TammiAlbrecht

= "Sex without Love" by Sharon Olds (1984) = // Tammi Albrecht //

How do they do it, the ones who make love without love? Beautiful as dancers, gliding over each other like ice-skaters over the ice, fingers hooked inside each other's bodies, faces (5) red as steak, wine, wet as the children at birth whose mothers are going to give them away. How do they come to the come to the come to the God come to the still waters, and not love (10) the one who came there with them, light rising slowly as steam off their joined skin? These are the true religious, the purists, the pros, the ones who will not accept a false Messiah, love the (15) priest instead of the God. They do not mistake the lover for their own pleasure, they are like great runners: they know they are alone with the road surface, the cold, the wind, the fit of their shoes, their over-all cardio- (20) vascular health--just facors, like the partner in the bed, and the truth, which is the single body alone in the universe against its own best time.


 * Way 1: First Impressions**

While reading the first 10 lines the first time of "Sex without Love" by Sharon Olds, I thought I understood what the author was discussing. After reading line 10, I become very confused. After reading it several more times very closely and jotting down notes, I believe I have developed a decent understanding of the poem. However, I still have questions about many aspects of the poem. Usually I become frustrated when I cannot grasp something, but I am excited to not know all the answers. Not knowing exactly what the author is talking about will encourage me to look deeper into the writing and make many interpretations.The poem is very interesting. It contains similes and metaphors that need to be looked at from a variety of angles in order to gain an understanding for what the author is saying. These are just my initial impressions, and most of them are very literal. Because of the complexity of the poem, I have a feeling this project will help me see the poem in ways I never thought possible.

The poem uses the subject of sex without love to get at a much bigger idea. The beginning of the poem discusses the physical aspect of sex by using similes, such as "beautiful as dancers" and "gliding over each other like ice skaters" (line 2, 3, 4). The simile "faces red as steak, wine" is very interesting. Steak and wine are popular items one might eat or drink when on a date (5,6). This date could lead to the couple having sex without love. Also, I found the metaphor "wet as the children at birth whose mothers are going to give them away" to be very interesting (6, 7, 8). I am not sure how to interpret this phrase. One connection I made between this phrase and the subject, sex without love, is that it is not uncommon for children who are the product of sex without love to be placed for adoption. I have a feeling this interpretation is too literal, and I need to dig deeper. The phrase "How do they come to the come to the come to the God come to the," suggests there is a stutter or sense of nervousnness in the author's voice or thoughts (8,9).

One area of confusion I have is with lines 11-16. The author mentions "These are the true religious, the purists, the pros, the ones who will not accept a false Messiah, love the priest instead of the God" (16). I am going to use the term "religious" when I discuss this group of individuals. This phrase throws me for a whirl because individuals who have sex without love are usually not associated with this religious group of individuals. After reading the poem over and over, I think the author is trying to develop a contrast between these individuals and individuals who have sex without love. There is not a clear separtion between the two groups of individuals, the ones who make love without love and the religious indivdiuals. In fact, the author moves from one group to the next within the same line (13).

From this part of the poem, the author goes on to compare religious individuals to great runners. I think that is what she is doing. I am not entirely sure if she is comparing runners to religious individuals or individuals who have sex without love. This last piece of the poem is where the author ties the entire poem together. The phrase "just factors, like the partner in the bed, and not the truth" plays an important role in tying the conent of the poem together (21, 22). I am not 100 percent sure what to make of this phrase and last part of the poem. My initial impression iof this phrase is that it refers to the indivdiuals who make love without love as knowing the truth. The truth being that we are alone in this world even if we claim to love someone.


 * Way 2: Engaging with the Text**

I did not identify any patterns or instances of alliteration, rhyming, rhythm, or assonance in this poem. I would consider the poem to be written in free verse style. Even though the poem does not contain many of the traditional elements of poems, it does use line breaks to place emphasis on words. Line breaks are often used to place emphasis on the words at the end of one line and at the start of another line (Brown & Yarbrough 93). In this poem, line breaks are used with non-standard punctuation. This is a common practice in poetry written in free verse. Non-standard punctuation and line breaks "can separate words momentarily from their syntactic role in the sentance" (94). The use of non-standard punctuation and line breaks trigger the reader to determine who the words work together (94).

