caring is one of the hallmarks of a strong and enduring relationship. One of the things they each value in the other is their respective differences. Many of their conversations are about things that they do that are different from the other’s life. For example, when they are talking about Callie’s visit to Sara’s classroom:
“CALLIE. Those kids adore you.
SARA. Do you think?
CALLIE. You have a knack for them.
SARA (As if the first time she’s heard it.) Thank you.
CALLIE. It was humiliating for me.
SARA. Why?
CALLIE. Standing up there talking about my idiotic job.
SARA. You ride in a helicopter, Callie, what could be cooler than that?
CALLIE. Have you noticed? The only thing you ever praise about my job is that I ride in a helicopter? (Pause.) But that doesn’t even matter. Standing up in front of those kids today telling them about what I do I thought—why should these kids care about traffic, their families don’t have cars. I don’t have a car. NO one I care about has a car. Who an I helping?
SARA. (Gently.) People with cars.” (Son 36-37)
In an interesting way, Callie and Sara prop each other up and recognize good things about each other that they would not have seen themselves. Callie recognizes how much effort that Sara puts into her job, and is often reminded of how difficult it is for her. Alternatively, Sara sees Callie’s life as interesting, even somewhat exciting compared to her own, even if to Callie it seems boring. This is a good sign for them as well: when they talk to each other, they feel as if they can communicate what they really feel. It was what Callie truly lacked in her relationship with George: a deeper understanding of the other, an ability to make a more personal connection.
--SP
One of the hardest things in life to do, is accept. Accept fault, feelings… In “Stop Kiss,” Sara and Callie have to come to terms with their relationship. Throughout the play, I noticed there are many moments where both seem to suppress feelings which are apparent. Both aren’t quite sure if the feelings they each have, are mutual.
ReplyDeleteIn scene three, Sara seems to hint — in a strangely blunt way — at her feeling for Callie.
SARA. Is George your boyfriend? (Callie returns, carrying two beers. She hands a beer and menu to Sara.)
CALLIE. I like the noodle dishes, they’re on the back. (Sara takes the menu.) George and I … are friends. Who sleep together. But date other people. Sometimes for long periods of time. We’ve been doing this since we were … 20… (17)
This is most likely the answer Sara is looking for. However, Callie shows no interest whatsoever for Sara. Callie even finished what she was saying with, “ … we’ll probably get married.” Callie doesn’t seem to be willing to express any sort of close relationship with Sara.
Although both Callie and Sara didn’t express affection in the same way, they both realized the feelings they each had. Sara was a lot more open and accepting of the relationship that was forming. For Callie it was a lot harder to do so. I think the point in the play where Callie sort of came to terms with her feelings was in scene twenty when Callie asks the nurse to show her how to bathe Sara. The first time Callie was given the chance to learn, she shied away. It was as if she didn’t want to become too close to Sara. Callie breaking down the barrier to help Sara, opened up her feelings as well. This play is a complex mix of trials. Just like life.
Throughout the first half of the play, the relationship between Callie and Sarah started out as a friendship. They would hang out on the weekends, talk about work, and have awkward moments when they thought they were getting too personal in conversation and change the subject. But during the second half of the play, it became obvious that their relationship was becoming more than a friendship. They have their first fight, where Callie kicks Sarah out of her apartment, and then they reconcile when Sarah comes to Callie’s apartment with a bottle of wine and apologizes. To me, this really marked that Sarah and Callie’s relationship was something more, and they both knew it; but they wouldn’t admit it. When the play finally ends with the scene where Callie and Sarah kiss, it becomes clear that their relationship is clearly real love. Their relationship was unlike anything they had experienced before, which leads me to believe that their relationship will last a long time. The scene where Callie changes Sarah out of her hospital gown into normal clothes at the end, really gave me the proof that their relationship was going to last a long time: Sarah is barely able to move and Callie goes through all this trouble just to give Sarah more comfortable clothes to wear really shows me how much they love each other.
ReplyDeleteI think that Callie appreciates Sarah so much is because Sarah is caring and is always there for her. It seems that Callie is used to George, where all they do is have sex and it seems like neither one of them really likes the other one for any other reason. Sarah on the other hand seems to always be interested in how Callie is feeling, how her day went, and just really cares about her. At first Callie seems to push Sarah away, feeling that she is too pushy. But later she ends up opening up to her and they both become closer.
With Sarah, I think she appreciates Callie’s mellowness, where she isn’t extremely pushy and isn’t caught up in herself. With her ex, it seems like he was very controlling and demanding, which is why she broke up with him. But it also seems that that is all she knows. So when she is with Callie, she feels more relaxed and she can follow her dreams and say what she wants without being told it’s wrong.
Throughout the play "Stop Kiss" by Diana Son the main characters Sara and Callie develop a close relationship. At first the two are reluctant to show that they have feelings for each other. Callie's problem is that she has never had a relationship with a women before. She doesn't know for sure if she could love a woman even though she obviously begins to develop feelings for Sara that are beyond that of just friends. For Sara the problem is that she knows how she feels about Callie but doubts that Callie feels the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious without a doubt that Sara has developed and accepted her feelings for Callie by the time of the events that take place in scene seven when Sara asks Callie to join her in bed so that Caesar will sleep with her.
"
Sara. Do you see him?
Callie. Who?
Sara. Caesar.
Callie. Not yet. (the both lie there staring at the ceiling. After a while:) Huh? (Pause.) Are you asleep? (NO response.) You're not asleep already , are you? (she turns to look at Sara who has just shut her eyes. Callie draws her feet under the covers then turns to her side to sleep. Sara opens her eyes.)
