Lucky Girl:

I was impressed with Potter’s ability to be blunt without being self – pitying: this piece is a public service announcement, but the tone is far from preachy, and it doesn’t bombard the reader with statistics. It’s about her, and she makes it flow into a topic of greater relevance. The descriptions of her running around a completely unfamiliar area trying to complete a dangerous procedure perfectly depict her desperation and feelings of “lostness” at the time, and the fact that she doesn’t even know if it will work makes her even more vulnerable. I really liked the way she detailed her different food cravings and experiences during the entire experience: the contrast of the orange, where she sucked it “empty but whole” and the steak dinner she had after she returned to New York are perfect symbols of her emotions throughout the ordeal.

A Role He Was Born To Play:

James’ story is memorable primarily because it is unexpected – rarely do we read a story where the subject questions their love for kids, where they don’t end up deciding that they do, after all, want their own. I was intrigued because James maintains his status on not wanting children, and he’s unashamed and unapologetic about the reasons: He wants to travel. Spend time with friends. Have alone time. And none of this means that he doesn’t enjoy, or even love children. He just doesn’t want his own.

His exaggerated descriptions of his niece and the other children he encoutners are perfect for evoking the hyperboles that kids are often drawn to. Some of my favorites include the kid brother’s excitement at the “hot sauce” incident, and his niece’s air of pained martyrdom when she has a hangnail.

James’ essay is far more internally focused than Potter’s, but it makes it clear that it’s ok to not want kids and that there’s no stigma against it.