Carol Shields's Dressing Down
Dressing Down
Dressing Down, by Carol Shields, is a story about a grandfather’s passion for being nude and having no problem showing off what God gave him. His desire to feel free and natural as a nudist eventually creates a conflict with his wife and leads to a troublesome marriage. This story teaches you that sometimes your passions can affect the relationships you have with the people that are closest to you.
We never learn the name of the main character in the story as he is referred to as grandfather throughout the whole story. Shortly after the grandfather gets married to his wife he travels with some friends to a nudist camp on a beach in France. During this experience the grandfather discovers a freedom and sensation he had never …show more content…
But he soon finds out that his wife, referred to as the grandmother, is not as comfortable letting lose. She is described as a conservative and cautious woman who would rather cover up then strip down (Shields 788). The grandmother does not want to attend her husband’s summer-long nudist camp if it entails her to be nude. She eventually agrees to attend her husband’s camp but only if she can be clothed. This conflict between the married couple creates a great strain on their relationship and marriage. The grandmother reluctantly attends Club Soleil for many more summers, but still never feels completely comfortable. One summer the grandmother refuses to attend Club Soleil, leaving her husband to go on his own. The reason for her absence is that her grandson, the narrator, turns 10 years old and decides to stay with them for the summer. She feels uncomfortable with the idea of her young grandson at a nudist camp and stays back while the narrator joins his grandfather at Club Soleil. The grandfather forgives his wife her for her decision, however it makes things awkward and further strains their
Dressing Down, by Carol Shields, is a story about a grandfather’s passion for being nude and having no problem showing off what God gave him. His desire to feel free and natural as a nudist eventually creates a conflict with his wife and leads to a troublesome marriage. This story teaches you that sometimes your passions can affect the relationships you have with the people that are closest to you.
We never learn the name of the main character in the story as he is referred to as grandfather throughout the whole story. Shortly after the grandfather gets married to his wife he travels with some friends to a nudist camp on a beach in France. During this experience the grandfather discovers a freedom and sensation he had never …show more content…
But he soon finds out that his wife, referred to as the grandmother, is not as comfortable letting lose. She is described as a conservative and cautious woman who would rather cover up then strip down (Shields 788). The grandmother does not want to attend her husband’s summer-long nudist camp if it entails her to be nude. She eventually agrees to attend her husband’s camp but only if she can be clothed. This conflict between the married couple creates a great strain on their relationship and marriage. The grandmother reluctantly attends Club Soleil for many more summers, but still never feels completely comfortable. One summer the grandmother refuses to attend Club Soleil, leaving her husband to go on his own. The reason for her absence is that her grandson, the narrator, turns 10 years old and decides to stay with them for the summer. She feels uncomfortable with the idea of her young grandson at a nudist camp and stays back while the narrator joins his grandfather at Club Soleil. The grandfather forgives his wife her for her decision, however it makes things awkward and further strains their