There does not appear to be a complete thought in any of the lines. Most of the thoughts are broken up into at least two lines. This created some confusion when I read the poem the first few times because I was combining the different thoughts of the author. I have not been able to come to an understanding as to why the author has the poem set up in this way. I have a feeling their is significant meaning behind the format, which might help the reader gain a better understanding of the poem. I also wonder what the signifcance behind the spaces in line 9 mean, "come to the(space)come to the(space)God(space)come to the." These spaces could either intensify the phrase that basically asks how can they do what they do. The spaces can also be viewd as a stutter or sign of nervousness. They could also be viewed as excitement and energy. The words are difficult to get out in one breath.

**Vertical Thinking: Close Readings of the Text**


 * Way 3: A Point about Form and Its Relationship to Content**

"Sex without Love" by Sharon Olds is a lyric poem. It is brief and nonnarative. As stated by Brown and Yarbrough, "it gives the impression of being the subjective utterance of a single speaker" (83). There is only one speaker in this poem; however, the speaker is unknown. The speaker may be the author, but one cannot be sure of that. The poem consists of the thoughts of the speaker. These thoughts surround the issue of loveless sex. The speaker is questioning how individuals can partake in sex without loving eachother. The way the poem develops is similar to the thought process when answering a question. The speaker begins by describing the situation of loveless sex. The speaker moves on to question the situation. From their, the speaker discusses why sex without love is viewed as wrong. The speaker ends the poem with a realization as to why individuals partake in sex without love.

The poem is free verse, having no rhyme or meter. The free verse format of the poem fits the questioning of the speaker. The poem consists of many thoughts of the speaker. It is as if she is thinking out loud. Thoughts a free flowing. Thoughts are not formated to certain meter or rhyming schemes, thus the free verse format fits the poem very well. The author goes from comparing indivduals who make love without love to dancers and ice skaters to comparing purists to great runners. These illustrate the variety within the poem, but they represent how we think as humans. Our thoughts are often all over the place as we try to find an answer to something, especially something as complex as sex without love.


 * Way 3: Another Point about Form and Its Relationship to Content**

The poem uses a great deal of figurative language. Figurative language is writing that uses imagery, metaphors, and similes to increase the understanding of a description, place, or person (Brown & Yarbrough 34). Figurative langauge plays a very important role in this poem. Because the poem appears to be thoughts of the speaker, the figurative language provides images of the speakers thoughts. The reader is able to picture what the speaker was picturing. It creates a connection between the speaker and the reader. "Beautiful as dancers" is a simile used in line 2 to describe inidivduals who make love without love. "They are like great runners" is a very important simile towards the end of the poem in line 18. These similes will be discussed in greater detail in Way 4.

Another piece of the poem that can increase the readers understnading is the physical structure of the poem. The poem has no stanza breaks. However, the poem uses line breaks to convey importance. Many of these line breaks interupt sentences. As mentioned in Way 2, ine breaks are used to place emphasis to the words that end one line and begin another (Brown & Yarbrough 93). These breaks create a sense of uncertainty in the reader. The reader is left wondering after each line what direction the author will go in next. This sense of wonder causes the reader to pay a little closer attention to the last word he/she read and the first word he/she reads in the next line. During the line breaks, the reader's mind has a chance to wander. The break between lines 5 and 6 serves as an example, "faces... red as steak." After reading line five, the reader's mind begins to imagine what the speaker is going to say about faces. When the reader begins reading line 6, emphasis is placed on "red as steak." Many variables lead to this emphasis. One variable is the readers desire to find out what the speaker is going to say about faces. When the reader begins to read the next line, he/she goes "a-ha!" This "a-ha" moment creates emphasis.


