Quotation: “Monsieur Cuvier investigates between my legs, poking, prodding, sure of his hypothesis. I half expect him to pull silk scarves from inside me, paper poppies, then a rabbit!” (Alexander)
Comment : I chose this quotation because it put into perspective the situation of the female being examined. It also connects back to the first line of the poem science, science, science. These contextual clues made me realize that the female in the poem is being treated as if she is a science experiment. She is being examined as an exterior of the human being, more closely tied to an animal. Alexander writes how the neighbors of this female are pigs and alludes the comparison of the female to the pig. Moving onto the second half of the quotation, it ensures how the female character is being objectified by Monsieur Cuvier and examined almost as if she were an extra terrestrial being. The list of items to be pulled out of her is description of what a clown would pull out of his bag. Almost as if the female is a magic trick or show. Utterly exploited for viewing and exploration.
Question: What is the purpose of this description of examination? Why is the female character significant to Monsieur Cuvier for examination? How can we find out more about this female character?