"
If Sara was willing to pretend to be asleep in order to be close to Callie it's obvious that she has acknowledged her feelings for her. Despite this I would say that there is no singular moment where she seems to accept her feelings that can be pointed out. They seem to simply develop and be accepted slowly. Callie on the other hand show's signs of having feelings for Sara early on but seems to not consciously accept them. Callie seemed to not accept these new feelings for Sara until when she agrees to go with Sara to the lesbian bar. At this point there is no logical way she could deny her feelings for Sara any longer. Overall Sara seemed to accept her feelings for Callie much easier than Callie did for her despite the fact that she didn't tell Callie how she felt about her. It seems as if Sara feared the results of sharing her feelings with Callie while on the other hand Callie simply didn't know what to think of her feelings for Sara.
Toward the end of the play Sara and Callie grew to have a very strong relationship. You can tell they have formed a tight bong with one an other because of their actions toward each other and the feelings they have. Simple instances and gestures hints that their relationship that they have created with each other is just going to continue to grow and flourish. I predict that they will spend the rest of their lives together and that their feelings toward each other is more than just a fun fling and someone "cool" to hang out with. Toward the end of the play you can really sense that they understand each other. For instance when Sara is in the hospital she needs someone to care and look after her. A person chooses someone they trust to take care of them and they want someone who they know will always be there for them. “(Sara slips her left foot in the left shoe.) ‘And like that.’ (She pushes Sara’s feet closer to her. Callie stands up.) ‘Now you’re gonna stand up. I’m gonna help. One, two, three’— (She puts her hand under Sara’s arms and lifts her up. She pulls her pants up. Sara loses her balance; Callie tries to ease her down; they both come down with a thud.) ‘I can do this, you see?’ (Sara nods.) ‘Choose me.’ (sara smiles.)” (Son 60). Callie and Sara trust each other and know they will always be there together. They have a relationship built off trust and also built off fun and adventure.
ReplyDeleteCALLIE: We’ll just go.
ReplyDeleteSARA: It’s just a bar.
CALLIE: With a whole bunch of lesbians in it.
SARA: And us. (They lock eyes, hoping the other will say something perfect. They keep waiting.)
(Son Scene 21 pg. 58)
This is the moment. This is the moment where Callie and Sara both know it’s true, but struggle to admit it. They both have strong feelings for each other.
The second that Sara and Callie meet you can feel the vibes. It’s awkward, new, strange, and unheard of in their lives. You can tell right away that neither of them has thought of it before. Callie has been caught up in her wanna-be relationship with George while Sara is fresh from a long term relationship and looking for a new way of life. As soon as Sara walks through Callie’s door, you can feel the shift.
SARA: I should go, I’m taking up too much of your—(Callie looks at her watch)
CALLIE: I told some friends I would meet them, otherwise I wish—
SARA: You should’ve said—
CALLIE: No—no—
SARA: I didn’t mean to keep—
CALLIE: What are you doing this weekend?
(Son Scene 1 pg. 12)
This seems to be the way the bulk of their conversations go down. Sara’s always being awkward; Callie’s always finding a way to see her again. Callie seems to want to keep Sara close. We see evidence of this after Sara is brutally attacked and Callie learns to take care of her to keep her in New York. Obviously she loves/cares/wants to continue in their relationship if she’s willing to try that hard to make her stay. I feel like their relationship is headed in the right direction and in a way they both need one another. Callie’s bored and needs to get out of the rut with George, and Sara is looking for some stability. So, well…it’s perfect.
Throughout the play, the different stages of Callie and Sara’s relationships become present through the girls’ actions. As we know, they begin the play as an uncomfortable pair with mutual friends, but quickly become friends themselves. Although Sara and Callie develop romantic feelings for each other after spending time together, both struggle to admit the feelings, even to themselves. Instead, they spend a long time passing off the feelings as a close new friendship, going on dates and getting to know one another.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is difficult to see how Sara and Callie individually come to terms with their romantic feelings, but the play does yield some insight to the subject in their actions. In scene 8, Callie admits to George that she knew for a long time that she wanted to kiss Sara to make her romantic feelings clear, but in Scene 23 we see her actually do it:
CALLIE: What about this? (Callie plants her one. They pull away.)
SARA: Huh.
CALLIE: What?
SARA: You just did that.
CALLIE: Yes I did.
SARA: Nice.
(Son 61)
Since Callie knew about her feelings for Sara before their first kiss, it’s not exactly when she came to terms with the affection herself. However, it does show when Callie was confident enough in her affection for Sara to be able to make the first move.
For Sara, I think it was more difficult for her to be sure of her feelings. She tended to hint to Callie that she might be interested, while not making a definitive statement. For example, in Scene 21 Sara asks Callie to go to a bar with her, but doesn’t call it a date:
SARA: Let’s uh…let’s go out, let’s go out somewhere.
CALLIE: Where do you want to go?
SARA: There’s a bar. In the West Village. Henrietta’s, you ever been?
(Son 58)
Sara comes to terms with her affection cautiously, by waiting to see how Callie responds to her hints. I think this slowly gives her confidence, until Callie finally kisses her. At that point, while a little surprised, she is ready to make her feelings open.
While both girls come to terms with their feelings differently over periods of time, I believe they both have crystallizing moments when they come to terms with what they want in the relationship and how serious their feelings are.