 * Way 4: Unpacking an Instance of Figurative Language**

The phrase "Beautiful as dancers" is a simile. Dr. Chick states in "Professor Notes: Unpacking the Text," "a simile is not really //there// in the story; it's just what something or someone is //compared to//" (Chick 4). As Dr. Chick also states, a simile is in the mind of the reader (4). Similes often create an artistic effect. The phrase "Beautiful as dancers" is a simile because it is a comparison that uses the word "as." The phrase "Beautiful as dancers" is comparing individuals who have sex without love to dancers. More specifically, the speaker is comparing the beauty of these individuals to the beauty of dancers. These individuals are compared to dancers instead of other beautiful things such as flowers, because dancers have many aspects to their beauty. First off, their physical looks and features are considered beautiful and desirable. Dancers are often thin, a desired feature of our society. They are considered to be in good physical shape, another desired feature of our society. Physical fittness is a quality desired by many other socieites as well, as it is a sign of good health. Dancers are known to be flexible and graceful. Dance is a beautiful form of art and entertainment. All of these aspects create the beauty of a dancer. The author captures all of these aspects in the comparison between dancers and individuals who have sex without love. By using this comparison, the reader imagines these individuals to have all of these grand characteristics. Using dancers as a comparison for beauty also leads to the thoughts of the dancer as an entertainer. Because the dancer is an entertainer, he/she is very popular eye of the public. They provide a beautiful form of entertainment. What the audience sees is beautiful, but what the dancer may be feeling on the inside could be far from beautiful. The author could have also included this comparison to get at the idea that even though individuals who have sex without love appear to be enjoying themselves, they could be feeling emotions far from enjoyment. This mix of interpretations fits with the rest of the poem. The poem is questioning the subject of sex without love, and this comparison further illustrates the two sides of this subject. One side is for it, painting a pretty picture of sex without love. The other side opposes it, painting a not so pretty picture of sex without love. This comparison addresses both sides by pointing out the outside beauty of dancers and the inside troubles this beauty could be hiding.


 * Way 4: Unpacking Another Instance of Figurative Language**

The phrase "wet as the children whose mothers are going to give them away" is a smile. It is a comparison using the word "as." The phrase compares individuals engaging in sex without love to children whose mothers give them away. More specifically, the phrase compares the wetness of the two. This simile seems to draw attention and create a lot of negative feelings in the reader about loveless sex. The first thing I thought of when reading this phrase was the connection between unwanted pregnacies and sex without love. I believe this is a very important connection, but this connection does not address the issue of wetness. The simile can be viewed very literally. The wetness that occurs during sex is being compared to a newborn child. However, it is important to dig deepr. Wet could refer to tears caused by hurt feelings. Children who mothers are going to give them away may feel abadonment, worthlessness, and pain. The same emotions might be felt by someone who is having sex without love. These feelings may be causing individuals to engage in sex without love in hopes of gaining feelings of worth and belonging. These feelings could also be the result of engaging in sex without love. This simile connects to the rest of the poem because it adds to thoughts of sex without love. It is not only describing the act of sex without love, it deepens the readers understanding of the complex emotions that are involved.


 * Way 4: Upacking Another Instance of Figurative Language**

The phrase "They are like great runners" is a simile. The phrase is a comparison that uses the word "like." Individuals who are considered religious and pure, who do not mistake lovemaking for pleasure, are compared to great runners. I came to the conclusion that the religious individuals are being compared to the great runners through the use of punctuation. There is no period separting the two individuals, indivdiuals who do not mistake lovemaking for pleasure and great runners. This is a difficult simile to understand, and it took me quite a while to determine who was being compared to great runners. This simile is very general, and has many interpreations depending on ones experience with either of the individuals being compared. As a runner, I know a lot of passion and devotion is needed to make a runner a great runner. Individuals who disagree with loveless sex believe these two characteristics are very important in sexual relationships. This simile connects to the rest of the poem because it provides the speakers thoughts about those who disagree with sex without love.


