The prime of life/ Simone de Beauvoir

 Word Count: 245

Parker Greene 

The prime of life / Simone de Beauvoir

"It was a long time before we realized that our emotional detachment from, and indifference to, our respective childhoods was to be explained by what we had experienced as child" (pg. 63)

The idea of emotional detachment was an unexpected component of this reading. It was an extremely personal and vulnerable statement. Many people tend to assume that all women deal with the same issues, and all men deal with the same issues. Men and women are thought to approach and handle things differently. While this may be true on a chemical level, the similarities between men and women cannot be ignored. The quote can contradict that thinking because any person may be subject to childhood traumas. While all traumas are different, the children who experience any type of trauma are bound to hold onto it for years. The author refers to "our respective childhoods" to further show readers that all humans experience different childhoods. As trauma follows one into there adult life, it may start to negatively impact the individual. Therefore, emotional detachment comes into play. I think this is something that most people can relate to. When I read this quote, I was instantly invested in the sentences that follow. I admire the authors use of this component because it allows the audience to find a personal connection. The reader can put themselves into the shoes of the author to better understand her perspective.