For Callie, I believe it’s after she watches Peter try to convince Sara to come home to St. Louis with him. Directly after hearing this, Callie asks the nurse how to give Sara a sponge bath, a conversation topic she previously avoided because of the commitment it entailed. It took Callie thinking about what her life would be like without Sara in it to realize that she was in love with Sara and wanted a long term relationship.
Sara comes to the same realization, but slightly later in the play. After Callie helps her change her clothes, they have a conversation:
CALLIE: …I can do this, you see? (Sara nods.) Choose me. (Sara smiles.)
(Son 60)
It may not seem like much, but when Callie prompts Sara with “Choose me”, Sara consents with a smile. The smile implies that Sara is ready to choose Callie for more than a casual relationship. Throughout the play, both girls show coming to terms with their affection for one another, but also coming to terms with their love.
In the beginning Callie and Sara started out as good friends. They saw each other occasionally and hung out together and would sometimes go out together. The relationship between the two girls is a very complicated one. At first the two didn’t think of themselves in that way. They both had old boyfriends that still popped up from time to time and would feel awkward whenever certain topics of conversation came up. When this happened they would change the subject. As the play goes on you can tell by how each of them act around one another changes. They start to slowly grow into more than just friends.
ReplyDeleteIn Scene 21 it looks as though they both do really like each other and wished that one or the other would mention something perfect. They were going out to a lesbian bar and went with each other. They act as normal couples would. In Scene 11 Sara is kicked out of Callie’s apartment, but then later in Scene 15 Sara returns with wine as an apology. In Scene 16 Callie doesn’t learn how to give Sara a bath because she thinks Sara wouldn’t want her to. But again, later in Scene 20, Callie asks the nurse to teach her how to do just that.
I think that their relationship by the end of the play could and will grow larger and for the better. I think it is going in the right direction. Based on how they acted in the examples above, and how Callie had to work hard with Sara to get her dressed shows that they can work together well and are willing to do so.
Callie has shown small effects of Sara’s personality and lifestyle rubbing off on her. One example is when she finally had the guts to go upstairs and make the person in the upper room stop making noises every Thursday just like Sara wanted to do in the very beginning. I think that Sara is happy around Callie.
In the very last scene you think that Sara and Callie's relationship is going very well and you believe that they can be together happily. Then you realize that this is the scene about what happened just before they are attacked. In the second to last scene, Sara is in the hospital and Callie is helping her get dressed. They fall to the ground and the last line of the scene is: “Callie: Choose me. (Sara smiles).” From this scene you get the impression that Sarah will chose to stay with Callie as apposed to going home with her parents.
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the most major aspects of Sara's life that Callie finds the most valuable is her teaching job in the Bronx. Callie actually complements Sara on her job in scene nine where she says:
“CALLIE: Those kids adore you.
SARA: Do you think?
CALLIE: You have a nack for them.
SARA: (As if the first time she's hear it). Thank you.”
Callie really respects Sarah for what she does and Sara takes that complement to heart. Another time that we hear Callie complement Sara on her job is when Callie is in the hospital talking to the nurse in scene sixteen.
“NURSE: She's a schoolteacher?
CALLIE: She is.
NURSE: Where?
CALLIE: In the Bronx. (Making eye contact with the nurse.) Third grade. She has 35 kids. She knew all of their names by the end of the first day.
NURSE: Takes a lot to be a public school teacher in New York City.
CALLIE: She's got it.
NURSE: Those kids are lucky.
CALLIE: They know it.”
Callie again shows that she has a high respect for Sara and what she does. She sees Sara as a kind loving person with children. You can begin to see Callie begin to incorporate this into her own life through her actions with Sarah. Callie begins to try care for Sara the same way that Sara has cared for her students.
The new relationship has exposed both Callie and Sara to the gratification that can come from taking a risk. When the relationship began it was innocent and friendly, yet as time went it began to blossom and the two women were forced into difficult decisions: moments that were like precipices–neither one knowing what lay beyond. In the play Sara and Callie must risk exposing their attraction to each other in order to for the relationship to flourish. The success of the relationship is the reward that has stemmed from the risk of admitting true feelings. A defining moment that helps to push the relationship in the right direction is Sara getting Peter to leave New York.
ReplyDeleteSARA: Yea, he changed his flight. He left a couple of hours ago…
CALLIE: Something happen at work?
SARA: No it–I asked him to leave (Son 55).
This interaction exhibits Sara taking very serious steps to revamp her life, removing a significant other from the picture and insinuating a desire to find someone new.
The relationship between Callie and Sara is very beneficial to both characters and appears to be heading in the right direction. The traits of both Callie and Sara have sparked admiration in the other. I believe that within the admiration lies inspiration, and the means to better oneself. The positive outlook that the relationship has fostered in both women is at the heart of the relationship’s success. Callie respects Sara and her pursuits–specifically her teaching and obvious desire for spreading knowledge and good in the world.
CALLIE: She teaches up in the Bronx.
GEORGE: Oh, so she’s a nut.
CALLIE: There’s something wrong with us.
GEORGE: Why?
CALLIE: Because that’s what I thought when she told me.
Callie resents not immediately understanding Sara’s desire to teach. But this short passage also evokes Callie’s respect for Sara’s endeavors, and the line “There’s something wrong with us” even conjures up a little guilt in Callie for not being as socially active as Sara. She knows that what Sara is doing is deserves reverence and regrets not showing that very admiration to Sara.
Yet the two are able to connect over their jobs and Callie uses Sara as both an outlet and a source of encouragement when talking about her job.