 * Way 4: Unpacking Another Instance of Figurative Langage**

The phrase "they know they are alone with the road surface, the cold, the wind, the fit of their shoes, their over-all cardiovascular health--just factors, like the partner in the bed" is a simile. It is a comparison using the words "like." It compares the factors of running to the partner in bed. This phrase builds of of the comparison mentioned in the previous Way about individuals who disagree with loveless sex and great runners. This simile addresses the many factors of running. Just like all of these factors are a part of the runner's life, the partner in bed is just another piece of an individual's life. Runners feel they are not alone when they are running because they are surrounded by all of these factors. The individuals who disapprove of loveless sex also like they are not alone because they have their partner in bed. The last three lines of the poem help tie this simile into the rest of the poem. Together these lines tie the entire poem together. The last three lines of the poem discuss how individuals who disagree with loveless sex are unaware of the truth. The truth is we are all //individuals.// We are all on our own in this world. We are not competing with anyone but ourselves. We need to do what makes us happy. This simile connects with the rest of the poem because it addresses the complexity of thee question of sex without love. As the speaker strives to answer the question "How do they do it, the one's who make love without love?", it is important to explore the good and bad of the possible answers (line 1). The comparison mentioned in the previous Way is very positive; however, the comparison mentioned in this Way has a more negative tone. At the end of the poem, we are still left wondering.


 * Way 5: Analyzing the Setting**

Setting refers to when and where a narrative takes place. The setting is difficult to determine for this piece of literature because the author does not come out and give a time and place. The issue of sex without love became a popular topic in 1960s. It remained popular through the 1970s and 1980s and it is still commonly debated today. "Sex without Love" was written in 1984. I have a feeling this poem captures the feelings of the author from around this time or during her experiences in the1960s and 1970s. There is no clear place or location of this poem. The poem can be viewed as thoughts contained within the speakers mind. It can also be viewed as a discussion between the speaker and a friend, with the speaker sharing his/her insights and questions. Even though there is no specific place or location, it is important for the reader to take into consideration the culture of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The culture surrounding this time period can provide a deeper understanding in the poem. This subject of this poem is very universal, and affected many individuals in the United States and many parts of the world.


 * Way 6: Identiftying and Analzying Point of View**

"Sex without Love" is written in the third person limited point of view. The poem is told by a narrator who is not a character in the poem. The poem is focused on the thoughts of the narrator. The reader only sees the narrator's perspective of sex without love. The reader explores the topic of loveless sex through the thoughts of the narrator. The reader is taken on a bit of a rollercoster. The reader is exposed to the good and the bad of loveless sex and disapproving of loveless sex through the thoughts of the narrator. The reader does not gain insight from individuals you do or do not partake in loveless sex. The reader only has access to information from the narrators perspective. I believe Olds wrote in the third person limited point of view to illustrate the sense of wonder and complexity that is tied to the issue of sex without love. Olds challenges the readers thoughts about the subject by using figurative language that can be interpreted in many ways. By digging deep into the meaning of the figurative language, the reader explores the complexity of the subject. Using the limited third person point of view creates an unbiased discussion on the subject. Ultimately, the reader is able to decide how he or she feels about sex without love.


 * Way 7: Analyzing Complexity, Ambiguity, & Difficulty**

The large amount of figurative language in this poem creates difficulty with understanding in the reader. The figurative language is very ambiguous, and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The reader is only aware of the speakers thoughts at this certain time. The reader is unaware of prior experiences that might have led to the comparisons that are made.

The most confusing piece of figureative language in this poem is the phrase at the end of the poem: "They do not mistake the lover for their own pleasure, they are like great runners: they know they are alone with the road surface, the cold, the wind, the firt of their shoes, their over-all cardiovascular health--just factors, like the partner in the bed, not the truth, which is the single body alone in the universe against its own best time." This phrase is full of information that needs to be sorted out. The line breaks, punctuation, word choice, and word worder make this piece of the poem difficult to follow. These two characteristic of this phrase cause a great deal of ambiguity in the reader. The reader cannot grasp the meaning of this phrase the first time reading the poem. It needs very careful consideration. However, careful consideration can lead the reader to constantly second guess him/herself. The first thing the reader needs to determine is who the speaker is talking about, individuals who engage in loveless sex or those who do not. Once I anaylzed this phrase very carefully, I determined the speaker is comparing individuals who do not engage in loveless sex to great runners. Once I determined who the speaker was comparing, I was able to begin tackling the figurative language. I have addressed the figurative language of this phrase in Way 4.

