Expository Writing

4/19/99

                                    Critical Review of Plain Text

             Nancy Mairs, Plain Text. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1986. 154pages. $15.95

In her book Plain Text, Nancy Mairs addresses issues of feminism, womanhood, sexuality, depression, Multiple Sclerosis,
family, friendship, religion and many other personal topics in a blunt manner. Her essays are based on her personal
experiences with all of the above issues. Though the reader will definitely be drawn into the life and mind of the author,
s/he may not be sure s/he want's to be there.

There are a few requirements for anyone endeavoring to read and enjoy this work. The first is a very large vocabulary or a
dictionary near by. The author has a penchant for using big, uncommon words. A probable reason for this comes out in
one of her essays, "I read dictionaries a lot."(104) Regardless of the reason, the reader should be prepared to come in
contact with words such as volitional, self-immolation, and plexus. Though many of the words make the writing more
interesting and certainly more colorful, the large amount of obscure words can at times frustrate the average reader and
slow the overall reading process.

Another must for enjoyment is to be a feminist, or at least be sympathetic to feminist views. Most of the essays focus on
what womanhood and feminism have meant to her. Some of her views are moderate and some are extreme, such as her
view of sex. "In sex… I am acted upon. I am the object, not the agent. … The phallus penetrates me; I do not surround,
engulf, incorporate the phallus. No wonder Caleb raped me. Rape was his only grammatical option."(85) She examines
the roles of wife, mother, writer and even depressive in a feminist light.

A third requirement is that the reader at least be tolerant of, if not captivated by sadness and misfortune. Mairs has lead a
life full of pitfalls, and many of them are chronicled in this book. Rape, depression, attempted suicide, agoraphobia, MS,
death of a parent and a stay in an asylum are all detailed in the book. Many of the titles foreshadow the unhappiness that is
omnipresent in this book: "On Being A Cripple," "On Not Liking Sex," "On Living Behind Bars." This is not a snatching
victory from the jaws of despair kind of book. It is more of a "Would you like to see Hell, because I would love to show
you" kind of book.

Plain Text is not a book for anyone who enjoys only light, happy reading, small words, monogamy, patriarchy or pure,
testosterone reeking masculinity. It has a very definite purpose, and anyone who can not understand that purpose will not
understand this book. It is a self- explication, from which the reader can perhaps begin to understand his/her own life. It
enables the reader to laugh, commiserate and disagree his/her way to insights on his/her own life. It is a book of deep
thoughts, shallow desires and consuming fears.