Judith Ortiz Cofer

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What is the theme of "The Pleasures of Fear" by Judith Ortiz Cofer?

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The theme of "The Pleasures of Fear" by Judith Ortiz Cofer centers on the conflicting emotions of fear and pleasure experienced during the transition from childhood to adulthood. The poem explores nascent sexuality and self-agency through a childhood incident where the speaker is trapped in a shed, initially feeling vulnerable but emerging with a deeper understanding of personal power. It contrasts innocence and knowledge, highlighting the mix of fear and excitement in maturation.

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This poem, in which the speaker recalls an incident from her childhood, is about the conflicting feelings of fear and pleasure that occur as someone transitions from childhood to adulthood. It is also imbued with undertones of nascent sexuality, as these feelings both trouble and excite her.

While playing a game with a boy, the speaker is locked in a shed. She remains trapped there for an unspecified yet extended amount of time as the boy remains outside. At first, the speaker feels vulnerable and helpless in the dark shed. When she finally emerges at the poem’s end, she carries with her a tainted and dirty feeling that is not easily cleansed. However, she also emerges with a new understanding of self-agency and power.

Throughout the poem, Judith Ortiz Cofer presents the contrasting themes of knowledge and innocence. The agency and security that the speaker felt before the incident disappears the moment she is locked in the shed. She is immediately subject to a male’s dominance over her and her freedom. However, the speaker soon realizes that she holds a certain amount of power over the boy as well. Although she is physically trapped, she has the boy enthralled, as he himself cannot pull himself away from the shed. He remains just outside, intrigued and captivated by what the girl is doing inside.

The themes of this poem speak to the perverse excitement that comes with this interaction. The language of the poem acknowledges the conflicting feelings that occur when someone matures. There is a mix of fear and pleasure. We see this in unlikely word combinations, such as “deliciously afraid” and “luscious ground.” Through this experience, the speaker learns the power that her body has and that, despite how others may attempt to control it, it is ultimately hers to keep.

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