Eros
In the prologue, Taddeo writes, “Of course, female desire can be just as bullish as male desire, and when desire was propulsive, when it was looking for an end it could control, my interest waned. But the stories wherein desire was something that could not be controlled, when the objective of desire dictated the narrative, that was where I found the most magnificence, the most pain. It resembled pedalling a bicycle backward, the agony and futility and finally, entry into another world altogether.”
Females are not sexually dormant; they have erotic desires that only can be quenched by romance. Taddeo’s description of ‘female desire’ confirms that the main plot of her text explores the extent and implication of sex instinct in females. Desire for Eros dictates the lives of females and on some occasions suppressing it is impossible.
Heartbreak
Maggie reflects, "Anyway, a small part of you Because most people will agree-when a lover shuts down, refuses to meet you, doesn't want his Oral-B back, doesn't need his trail shoes, doesn't return an email, goes out to buy another pair of trail shoes, doesn't return an email, goes out to buy another pair of trail shoes, for example, because that's better than dealing with your mousetrap pain, it's as though someone is freezing your organs. It's so cold you can't breathe…This is an outlandish notion only if you don't know how a person can destroy you by the simple act of disappearing."
Maggie's reflection suggests that she was devastated when Aaron Knodel broke their clandestine affair. She wonders whether it is the devastation that motivates her to disclose her affair to the world. Perhaps, she is still smitten with him and has not moved on from their affair. Communication among lovers strengthens their bond. Evidently, Knodel opted to shut Maggie out of his life; thus, hurting her psychologically. Rejection by a lover could trigger resentment and the desire for revenge.
“Coming of Age”
Taddeo writes, “There are two kinds of fifteen-year-old girls, Lina knows, and she belongs to the kind that does more sticker-collecting than French-kissing. In her bedroom she closes her eyes and imagines falling in love. Lina wants that more than anything else.She believes that girls who say that they want to be successful in their careers more than they want to fall in love are lying."
Lina's reasoning indicates that she is maturing. Her desire for love confirms that her Love instinct is active making her conclude that experiencing love is more significant than career success. Obviously, Lina's focus as an adolescent is to find love because it is her utmost unconscious want.
