Joyce Carol Oates’ story, Three Girls, tells the story of two young girls who are in a used bookstore that they frequent regularly when one of them happens to spy Marilyn Monroe tucked away in the back of the store reading and sifting through books. Both of the girls are mesmerized by their discovery of her in the quaint, small, unglamorous bookstore and the story centers around their observations of Marilyn Monroe as they follow her and watch her, from a distance, as Marilyn peruses through the books. Throughout the story the narrator mentions many different books that can be found in this bookstore, all by male authors. The narrator comments on how her and her friend are enamored with the books, picking favorites and commenting on books that are not so dear to their hearts. At one point in the story the narrator is talking about her friend and comments on the differences between the two of them stating, “our contrary talents bred in our bones.” While the narrator is referring to herself and her friend, I believe this statement can be taken to mean contrary talents between the girls and Marilyn Monroe as well as contrary talents between male and female poets.
Marilyn Monroe is known for her risqué roles, modeling, acting career, and undeniable beauty. Her talents were much different than those of the girls in the bookstore. The narrator and her friend were college students, “girl-poets”. The girls do not know how to react about Marilyn Monroe, a world famous movie star, being in a local bookstore and the friend states, “She thinks she’s like us!” These girls were so different from what Marilyn Monroe represented and had achieved, however, there they were, all three of them in a bookstore enjoying the same passion. While they bred different talents, there was still something that connected them in that bookstore, a love of books.
Lastly, I believe the contrary talents statements can also be a reference to the male versus female author ratio present in the bookstore. The two young girls mention Yeats, Eliot, Darwin, Pound, and Kierkegaard with a sense of reverence and respect, stating, “we were girl-poets passionately enamored” with these poets. What seems to be a striking contrast and blatant reference to contrary yet equal talents, is the choice of book in which Marilyn Monroe chooses to give to the two girls upon her departure, a book of poems by Marianne Moore. Marilyn chooses a female author to share. A stark contrast from what the young girls have admired. It shows that the female poet has as much to share in the way of talent as a man does. And this other girl, this actress, who has talents much different from the two young girls, has chosen this different and unique way of expressing to the two young girls thank you.
Oates, Joyce Carol. “Three Girls”. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 8th ed., Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston. 2008.
Marilyn Monroe is known for her risqué roles, modeling, acting career, and undeniable beauty. Her talents were much different than those of the girls in the bookstore. The narrator and her friend were college students, “girl-poets”. The girls do not know how to react about Marilyn Monroe, a world famous movie star, being in a local bookstore and the friend states, “She thinks she’s like us!” These girls were so different from what Marilyn Monroe represented and had achieved, however, there they were, all three of them in a bookstore enjoying the same passion. While they bred different talents, there was still something that connected them in that bookstore, a love of books.
Lastly, I believe the contrary talents statements can also be a reference to the male versus female author ratio present in the bookstore. The two young girls mention Yeats, Eliot, Darwin, Pound, and Kierkegaard with a sense of reverence and respect, stating, “we were girl-poets passionately enamored” with these poets. What seems to be a striking contrast and blatant reference to contrary yet equal talents, is the choice of book in which Marilyn Monroe chooses to give to the two girls upon her departure, a book of poems by Marianne Moore. Marilyn chooses a female author to share. A stark contrast from what the young girls have admired. It shows that the female poet has as much to share in the way of talent as a man does. And this other girl, this actress, who has talents much different from the two young girls, has chosen this different and unique way of expressing to the two young girls thank you.
Oates, Joyce Carol. “Three Girls”. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 8th ed., Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston. 2008.
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