CALLIE: Have you noticed? The only thing you ever praise about my job is that I ride in a helicopter? (pause.) But that doesn’t even matter. Standing up in front of those kids today telling them about what I do I thought–why should these kids care about traffic, their families don’t have cars. I don’t have a car. No one I care about has a car. Who am I helping?
SARA: (gently.) People with cars (Son 37).
Sara has become the counterbalance that Callie so desperately needed in her life. The two have established a meaningful relationship and are able to empathize with each other and the difficulties that they both face. Sara’s ability to quell Callie’s frustration about her job paints a great picture of the understanding that exists between the two. I believe that the compassionate nature of Callie and Sara towards each other combined with the recognition of their deep connection with each other will allow the relationship to flourish and endure.
Gabe
I think Callie and Sara will stay together.
ReplyDeleteScene twenty first shows that they will probably stay together despite the accident. First, Callie overhears Peter talking to Sara about taking her back “home” to her “family” and Sara cries, which indicates she doesn’t want to go home. Then, Callie asks the nurse to teach her how to take care of Callie, which indicating she is ready and willing to be responsible for Sara’s care. I think what really shows that they will remain together is this: “Now you’re gonna stand up. I’m gonna help. One, two, three –– (She puts her hands under Sara’s arms and lifts her up. She pulls her pants up. Sara looses her balance; Callie tries to ease her down; they both come down with a thud.) I can do this, you see? (Sara nods.) Choose me (Sara smiles.)” (Son 60). Clearly, Callie wants Sara to stay (because of the “Chose me.”) and Sara wants to stay (because of the smile), so I think they will stay together. Unfortunately, I’m don’t really think this decision is what’s best for them.
I think Callie and Sara will stay together because they had feelings for each other before being attacked and going through an experience like this has amplified those feelings to the point where they are both blinded by them. I think Sara staying with Callie is probably be the wrong decision for both of them (at least if Sara’s condition does not improve significantly from the latest scene in the play) because Callie will be tied to someone who needs and A LOT of help to just get through a day and who cannot give much in return, and that will eventually get to her; Sara will feel that resentment and it will be bad for both of them. If Sara were to go home with her family, she would have several people to help her and they would be family, which I think would result in less overall resentment and be better for her.
On the other half of this prompt, I think Sara’s bravery is what Callie is most attracted to and has found most valuable. Sara moved to New York knowing (almost) no one and started working with kids in a tough neighborhood and Callie admired that bravery; it made her reexamine her own life and career choice, which I think was good for her. She also directly encouraged Callie to stand up for herself to the people upstairs who were being obnoxiously loud every Thursday night. Callie did, and this has improved her life (a little anyway).
I think what Sara sees in Callie is someone with whom she can enjoy spending time in a place full of new and scary things she doesn’t quite understand. The play is written more from Callie’s perspective than from Sara’s, so we don’t get as much information about Sara’s life and how Callie has changed it, but Sara obviously likes Callie, and I think she just needed someone she liked to help her adjust to her new life.
I hated this play. Let me count the ways. First of all the book didn’t tell us what really happens; it lets us decide Sara’s future. Usually when books do that it drives me nuts because I really want to know what happens, but this time it wasn’t like that. When it left off without an answer I didn’t even think about it because I didn’t care. I didn’t care because I didn’t care about the characters. The only time this play caused me to feel anything at all it had nothing to do with the righting. I was irritated and angered when that man beat up the two women. It had absolutely nothing to do with the writing. It was that event and no matter who wrote it, it would have irritated and angered me. Also, the end; I did not enjoy it. It ends with Sara and Callie’s kiss and I suppose it was an attempt to symbolize the importance of them finding themselves but the author didn’t do a very good job at it.
ReplyDeleteB) I think Sara chose Callie to take care of her. Sara was always more open with defying what her parents wanted and what her boyfriend wanted. She was better at doing what she wanted and needed for herself. I think Sara let Callie figure out her life and what she wanted. I think Sara won’t allow her parents to remove her from the city after all the work she did to get there and she will stay where she wants to be. I read this over a week ago and I didn’t even think about what would happen. As I said before I didn’t care and I still don’t. Having to think about it was forced and if I didn’t have this assignment I never would have thought about it again. The books I like keep me awake at night because I want to know what’s going to happen or what will happen in the future where the book won’t go. I thought Sara was a good person but her character could have been developed into something magnificent. So much could have been done with this play and the author just couldn’t do it.
Josselyn
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Sydney on this one. I too found myself feeling a bit of hatred towards this play by the ending scenes. I was crazy about it in the beginning, but I think my interest began to dwindle after scenes eight and nine. I began to notice the play had lost its fast paced, action packed personality and just dragged on until Diana Son had no choice but to end it. In past posts, I remember Sydney mentioning that the characters in Stop Kiss didn’t show much character growth, and at the time I disagreed in hopes that perhaps Son’s characters would show signs of growth. But as I read on with this idea in my mind, I found Sydney was right; Callie and Sara didn’t go through any inspiring rite-of-passage that most would see as character growth or development, but rather just a change in lifestyles because they had no choice.
