‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ saga inspires anthropology class

Saddleback offers new anthropology course ANTH-69 where students can get ready for fresh penetrating curriculum   

Teacher plugs students with the bondage terms mid-term. (Andrea Clemett/ Lariat)

The “Fifty Shades of Grey” saga inspires a new anthropology course entitled Fifty Shades of Real Life, studying the principles, behavior of primal and postmodern relationships between men and women. The course will utilize the trilogy as textbooks in order to draw parallels between contemporary women’s views and the themes presented in the erotic novels written by E.L. James.

Beginning with unfamiliar sexual vocabulary as illustrated in the novels, the course will define terms and students will be expected write a mid-term and perform an oral examination based on naughty safe words. The class will apply the terms to real life situations such as dominant, the person who is in control of the relationship, and submissive, one who is to obey the rules imposed by the dominant person. Other terms such as bondage/discipline, sadism/masochism and flogger will be demonstrated in the lab.

As reported by The Guardian in “Why women love Fifty Shades of Grey,” enticed female to read erotic tales following sales of 20 million copies of the trilogy sold in the U.S. The author eased women into examining their own sexual preferences and limits. This new course further enables students to explore the roles that men and women assume in intimate relationships. The trilogy and the class do not overtly cross the line by remaining “vanilla,” a straightforward discussion of intimacy without “hard limits,” use of toys or punishment.

“This class has enlarged my sexual heights with my ex-husband,” Anastasia Johnson, 78. “I used to think that there was something wrong with me. After taking this class I have realized that my raunchiest desires and fantasies are normal. I have progressed from taking yoga classes at college to paying for a bi-weekly one on one urban tantric workshop where I work on my dry humping posture.”

According to Stuff News New Zealand, women are traditionally attracted to alpha males, as seen when Tobeanalpha.com is one of the many websites populated when searching the subject on Google. Stuff lists characteristics such as confidence, competitiveness, strong presence, pronounced body language, snazzy dress and dominance to get the girl.

To comprehend the female draw to the novels, students will explore the traits and behavior of an alpha male beginning with the hunters and gatherers era to contemporary males like Christian Grey. He is a wealthy, good looking man who uses his charm in winning over Ana in a series of romantic-like gestures of gifts and helicopter rides.

Student Cheryl Handsdick illustrates composition from erotic dream of the course syllabus. (Andrea Clemett Illustration/ Lariat)

They partake in entertaining a teen-like fliration of risky sexual contact discussed back and forth through emails, ultimately resulting in Grey captivating her. Christian’s troubled past began with a relationship with an older woman at 15 years of age when she introduced him to BDSM, wherein he learned control which continued as a cycle into his adult life.

The alpha male demonstrates the biological behavior of animals in analyzing sexual selection. This transpires when competitiveness for mates occurs within the same species, much like Grey when he challenges the persistence of Ana’s friend, Jose Rodriguez.

The first method of male competition involves competing with each other for mating purposes until one backs down. The female chooses the best mate for herself in the second type of selection called female choice.

Choosy females cause males to initiate courtship, where they often flaunt their best attributes to get the female. Peacocking, a term derived from sexual selection, also exhibits behavior by men that attempts to impress women much like Grey when he romances Ana and cannot let her go.

The final exam will allow students to research how the texts provoke new sexual revelations in today’s current society. The course will delve into women’s choice to swipe towards meeting a sexual encounter as it relates to their reactions towards sexual liberation inspired by James.

Comments

comments