Just love for today, ( :

day time and night time. It says this woman loses something at night, and this refers to prostitution. “Just a suite, sets of underwear” (16) having only a few pairs of undergarments and a car, this woman is on her own. She doesn’t have any responsibilities to take care of besides keeping herself alive.  

            In her quotation, “I don’t sell anything for less” (“Mustang” 37) even though this woman takes pride in her job, she is tired of feeling disposable. Most women want to feel loved and cherished, but this woman has gotten touched and tosses out after spending her nights with different men. Aside from her pride, the feeling she gets must be the worst feeling in the world. The conflict is that this woman is a showgirl or a prostitute, she is proud of what she does, but she feels use, “The body disposable by cups” (“Mustang” 27), refers to her career, and this job involves selling her body repeatedly.  This simile refers to when this woman offer her body to those clients to enjoy, and then toss her like a disposable object. Her client doesn’t respect or treasure her, and she knows it as well.

              The main character is the woman in the pink Mustang. The other characters were merely mention in the poem, and they are those who carry out the same job as she. They were use to show that this woman is not ashamed of her job, unlike the others.   The main character does not change because this poem is about a specific woman. The title suggests it is about only one woman. There is no rhyme pattern for this poem, and the direction quotation is from the main character herself. The poem provided details of her work, and the way she lives. The main character lives life without worries for the future. Her job is to pleasure her client, and she doesn’t know how long she can continue with this job.

            This woman already has thought of the future, with the metaphor, “The road thinks ahead.” The expression, “To live, instead of turn, on a dime” (“Mustang” 12) illustrates a deep meaning to get the reader to think harder. This woman must to take on a job that society frowns upon.  She would rather live the way she lives now, then to change the course of life quickly. The main speaker has her life planned out; she already knows what path to take in life. The way she lives and works, she is preparing for wherever the future takes her. “She owns them, not one will admit what they cannot / come close to must own them” (“Mustang” 24-25) unlike the others who work in the same field/business as she, there are those who keep a secret about their job, but this lady is proud of what she does.  

            “Painting her nipples silver for a show” (“Mustang” 30), the author leaves the readers under the impression that she is a stripper because sometimes they would paint their body with something like glitter. “You out there, what do you know” (“Mustang” 31), the main character lets the reader know that she is not ashamed of her career choice. This is how she makes a living. This quote brings the reader back to the theme: Be proud of individual’s career choices, everyone works hard to earn their living. Furthermore, no individuals have the right to look down on another person’s career. 

Works Cited

Erdrich, Louise. “The Lady in the Pink Mustang.” Resources for Teaching Making Literature      

            Matter: Anthology for Readers and Writers. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000.

            150-51. Print.

QUOTATION FROM THE POEM: 

Line 12 : “The road thinks ahead,” the speaker  have her life planned out, she already knows what path to take in life. And the way she lives and works, she is prepared for whatever the future will…  

Line 16: “Just a suite, sets of underwear.”   Having only a few pairs of undergarments and a car, this lady is on her own. She doesn’t have any responsibilities to take care of beside keeping herself alive.  

Line 27: “The body disposable as cups,” a metaphor refers to her career, and this job involve selling her body over and over again.  

Line 30: “Painting her nipples silver for a show.” this leaves us under the impression that she is a stripper, because sometimes they would paint their body with something like glitter.  

Line 31: “You out there, what do you know.” A quote from the main character to the reader that she’s not ashamed of her career choice. This is how she makes a living. (This quote brings us to the theme: Be proud of your career choice, you work hard to earn your living. And no one got the right to look down on you. 

Line 37: “I don’t sell anything for less,”  

Line 24-25: “She owns them, not one will admit what they cannot come close to must own them.” Unlike the others who work in the same field/business as she, there are those who keep a secret about their job, but this lady is proud of what she does.  

What is your interpretation? 

My interpretation after having read the title, “The Lady in the Pink Mustang,” was that this must be about a young woman, and she must be very girly to own a pink mustang. Also, a woman owning a Mustang in 1984 was probably considered wild, because during that time period, Mustangs were the fastest and most expensive.  

 What is the geographical, historical and social setting? How does this affect the story or  

poem?  

The poem doesn’t have a setting, but it begins talking about the day time and night time. It says this lady loses something at night, and this refers to prostitution.  

 Who is (are) the main character(s)? 

The main character Is the lady in the pink Mustang. 

 Who are the secondary characters, and how are they linked to the main characters? 

The other characters are merely mentioned in the poem, and they’re those who carry out the same job as she. They were mentioned to show that this lady is not a shame of her job, unlike the others.  

 Does the main character change? If so, how and why? If not, why not? 

The main character does not change, because the author included direct quotation from this lady, and it would be easier for the reader to understand who it belongs to. Also, the title suggest it is about only one woman. 

 What is the conflict? Can you trace the development and resolution of the conflict? 

The conflict is that this woman is a showgirl or a prostitute, she is proud of what she does, but she feels use, line 27: “The body disposable by cups.” As a woman, I sympathize with this lady, she doesn’t know if the road ahead will be the same as now. Line 37: “I don’t sell anything for less,” even thought this lady takes pride in her job, she is tired of feeling disposable. Most women love to be cherished, but to feel like they have been touched and toss after every night by different men must be the worst feeling in the world.  

 In poetry, can you find a pattern of rime and meter? 

There is no rhyme pattern for this poem, beside the direction quotation from the main character herself. 

Can you summarize the author’s meaning in one paragraph? 

Can you state a theme of the work in one sentence? 

 Can you identify any symbols or metaphors? What do they mean? 

How do you prove your interpretation?