What makes this monologue so valuable is its examination of the person who learns to operate right along the boundary. Arabella describes “Bob” as som
What makes this monologue so valuable is its examination of the person who learns to operate right along the boundary. Arabella describes “Bob” as someone who has paid attention to where the line is and learned how to tiptoe around it, taking advantage of the uncertainty that exists in the gray area. The monologue has been discussed specifically as an exploration of boundaries, violations, sexual harassment, and the ambiguity that can be exploited around them.
Rape culture benefits from uncertainty about what counts as sexual violence.
Because we’re often taught to look for the person who dramatically crosses an unmistakable line. Coel is asking us to look at something subtler: What about the person who studies the line? What about someone who learns how close he can get while maintaining plausible deniability?