Response 2: Key passage

Azel Kahan

Middlesex blog: Key passage response

Throughout most of middlesex's second book, Cal as a narrator explains all of the events that influenced how he became who he is. Many of these events are traumatic, such as the Detroit race riots or the slow decline of his grandfather Lefty, but what also contributes to Cal's life changing experiences are the complexities of puberty he faces growing up as Callie. Callie questions her life and purpose when she observes others becoming adults and accelerating past her in terms of physical growth. A powerful analogy that reflects Callie's angst is on page 302 when she talks about the collection of Great Books in her library and how her dreams of the future no longer carry the same importance in her mind as when she was much younger: "Even then the Great Books were working on me, silently urging me to pursue the most futile human dream of all, the dream of writing a book worthy of joining their number, a one hundred and sixteenth Great Book with another long Greek name on the cover: Stephanides" (Eugenides, 302). This passage touches upon feelings of existentialism that many people inevitably come across when growing up. this being a natural part of life in human society, I believe including this passage among the more significant ones in Middlesex in a necessity. Thoughts of purpose and meaning reach everyone, and the fact that Jeffrey Eugenides decided to include this in the book that revolves around Callie's youth defines it as a moment that added to the creation of Cal as a separate living being. It is safe to say that Calliope's rebirth into Cal, regardless of when and where or how it happened was due to his experiences as his former self. The sheer experience acquired through youth comes in many different forms; this includes Callie's thoughts of life itself.