In this essay, Perillo describes the experience of hitchhiking
and how someone can feel adrenaline by getting into semis driven by
questionable men. This essay also plays on the idea of repeating the same thing
over again even though there is knowledge of a potential risk. The protagonist
has this sensation of hitchhiking almost as an addictive drug—she likes the
feeling of mystery and danger. Perillo portrays hitchhiking as women giving away
their souls to get a ride, especially when she describes women hitchhikers as “…the
sexy French women in their high-heeled boots suddenly disappeared back to
whatever swanky place they’d come from,” (23). The interesting part of this
essay is when she becomes a trucker and has to decide what hitchhikers to pick
up and which not to pick up. Perillo explains the regret of leaving an Indian
woman behind and how the hitchhikers she has or has not picked up still haunt
her.
Pretty solid response, Danielle, but I don't understand your interpretation of the line you've quoted. In that scene Perillo is reminiscing about a good time in her life--when stylish people hitchhiked during a public transportation strike.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, though, I'd love for you to move beyond summarizing what's in the essay in order to talk about the writing itself. Maybe you'd use the line you quoted and another line to talk about the way Perillo uses contrast in order to show something. Or you could quote an unconventional image and talk about why she described something that way, and what the effect it.
Like I said, though, this is smooth writing and a good start.
DW