The speaker discuesses the two sides of the subject, loveless sex. It is difficult to decipher what side the speaker is talking about. There is no clear way of separting the two sides. The two sides are also very inter-woven. The comparisons made with each side can be negative and positive for that side.

**Horizontal Thinking: Connecting the Text to Wider Contexts**
 * Way 8: Considering Canonicity**

"Sex without Love" meets the criteria used to determine canonicity. The poem uses a variety of literary elements, mainly figurative language. The use of figurative language in the poem is very effective in conveying imagery and emotion. The poem has a great deal of aesthetic value. The reader is able to understand what the speaker is thinking about. The figurative language sets the tone of these thoughts. The poem also has a great deal of cultural value. The poem was written in 1984, shortly after the sexual revolution in the 1960s. This poem represents what society was going through during this time. This was a very important subject in the 1980s, and remains a very important subejct today. The topic of this poem, loveless sex, was probably a popular issue prior to the 1960s; however, people did not feel comfortable openly discussing the topic. Since the 1960s, more people have engaged in loveless sex. I believe this number could continue to grow. The subject of this poem has already stood the test of time, and I believe it will continue to. The subject of this poem is very universal. Many individuals can relate to this poem no matter what side of the argument they are on. The topic of this poem affects people from various backgrounds and age groups. It discusses human emotions and experiences. It provides a great deal of deapth to the poem. This poem teaches the reader about him/herself, the culture of society, the text, and the biographical, historical, and cultural contexts.

Sharon Olds was born in San Franciso, CA on November 12, 1942. Her family was Calvinist. She attended a Massachusetts boarding school. She graducated with a B.A. from Stanford University in 1964. She earned a Ph.D. in English from Columbia University in 1972 (Sharon). Sharon Olds' experiences growing up in California during the 1960s played a tremendous role in her literature work. The turbulent society of the 1960s and 1970s also played a large role in her work. Her experience as a memebr of a Calvinist family also played a role in her work. Olds most likely experienced a generational gap with her parents about beliefs regarding sex. Her parents were probably very conservative compared to society during the 1960s. This also presented a challenge for Olds. Olds probably felt a great deal of confusion as to what was "right" and what was "wrong." The poem "Sex without Love" brings all of these experiences together. The messages Olds was receiving from her religious family and the culture in San Francisco during the 1960s were very different. This poem addresses the thoughts of both sides, as the speaker tries to answer the question "How do they do it, the ones who make love without love?"
 * Way 9: Biographical Context**


 * Way 10: Historical and Cultural Contexts**

Sharon Olds wrote "Sex without Love" was written in 1984. She had experienced the sexual revolution that took place during the 1960s and 1970s. During this revolution, sex became much less of a taboo subject (Baker 297). The consequences of the sexual revolution seeped into the 1980s when the poem was written. We are still experiencing effects of the revolution today. Whether the poem was written about Olds' experiences in the 1960s or 1970s is hard to determine. She could have also written about her experiences at the time she wrote the poem in 1984. No matter what time frame she emphasized in this poem, her poetry is known for "following the precedent set by confessional poetry in the fifties and sixties" (Sharon). Olds is known for exploring sexuality, family, and political violence in her work. As a result of her exploration, "the subject, treatment, and language of her poems often transgress socially imposed silences about the body" (Sharon). Many consider her poetry to be erotic (Sharon). The poem "Sex without Love" definitely fits into this framework.


