Before Night Falls Journals

Discuss the role of sexuality in the memoir.

Sexuality is highly dominant in this memoir. I had overheard that it was pretty graphic and disturbing so I was ready for it when I began reading it. At first it was neutral but eventually when he began to speak of his country, specifically his town is when I began to realize the honesty Arenas wrote within his stories. It was baffling to read his experience with his uncle on the horse. Although it is not abnormal to occur, it was still astonishing to me because I have never experienced something so intimate with a family member! Another instense scene he described was his first consummated act with his cousion Orlando. Because I am not of the male gender, it was awkward reading this part. Honestly I have nothing agaisnt homosexuality but to tell you the truth I find male homosexuality a bit strange to witness. When I have seen women act sexually with each other it has never struck me as odd, I guess because I can date back to the time when I was five years old that I first witnessed the act the sex with lesbians rather than with heterosexuals. Although it is strange to read, it made me chuckle when he went on to say that they not only did it once but twice! The use of animals for sexual pleasure is another perfect example of the role of sexuality in this memoir. These youngins would try to find anything with a hole or anything with moisture to spaz with. From chickens, to mules, to horses or goats and it wasn't anything abnormal in their society.