I found The Husband Stitch to be a very entertaining read. While it seems as if they are passionate about each other, throughout the story there is a feeling like there is something off about the husband. As the years go on we as the reader notice how he becomes increasingly impatient about knowing why she keeps the ribbon around her neck. Even as the reader, although The Girl with The Green Ribbon is a story I knew as a child my curiosity of why she kept it on peaked increasingly throughout the novel. 

While the husband may not be overtly abusive in the traditional sense it is seen how he repeatedly ignores her boundaries, for example when it came to stitching her up after she gave birth or his constant attempts throughout the story to remove her ribbon. I also noticed the way their child changed throughout the story. As a small child he was very innocent and didn’t really mind her ribbon, seeing it as a part of her. As he grew up though, I presume through the influence of his father he began to insist on knowing why she had the ribbon around her neck.

 I think the child in the story is essential because while the story is through the eyes of the woman we have insight of what it may have been like for the husband to grow up, or a stereotypical man in society. The way she describes her son’s personality changing as he got older, how he became more opinionated in the stories she told him as well as him eventually finding a girl that he loved and wanted to marry made her reminisce about her own husband when they were younger. 

Although it isn’t explicitly said the year this story was set in, I had the feeling it was during an older time period due to her unwavering obedience to her husband, as well as the young age they got married. While I thought she would eventually stand up to her husband she only gets assertive when he touches her ribbon. This makes sense towards the end because if not for her resistance she would have died, essentially because the ribbon was the only thing keeping her head on her shoulders. I find knowing this fact now to be kind of absurd because it is as if she will only defend herself when it comes to something which is essentially keeping her alive. 

In terms of the end scene, I was excited because she finally unveiled why she kept the ribbon around her neck. Although it isn’t necessarily realistic for a ribbon to be the only thing keeping your head on I think the symbolism behind the green ribbon it is primarily about women having control over their bodily autonomy, and consent, this being something that can be ignored, even by people that love us. I really loved the way this story was written and I didn’t mind that there wasn’t much detail like names of the characters. I also found it very ironic that while reading a short scary story the narrator herself was telling various short scary stories. 

I wrote this essay because I have always loved horror, even as a young child. I noticed as I got older there were many varying opinions shared amongst horror fans. This interested me because there were many times I would see reviews for a new movie being super hyped up, then watching the movie I think it was absolutely terrible. There are also movies or even horror games which I think will not live up to the hype, but after experiencing them I become completely addicted. Theorizing or looking for hidden meanings in these works are what I feel make them so interesting.

 In terms of how long it took me to write the essay, It took me about an hour or two to write the essay, mainly planning out the format as well as how it would be organized. The process I used while writing this essay was mainly coming up with what topics I wanted to address, and mapping out which paragraphs I’d address them in. I also liked to pick a more quiet and dark atmosphere to write in which is usually why I like to write at night. 

While planning out the content I wanted to discuss I focused more on how there are differing opinions amongst those in the horror community and how despite these differences we are all bought together with the fact that we like the genre. I also focused on how those who are not part of the community see it, and how they may not understand why it might be entertaining. I expressed how in my case it is more than the scare that intrigues me, it is also about the hidden meanings a viewer may not be able to catch upon experiencing for the first time. I also like seeing the way people interpret the writing itself, going into a deeper analysis of the topic.

When it comes to my writing overall I would have liked to improve the transition between paragraphs more because I think it jumps too quickly between topics. This is something I struggle a lot with essays in general and I feel like my points really start to come together when I have more organized writing ideas, and transitions.

I like the drafting process because it is very satisfying comparing the first draft to the final. I like receiving feedback from my friends and peers on my writing of what I should add or take away, because it gives insight into what your audience would like you to expand more on. After reading my first draft I usually don’t know what to change in my writing, but after taking a break from it for a couple hours to even days, I can come back and see a lot of changes that have to be made. 

I enjoyed writing this essay because usually in a lot of assignments I’ve written throughout college there is a specific topic that the professor wants you to address. I liked that this is more personalized and it is based on something that a student might be passionate about, outside of school. 

 While reading this chapter on Richmond, Virginia a quote I found interesting was, “While the kids would be tempted to approach this mysterious wagon and investigate it, they were told by adults that inside was “Dry Head and Bloody Bones.” I thought about this paragraph of the reading as if I were in the shoes of Florida Clayton telling the story. As a child I was really intrigued with ghosts or anything paranormal. So hearing this would probably temp me more into wanting to see what is inside the wagon, despite the fact that I know I ultimately wouldn’t out of fear. Parents using monsters and ghosts as a means to protect their children is a widely known concept but I think the reality especially in this instance is scarier than a ghost. The idea that you could be kidnapped and sold off to be a slave, possibly never seeing your family again is the truth of what happened to many people. I don’t think a child would be able to fully comprehend this so telling them a ghost would come and kill them is much easier and faster to explain. Fear and storytelling shape a child’s understanding of danger because it teaches them to be cautious of the unknown and warns them about being reckless. This method of warning children plays an emotional toll on parents because they have to ensure the wellbeing of the child in a time where there is constant harassment and racism, something a child would not fully understand. In addition ghost stories might help parents transform the reality into something more manageable.