 * Way 11: Theoretical Application**

New Historicism emphasizes the dynamic aspect of history (Brown & Yarbrough 209). New Historicism includes the historical and cultural context of the piece of literature. According to Brown and Yarbrough, "our understanding of history is under constant revision" (209). Because of this constant revision, it is impossible to determine one meaning for a piece of lierature. "Sex without Love" is a great example of this idea. At the time Olds wrote this poem, the reader probably interpreted the poem very differently from the way a reader would interpret it today. The interpretation of the poem will continue to change as time goes on. At the time this poem was written or the experiences it was based off of, fewer individuals were engaging in loveless sex. Today, loveless sex is more common. It is hard to say whether this trend will continue, but one can assume it will. One phrase that has been and will continue to be affected by the change in culture, is the line "wet as the children at birth whose mothers are going to give them away" (6-8). More unwanted pregancies today end in abortion than they did when this poem was written. The understanding of this simile will most likely be subject to revision if this trend continues. Also the phrase "These are the true religious, the purists, the pros, the ones who will not accept a false Messiah, love the priest instead of the God" is subject to changes in interpretation (13-16). During the 1950s, this group of conservative individuals made up the majority of society. As more people begin to explore their faith and become relaxed in their faith, the group this phrase describes might change to a very small conservative group within society.


 * Way 12: Another Theoretical Application**

According to Brown and Yarbrough, "feminsim was a boad cultural movement phenomenon" (Brown & Yarbrough 226). Brown and Yarbrough also say, "feminism embodies a way of reading that investigates the text's investment in or reaction to the patriarchal power structures that have dominted Western culture" (226). In "Sex without Love," Olds addresses women's sexuality. She does say "women's sexuality" in the poem, but there are many suggestions. Olds, obviously a woman, wrote about sex. This was probably a big deal at the time she wrote the poem. During the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, women were starting to be recognized as sexual beings and being "equal" to men. At the time this poem was written, society was dealing with the consequences of the revolution. Prior to the revolution, women were thought of merely as family caretakers. Olds' poem addressed the sexuality of women, something that was not addressed prior to the revolution. By addressing this issue, women began to gain power over themselves in the patriarchal society.


 * Way 13: Unifying Interpretation**

From the variety of perspectives of the poem I have studied, I have come to the conclusion this poem is about more than loveless sex. As a whole, this poem represents the culture of the era it was written in. It represents the success women had in gaining treatment "equal" to men during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Specifically, it refers to the elimination of the taboo associate with women and sexuality. However, this success can represent a bigger picture. Women overcame a lot of obstacles during this time period. They joined the workforce and fought for equal pay, continued to care for their families, and began marrying later and showing they can provide for themselves. All of these successes showed the world that women are strong and can be independent. Most importantly, these successes gained them the respect they deserved.

Looking more closely at the content of the poem, there can be many interpretations. The first interpration is that the poem is about loveless sex, and the debate of whether it is right or wrong. Olds does an interesting job of expressing both sides of the argument. The first half of the poem appears to provide the positive aspect of loveless sex. Most of the first half of the poem is all physical descriptions. The figurative langauge that is used paints a pretty picture, comparing the indivdiuals to dancers and ice skaters. When exploring this figurative langauge, the reader can find interpretations that are not necessarily pretty. The hidden emotions that lie beneath the physical descriptions are not addressed, and lead the reader to wonder what is going on inside the individuals. The second half of the poem addresses individuals who are more conservative in their sexual practices. They are compared to a great runner, which is a very honorable comparison. Runners are passionate and devoted. However, this comparison also has its negative side. So many factors play a role in running, and is this partner in bed just another factor in someone's life? Ultimately, the reader is left with not an exact answer to "How do they do it, the ones who make love without love?" (line 1-2). The reader is able to decide from the thoughts presented in the poem how he/she feels about the issue.

The great amount of figurative language in the poem leads to a variety of interprations. The poem can be applied to a variety of situations, not just loveless sex. It can be applied to life in general.


 * Works Cited and Consulted**

Baker, Luther. "In My Opinion: The Sexual Revolution in Perspective." __Family Relations__ 32.2 (1983): 297-300.

Brown, James S. And Scott D. Yarbrough. __A Practical Introduction to Literary Studies.__ Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.

Chick, Nancy. "Professors Notes: Unpacking Figurative Language." July 2009.

"Sharon Olds." __Contemporary Authors Online.__ 2005. GaleNet. UW-Colleges Online Lib., WI. 28 July 2009 [|http://galenet.galegroup.com].