I’m glad that Sydney was open with her disappointment for I too found the ending scene to be a flunk. I wasn’t moved, nor did I gain any sentimental feelings from Callie and Sara’s love for each other for it all seemed so forced and awkward. I felt Callie was trying to be one of those people who aren’t really sure of what they want, so they try being romantic by acting all brave and sure of themselves, when in their heads they are really not. I’m not going to lie; I scoffed when I read Callie and Sara’s first kiss because the way it was written was just irritating. I feel like in just about every other scene that Sara wasn’t in the hospital, Son had filled up space in her scenes by putting in random conversations between Callie and Sara disguised as getting to know each other, when really the randomness of the conversation just took me out of what was happening. For instance in scene seven, they talk about whether they would straddle or swerve a pothole on the highway and even in the last scene they talk about how one eats corn on the cob. It just seems that both women seem uneasy and awkward being in each other’s company. Most of the play felt like that. So why be with each other?
I’m sorry if my ideas have leant more to a negative side, but I did find the set up of the last two scenes to be very unique, they were the relationship. With those two scenes next to one another I gave me a sense of closure for the play because it was like a circle between the two scenes. Between those two there was no gaps in Callie and Sara’s relationship and gave the reader a sense of hope for the two. Over all I am glad that I had the opportunity to read a piece of literature that I probably wouldn’t have chosen, but also a little disappointed that it didn’t end as I would have liked.
Sara and Callie have a long way to go in their relationship. I think they are still in the awkward phase of liking each other in that way even though they haven’t really come outright and said it. Especially since they are both experiencing feelings for the opposite sex for the first time I think the definite dating status might be a little slow to come but as we see in the end, both are working toward that. As I was saying in my last blog entry, the changes and new experiences they bring into each others life is something they are equally ready for in this stage of life. A new teacher in the Bronx breaking free of her protective family and sheltered life in St. Louis, Sara is taking some major risks and finding that this new change of scene is doing her some good. She befriends Callie, a young woman living in NYC who goes through the same boring routine, people, and job all day and is clearly ready for something new and exciting to happen in her life.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Callie is able and willing to take these risks and do something she herself thought she could never do and somewhat looked down on really impresses and inspires Callie. Sara on the other hand admires Callie’s laid back confidence and easy going kindness. Sara’s confidence is much more forward than Callie’s but I always got the impression that it didn’t come as naturally and as easily as Callie’s “Callie. Sometimes I do-- my friend Sheila goes to this club on Wednesday nights and sometimes she invited a bunch of us girls to go. Sara. I’d like to go sometime. Callie. ... Sure... Sara Will you let me know next time you go? ... Sara. Have you ever meet a woman there, that seemed... interesting ... to you? Callie. ... No. Not there. Have you--?” (Son 50). Clearly Sara is confident enough to take a risk, move, get a new job and meet new people but it can sometimes come across awkwardly. Callie’s confidence is much more secure and stable especially since she has been in New York with the same people since collage. She’s always the one making the decisions on when to hang out and where. She’s the one that offers the beer or asks if Sara wants to go out. Sara is the one who is waiting on Callie to make a move, to bring their relationship farther and in the end Callie does. I think Sara is trying to incorporate this kind of confidence into her life especially because she is planning to stay there (at least before the accident) and Callie is trying to incorporate Sara’s kind of confidence into her life so she can experience life to the fullest and take more risks. In a way both have already begun to change and add these aspects into their life just by dating each other and time will only change them more in the ways that they wish.
I think it’s safe to say we all agree, Sara and Callie’s relationship is complex — but that’s not the only thing. While reading through people’s posts, I realized just how complex the play itself is too. What stood out to me most were the lines Josselyn quoted in her piece:
ReplyDeleteMRS. WINSLEY. It must be exhausting for you. CALLIE. Well her family is here— MRS. WINSLEY. Are you close with them? CALLIE. No… not close… MRS. WINSELY. Oh, I’m sorry I thought you two were— CALLIE. I know…. MRS. WINSLEY. So you’re not really— CALLIE. No like I said I go there every— MRS. WINSLEY. But you’re not really involved.
(Son 52, 53)
I think this part of the play is the perfect example of the complexity surrounding the entire play. The characters Mrs. Winsley, Peter, and even George are not present in a majority of the play, yet they present their sides of the whole story. In the quote, Mrs. Winsley has brought forth the idea that Callie and Sara are in a committed relationship — which surprises Callie. For me that brought up the question of what other characters had the same idea. I think what I’m trying to say is, that the ways some parts of the play are worded provokes thought which increases the complexity of the whole play. Maybe I’m just over-thinking things.
I would also like to touch on what Sydney had to say. First things first, I applaud you for speaking your mind — I might add, it’s quite typical of you! Although I have to agree with what you had to say. The play is very open ended and not quite put together, but I think this kind of links to what I’ve been talking about in this post. The not knowing aspect just adds to the entire complexity of the play leading to questions. I understand why you believe the author could have “done more,” but maybe it takes more than just one perspective.
As everybody said Callie and Sara were both slow to come to terms with their true feelings for each other. They seem to tip toe around the romantic part of their relationship and are waiting for the other to make the first move. I think that Sara is the one who come to her feelings first, and is just waiting for Callie to admit it to herself. I agree with Elizabeth that Callie seems to show no interest in Sara romantically at first. I also agree that Sara is trying to make a bigger effort to show Callie how she feels. But I also agree with Rosie that Sara is very cautious and tentative to say directly how she feels, and is waiting for Callie’s response. I think that they both are just waiting for each other to do something, when the both obviously want to. I initially thought it would be Sara who made the move on Callie, but I think it made more sense that Callie kissed Sara first. Callie was the one who was the least sure about the relationship, and when she made the move, Sara knew it was all right.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Sydney and Josselynn about the play. Although I understand thier frustration with the ending, but I think is suited the play very well. The kiss is the thing that both Callie and Sara are waiting for throughout the whole play, and although the reader knows what happened after, ending on the kiss was the real meaning. The reader can interpret it any way they want, but I think the way of ending on the kiss is the author’s was of saying that they will stay together. I also like how she leaves the rest up to the reader’s imagination. I do agree that sometimes cliff endings like that are annoying but in this case I think it was very satisfactory.
