Chapter 3: Quizzer Kaylee Moore

1. The beginning of Chapter three starts with the quote, “The Four Fs. That’s all you need to know about women. Find’em. Feel’em. Fuck’em and Forget’em,” (62). This was the only advice give to Ned’s friend Phil by his father. How do you think Phil would feel towards women if had never heard this advice? Would he view women differently or do you think he would still act the same?

I believe that Phil is tainted by this advice since he was given it when he was only 12 years old. Right around this age is when boys become more interested in girls physically, so hearing this quite vivid piece of advice from his father molded the way he treats women right away. His trips to the strip clubs, and viewing women as worthless individuals, stripped of feelings and emotions are all direct results from this advice his father so graciously gave him. In my opinion Phil would behave so much differently towards women if his brain was not ruined with his father’s advice. He could have appreciated women, or at least their feelings and emotions. He would look at them as actual people rather than play toys. All in all though, if Phil or any guy for that matter was going to view women in such a dirty, unflattering light, they would do so with or without their father’s advice.

2. Vincent is always worried about her appearance as Ned. During her first experience at a strip club she comments that she was “dressed for a date, and this was a hellhole,” (69). Going back to the “clothes make the person,” comment, do you feel that the others at the club were really concerned with how Ned was dressed?

Honestly, no. All of the men in the strip club did not even look each other in the eye let alone the naked females they fantasized about. Ned could have set himself on fire and I don’t believe anyone would have noticed. Like Vincent said, the strip club she attended was indeed a “hellhole.” The women were explicit, and then men took advantage of the many opportunities they had with these women. Although, the women noticed how uncomfortable Ned was, they did not judge him necessarily for the clothes he was wearing. They were more concerned with the singles he was going to shove into their g-string than actually looking at his appearance. I guess that is what a strip club means to men. They aren’t judged by the other guys obviously, but even the women don’t discriminate against good or bad looks. The strippers only care about making money, and even if they have to seduce the ugliest guy on the planet they will just for the money.

3. “A real woman is a mind, and a mind is a witness, and a witness is the last thing you need when you’re ashamed. So fucking a fake, mindless hole is what you need. The faker the better,” (79) Explain what this quote means.

To me, this is probably the most insightful thought Vincent has made throughout the book thus far. It truly portrays the thoughts of a man, and it enlightens the female readers to a better view of the male psyche. These strippers were not real to the men, they were fantasies. Everyone chases fantasies, but deep down they know it will never truly happen. Strip clubs bring the male fantasy to life; women in no clothing giving them exactly what they want, no questions. They would never want someone they truly care about to see them in this light. They feel ashamed of their fantasies and that is why many of Ned’s friends keep their strip club adventures completely secret. There wives are real to them, and their thoughts are what the men care about. They do not want someone they love to judge them for living their fantasy. Seeing the fake, plastic strippers at clubs does not involve attachment. These women do not have minds and the male viewers could care less about their feelings, emotions and thoughts.

4. At the end of the chapter, Ned is talking with Phil and he says, “I go to some of these bars and this is the family man in me, and I say to myself, these girls were somebody’s daughter. Somebody put them to bed. Somebody kissed them and hugged them and gave them love and not they’re in this pit.” Vincent replies, “Or, maybe someone didn’t,” (91) How does this demonstrate stripper culture? Did these women lack a loving family relationship as children? Or were they just forced to work in the club for money?

First of all, this quote shows how Phil does have some generosity towards women. He does worry about these girl’s lives and their feelings. However, this is a great closing to the chapter. It makes the reader question whether or not the male viewers are completely unattached to the strippers when they are performing. Why would these two men worry so much about how these women got to this “pit” they are working in? Strippers are not all lonely women. Some of them have families that they have to dance in order to support. There is no telling why most of them decide to become strippers. Maybe they were neglected or ignored during their childhood, and working in a strip club allows them to get attention from men that they may not have gotten from their parents, or their fathers. Granted this type of attention is not positive, but these women may not know better.