Lighter Shades of Grey Read Online Free Page B

people to write such wonderful books.”
    All this talk of literary greats reminds me that I should be studying. (p47)
    Yep, one person using the names of authors once totally counts as an in-depth literary conversation.

Chapter Four
    In which a celebratory visit to a bar is paid, and Ana loses it in a parking-lot
    Thanks to a passing cyclist, Ana is in Christian’s arms for the first time
    Kiss me damn it! I implore him, but I can’t move…He’s breathing harder than usual, and I’ve stopped breathing altogether. (p49)
    Oh, if only.
    Conflict does not occur when everyone is making the same point
    What was I thinking? I scold myself. What would Christian Grey want with you? My subconscious mocks me. (p50)
Ana, the point of empowering your Subconscious with speech is to allow you to explore opposing viewpoints.
Here, both you and your Subconscious are making exactly the same point, i.e. that Christian Grey is a God among insects whose shoes you are not worthy to clean with your tongue. Therefore,
All you’ve achieved is to make the inside of your head sound awfully crowded.
    Bizarre over-reaction to mildly disappointing turn of events
    I lean against the wall and put my head in my hands…unbidden and unwelcome tears pool in my eyes. Why am I crying? I sink to the ground…drawing up my knees, I fold in on myself. I want to make myself as small as possible. (p50)
    Okay, E L James:
Even in the context of your source material, Bella’s epic four-month sulk when Edward walked out at the start of New Moon was generally considered more than a little bit nuts. Therefore,
When Ana hasn’t even had a relationship for Edward / Christian to bail on, a catatonic collapse in a parking-lot makes everyone reading question her mental state.
    Ana’s adolescence was just, like, the hardest, hardest thing
    I have never been on the receiving end of rejection. Okay…so I was always one of the last to be picked for basketball or volleyball – but I understood that…
    Romantically, though, I’ve never put myself out there, ever. A lifetime of insecurity – I’m too pale, too skinny, too scruffy, un-coordinated, my long list of faults goes on. So I have always been the one to rebuff any would-be admirers. (p51)
Ana, “being rejected” is not a synonym for “not understanding why it happened”.
People who are constantly rebuffing would-be admirers do not get to be insecure about their looks. Please try harder.
    Well, at least someone round here’s talking sense
    Stop! Stop Now! – My subconscious is metaphorically screaming at me, arms folded, leaning on one leg and tapping her foot in frustration. (p51)
    Dear Ana,
A metaphor requires you to make a comparison between two seemingly unlike things which actually have something in common. There’s no comparison being made here.
From now on, I’m going to start thinking of your “unconscious” as your Common Sense.
    The most dispiriting trade-off in the history of romance
    “…he’s a little out of my league, Kate,” I say…
    ”Okay, he’s got more money than you…[but] you’re a total babe,” she interrupts me. (p52)
    Oh, Kate. And I thought we were going to be friends.
Since Christian Grey apparently has more money than anyone on the planet, presumably the last thing he’s looking for in a relationship is someone with comparable amounts of money. What on earth would be the point?
Suggesting that the only way a woman can deserve a rich man is to be unbelievably beautiful is reductive and depressing.
In fact, it doesn’t take a whole lot of squinting before that starts to look a lot like prostitution.
But if you’re going to insist - physical beauty inevitably deteriorates over time, whereas Christian’s empire is likely to continue growing. Therefore, if you trade off Ana’s good looks against Christian’s money, Ana will become progressively less and less “worthy”, until eventually Christian decides to trade her in for a younger model.
    Anastasia the