As I chose the first prompt, I find it fascinating to read what others found the “defining moment” in Callie and Sara’s relationship to be. There seem to be countless snippets of conversation that I read over quickly, missing the significance to the women’s’ relationship. Reading my classmates analyses of each of these moments has slightly shifted my perspective on Callie and Sara’s relationship and feelings for each other.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I realize I have only looked at what Callie and Sara see in each other on a broad level. Yes, we established in the first blog on the play that Callie enjoyed the chance to be herself around Sara, and to get to know Sara’s new, unfamiliar personality. However, when Gabe quoted the conversation between Callie and George about Sara teaching in the Bronx, I started to gain a better understanding of the women’s admiration for each other. Gabe points out that this is crucial for a relationship, and gives Callie and Sara opportunities to grow on their own and by the other’s example. This idea is important for readers or viewers of the play to gain a deeper comprehension of Callie and Sara’s feelings for each other, and it is difficult to gain without a thought out analysis of that section of conversation.
Another passage analysis I was surprised by was when Billy wrote about Callie and Sara’s fight, and later apologies. While I enjoyed reading the apology scene in the play, I failed to see the significance of this in terms of the women’s relationship. I did not immediately think of that scene as a defining moment, but now I’m not sure how I missed it. In any close relationship, couples have disagreements. The ability to see the fault in oneself and apologize shows respect for the other person’s issue, opinions, and feelings. Callie and Sara both apologize for what they did wrong, which I believe shows a mutual respect for one another.
In reading the analyses of these two passages and others, I began to have a better understanding of why Callie and Sara have feelings for each other. The women are different, but instead of being hurt, afraid, or angry about their differences, the Callie and Sara seem to respect one another more because of them. After reading other blog responses, I came to the conclusion that this mutual admiration and respect is a major, if not the major, bond in Callie and Sara’s relationship.
After reading everyone's posts it seems that almost everyone agrees that Sara and Callie's relationship is strong and will lead to them sticking together in the future. What I found interesting though was the sheer quantity of different examples and quotes people found in order to prove this though. It seemed to me that everyone who decided to go this route with their response found a different example even though just about everyone had similar reasoning behind why they had developed a strong relationship. Another thing I noticed while looking over the responses were some of the various littler details that went on between Sara and Callie that really helped to make the play that I didn't even notice while reading the play. The most prime example of this for me was Chad's mention of when Callie finally got the people upstairs to be quiet on Thursdays. When i had originally read this i didn't remember that first scene where they discussed the noise but upon seeing Chad's post this made me think about the play. This seemingly little detail seems to show a lot about Callie's individual growth due to Sara throughout the story. To me it seems like the perfect example because earlier in the story she never would have talked to them about quieting down. I find it fascinating that such a seemingly small detail could point out so much about Callie.
ReplyDeleteThe general consensus appears to be that the relationship between the two has the potential to be long term and successful. Most people did a good job of finding adequate evidence from the play to support this notion. There were a number of sections of dialogue, which at first I did not consider to be evidence of the relationship's potential longevity, until reading the insightful analysis of my classmates.
ReplyDeleteI also found Rosie’s body of evidence to be particularly effective and unique. Analyzing specific actions of the characters, rather than the dialogue itself. The actions of humans are just as revealing as our words, making it all the more appropriate to look into the implications of the two women’s actions. This style of analysis also forces the reader to think deeper: words, especially in conversation often show their intention quite bluntly, while actions can sometimes be more vague.
Reading over this and other analyses made me rethink what was key to this relationships success. I think a great deal of the success was the two women’s ability to make decisions and take action, often action that evoked feeling and meaning more strongly than words ever could.
In response to Sydney’s blog I think it is very interesting the way she saw the play. I myself enjoyed it, but it is obvious Sydney did not. Just reading the way she talked about the play proved her point. She said little about the characters and more about the author. That just shows how little she was draw into the play because the characters were just merely characters to her they did not “come alive” and she did not feel like the book was realty. Instead she felt like she was reading something that someone else wrote. Which if I stand correct is not what the author is shooting for. As for me, I enjoyed the play. I noticed the slight change in the relationship between Callie and Sara. Reading the other blogs I saw a trend that most people believed Callie and Sara both needed a new fresh start. Like Emily said their relationship did not really flourish till the end and they “tip toed around”. However, I think (and I would think others agree) that is ok because even though it might have taken a while for them to become close in the end it was worth it. They ended (or so we were thought to believe) with a healthy fun relationship that seemed it would turn out to become very serious. I loved it how Devon mentioned the variety of quotes people used regarding the healthy relationship between Callie and Sara. That just come to show how much they cared for each other and how much the author wanted to prove the reader that this relationship is going to continue and grow. After reading all of this I read kylie’s response. It was funny cause I was so convinced that Callie and Sara’s relationship was very strong toward the end of the play, but I guess Kylie does not think so. Every one has their own opinions and it is great to read them all.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Sara and Callie are both in the position of having to choose between their old friends, families, and lifestyles, and their new rebelious urges. By the end of the play, both must make this decision and risk losing thier friends, reputations and lives. Luckily both are ready and willing to take this step. As Karleen states:
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between two of the main characters in the play Stop Kiss, by Diana Son, is complex. Sara and Callie are two women who were secure in their sexuality untill they meet each other and romantic tension begins to form. At first, however, neither of the women accepts nor acknowledges this. As the play progresses, they are forced to confront their feelings.
