I did not yet know that my lack of enjoyment - my distaste, my suffering even - would be considered normal and even desirable by my husband. He was one of those men who felt that if a woman did not experience sexual pleasure this was all to the good, because then she would not be liable to wander off seeking it elsewhere.
In the narrative, the protagonist reflects on her relationship with her husband, who perceives her lack of sexual enjoyment as beneficial. This dynamic reveals his belief that her indifference to pleasure would ensure her fidelity, as he associates her disinterest with security in their marriage. Her feelings of distaste and suffering, rather than being addressed, are normalized by him, suggesting a troubling power imbalance in their union.
This insight into their relationship raises broader themes of control and the expectations placed on women within societal norms. The husband's perspective illustrates a disturbing view of femininity where a woman's pleasure is viewed as a potential threat, ultimately rendering her desires and needs as secondary to preserving the marriage's integrity.
