Jess Goldberg: A Retrospective

When we first decided that we were going to focus on Leslie Feinberg’s Stone Butch Blues for our A4, I have to admit that I was less than enthused. To be honest, this was one of my least favorite pieces of literature from the course—a little too long and drawn out in my opinion. However, when the idea of interviewing supporting characters from the book in a sort of documentary-style retrospective came up, I got excited. While the main character, Jess, may have annoyed me during parts of the book, this project gave me a chance to revisit some of the characters that were not as prominently mentioned. That being said, I think that the characters I did end up focusing on (Jess’s parents and high school English teacher)—while not having major roles in the narrative—are very important characters in their own right.

Jess’s parents are the first sources of negativity in Jess’s life. I thought it would be interesting to interview her parents since they come across as particularly cold-hearted people in the novel. Originally not wanting to have any children, the resentment Jess’s parents feel towards their first born is compounded by the fact that Jess is not a “normal” little girl. While reading the book, I found myself taken aback by the fact that her parents not only send her to a psych ward, but also seem perfectly happy with their daughter running away from home. The interview format of our project allowed an opportunity for an imagining of their side of the story.

In much the same way that her parents represented the first authority figures in Jess’s life to disapprove of her identity, I think that her teacher Mrs. Noble is the first adult to really support Jess. She sees past the exterior and straight into the potential to do something great that Jess seems to possess. She represents hope for Jess—the possibility of acceptance and success. While only mentioned on a few pages, I think that Mrs. Noble has a lasting effect on Jess and her determination in finding belonging and happiness. Furthermore, as portrayed in her interview, I imagine Jess as having had a lasting impression on Mrs. Noble as well.

Hope you guys enjoy the video! =]