I have said many times before, Callie and Sara are at a point of revision in this point in time. They are searching for change, and how perfect is the timing of their meeting? This quote only goes to show that Callie and Sara are taking the risk and completeing the transformation they unconsiously set out to undertake at the beggining of the relationship. Sara and Callie are at that stage in their life of growth, development, and frankly some confusion. In all of our juvenile years, events take place and feelings change that make us question who we are and who we were meant to be. In this case, Callie and Sara are embracing these transitional years, and accepting themselves for who they now are, even if they are not who they quite suspected.
I predict that they will spend the rest of their lives together and that their feelings toward each other is more than just a fun fling and someone "cool" to hang out with. Toward the end of the play you can really sense that they understand each other.I predict that they will spend the rest of their lives together and that their feelings toward each other is more than just a fun fling and someone "cool" to hang out with. Toward the end of the play you can really sense that they understand each other.
I definitely share the same predictions as Anna does at this time. But even if Callie and Sara do not “spend the rest of their lives together,” they have both played a very important role in each others lives. They have helped one another be brave, strong, and find themselves; and that is truly a gift in itself. See You on Monday!
“Well behaved women rarely make history” Marilyn Monroe. This quote epitomizes one of my favorite qualities in characters in a book. I like the girl that isn’t afraid to stand up and say what she thinks. Not all the books I like are like that but most are. So, I wanted to say that there was one thing this author did right (that I liked anyway). She made Sara a person who believed in change, who could make a difference. So, there, I liked something about the play. I felt I needed to add a positive thing because my last blog was very negative. Lets be clear, though: I hated this play.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to applaud the way Ashley used the quote where they were talking about the lesbian bar. She emphasized the point she was about to make with a short sentence. “This is the moment”. Ashley brought us right into what she was saying and it was a nice dramatic flourish that I enjoyed.
I think that people had a lot of great points, I agree with Sydney and Josslyn that sadly the play wasn't one of my favorites. I thought that the characters were dull and the plot was less than action packed then I would have liked. The way the play jumped back and forth was interesting at first but I got tired of it quickly which in turn made the play even less effective for me. Callie and Sara's relationship was not highlighted significantly enough in the play which made it confusing to track there romance thought the story line. This may have been the
ReplyDeleteauthors point however, to show the complications of love, and the importance of seemingly insignificant moments between two people.
I also agree with Rosie that an important, if not the most important bond between the two women is a mutual respect. The care about each other a great deal even though they are very different and respect those differences. I think that this in the end will keep them and there relationship on the right track.
Like several others have already said, I agree with Sydney; I did not like this play. After reading the first half, I sort of liked it, but I think that mostly because I was expecting there to be more interesting stuff to fill in the time between the scenes I’d already read. I was disappointed. To me, it seemed like all the content of the plot and the characters was presented in the first half and the second half just kind of repeated it all. I liked the concept of the play and I think the plot could have been interesting, but something about the way it was written kept me from connecting with the characters or the plot.
ReplyDeleteOn what Elizabeth said about the complexity of the play… I didn't get that. I guess I can see that some of the dialogue was open ended, but it seemed so artificially open ended to me. I don't think people really talk or act the way they did in this play. For example, the recurring "swerve" metaphor Sara keeps using to describe bits of Callie's life; I don't think anyone would really do that. It was weird.
I also agree with Josselyn; a lot of the scenes between Callie and Sara seemed artificially awkward and I scoffed at Callie and Sara's first kiss too. Iit just seemed lame to me. Perhaps seeing it preformed would be moving, but reading it one paper just felt like an awkward and unsuccessful attempt at romantic.
I found Rosie’s second post about how her perspective on Callie and Sara’s relationship shifted after reading other people’s posts. I also found that reading about everyone else’s experiences with this play changed my perspective a little. When I read it, I didn’t play much attention to the potentially extra important moments in Callie and Sara’s relationship because I didn’t connect to the character and therefore didn’t really care, but it was interesting to see how many different moments could be considered “the moment” in their relationship. I still didn’t connect to the play, but it was interesting to read what those who did had to say.
After reading all of these comments I have noticed a few things. The first thing I noticed was something Kylie wrote. She said that the two women are secure in their sexuality until they meet each other. This is true and also made me think. It made me think about the idea that ones sexuality isn't black or white. Maybe it’s more of a spectrum and where you fall on that spectrum depends on who you meet, who you want to be with. I think in Sara and Callie's case they both were sure of how they felt, before they met each other they hadn't landed on the spectrum yet, so to speak. The fact that Sara and Callie could both change something so drastic about each other makes me think that what Sara and Callie have is actually love. Which brings me to the next thing I noticed, how Kylie thinks that Sara and Callie will spend the rest of their lives together. I'm not sure where I stand on this, I really hope they do because I think it would be nice and I think they have a good dynamic. But what if they don't? If they "break up" I have to wonder how they would think about each other. It’s hard to consider it a random fling because it caused such a huge shift in both their lives. After reading Anna’s comment I thought a little bit about the difference between reading a play and a book and I wondered if some peoples lack of ability to “get into the play” came from the fact that the characters speak only with lines. There are no describing words or a narrator. You can only see what you can see from the characters themselves, rather than a third party individual.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole-heartedly with Jared's second post. I thouroughly started to dislike this play after about six chapter. I thought the writing style was genius for my first 30 minutes of reading; but my attentiveness toward the play and the details started to drop slowly for each consecutive chapter I read. The dynamics of the play made it difficult to follow the relationship of Callie and Sara. I now find myself disagreeing with my initail post on the subject because I am just not sure what chapter comes when in the story. I understand the relationship with George made it difficult for Callie to become close to others but I'm still not sure what time in the play she actually decides she has affection toward Sara.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Emily wrote about the quality and layout of the play. The idea of the structure of hopping back and forth was to give the audience a sense of Sara and Callie growing closer to each other in both parts. In the beginning, they weren’t together, and just after the incident, they were both dazed and struggling to cope. In both cases, up to the kiss and the end of the chronology, they learn to appreciate each other more than they did before.
ReplyDeleteI also really appreciated what Kylie wrote in her first post. She mentioned how they were still in a sort of awkward place in their lives, in which they are still trying to find out about themselves. I think that is something that we can ALL appreciate. Even if it’s not a journey of sexuality, it’s a quest to find a path in live for ourselves. A good example: trying to find a good college. I don’t think that this process will be easy for any of us, but in the end, we will have determined something that will shape the rest of our lives. I think that Kylie’s comment really hit upon the true form of this book: a journey to discover what Callie and Sara really wanted in their lives. Taking into consideration what Josselyn said about random conversations in the book…true, some of them are a bit extraneous. However, ask yourself this: what are the things that you value in a relationship? Is it the big things, like the fact that they like the same sports team you do, or is it the little things, like that think they do with their eyes when they smile? The random conversations in the book are a way to show how they connect with each other on a smaller level—not on a “serious” one, but a platonic one. They show that awkwardness that Kylie wrote about, before you actually come to terms with your feelings. Callie and Sara’s relationship would not have existed without it.
--SP
I applaud Sydney's boldness and willingness to share how she truly feels about this play. It's not often in a class that people openly state their dislike about the reading material. I personally have read pieces for a class and flat out hated it for one reason or another and never said anything. Sometimes I wish I had. I personally can agree with Sydney that I didn't like how the play just leaves off with you wondering what happens next. This also drives me crazy because I want to know what actually happens though in this story my interest was very limited. I can see the value in the storyline but it didn't bring up any emotions for me it was just “another story.” I have read some stories that you end up with a large emotional attachment to the characters but the only emotion that I felt was for Sara and Callie getting beat up by the guy. Again as Sydney said, no mater who wrote it it's going to be bad and unappealing.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I was also surprised, as was Devon, at the number of different quotes that people found to help prove their point. Even though there wasn't an emotional connection for me you can definitely prove that there is supposed to be an emotional connection and as long as the actors were good you might become more emotionally attached to the characters
I think that one of the most used quotes was the one in the second to last scene where Callie is helping Sara get dressed and they fall. I think that almost everyone saw the idea that the author was trying to portray about there relationship in that scene.
Overall I wasn't really a huge fan of this play. I feel like most of the time you say that you liked the piece because you feel that it will help raise your grade. That line of thinking will get you no where if you want to have a literary conversation while lying about how you truly feel about the piece. Part of the problem could be that you are reading a play in it's raw form before the actors have developed the characters and you get the chance to see the connection, or 'chemistry' as directors like to call it, between two people. If I had seen this play first then read the script those connections would have already been formed. If this play had been written as a book then author might have gone into greater detail and made a greater attempt to draw the reader in. With a play it is up to the actor to draw the audience in. This difference makes reading a play much more difficult if you are looking for emotional draw.
In the beginning I enjoyed this play. I had high hopes and was really excited to see where this play would lead. I agree with Sydney and Josselyn about not liking the play by the end of it. The characters didn’t have deep enough personalities and the story seemed to become dull as it went on. I still wouldn’t mind to see it in person. I don’t think the play is so bad to the extent that it feels un-finished. I enjoyed the ending because it left on a somewhat high note and it showed that it could lead to a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading through everyone’s comments I notice that a lot of people agree that their relationship is going in the right direction. I agree with this. I believe that in the future everything will end up much better and they will both heal together. I did enjoy this play, even though the ending seemed to slow the fluid pace that the play originally had.
After reading everyone’s comments, one really stuck out to me: Sydney’s. She said that she really didn’t like the play because of the author’s style of writing and the way that she presented the storyline. She also pointed out how the author left the storyline without saying how it ends. I thought that was a good way to end it because it was kind of clear that they were meant to be together by the way the author made it so. I thought it was good how she also made it so the ending was them kissing. I thought that was a very symbolic way to end the play, it really showed their love…plus the play was called stop kiss. So I don’t know, but I think everyone has a different opinion on stories and this is a good example how people can differ.
ReplyDeleteLike Billy, I was struck by Sydney’s response to the play. I agree with her that there were moments when Sarah and Callie were not prime examples of “strong women.” At the same time, however, I want to give them some credit. As I have mentioned before, both of these women considered themselves heterosexual before they met. While they are rediscovering their persuasion, they are also exploring their complicated feelings for each other.
ReplyDeleteThis play is an attempt to show love from a different perspective, a perspective that is often silenced or forgotten. It strives to explain that prejudices against homosexuals influence not only straight people, but gay people as well. In my opinion, it did a brilliant job on both counts.