The University of Indianapolis community showed out as Melissa Fraterrigo showcased her memoir, “The Perils of Girlhood,” at the Kellogg Writer’s Series.
At the event, which took place on Sept. 29, Fraterrigo read through sections of her memoir, answered any questions the audience had and ended the evening by signing her books. Fraterrigo’s memoir demonstrates the highs and lows of being a woman. From growing up as a girl to raising children of her own, Fraterrigo gives deep insight on how it feels to be a female in today’s society.
According to UIndy, the Kellogg Writer’s Series (KWS) is an opportunity for diverse writers and speakers to present and discuss their work. Although these events are about an hour long, students taking the KWS course at UIndy spend multiple weeks analyzing the books then promoting and getting hands-on experience in fields of their choice, as stated by senior Madison Riley. Twice a month, new speakers are brought in for “Kellogg’s Day,” where English majors have the opportunity to connect with writers before the main KWS event takes place, explained Riley.
The Masters Review highlights how “The Perils of Girlhood,” covers a wide variety of topics. Fraterrigo reminisces about being in middle school again, laughing with her best friends and staying up all night. Later on in the essays, she discusses how tragedies affect us in multiple ways. Fraterrigo also wrote an essay inspired by her daughter’s epilepsy titled “The Sacred Disease.” The Masters Review claims that, “If there is one essay you read from this collection, read ‘The Sacred Disease.”
During her presentation, Fraterrigo highlighted her overall connection to her daughters, claiming she had experienced the same “thoughts and feelings,” they had expressed to her during her time as a teenager. The National Organization for Women reports that “at the age of thirteen, 53% of American girls are ‘unhappy with their bodies,’” and by the time girls are 17 that percentage increases to 78%. Statistics like these imply that these feelings are not uncommon. Fraterrigo’s comment connects young girls and women to the idea of experiencing negative self-perception at some point, serving as a reminder to readers that they are not alone in struggles of womanhood.
On the other hand Fraterrigo expresses the beauty of being a girl. Riley read the memoir multiple times and emphasized that while the book explains the scary parts of being a woman very well, “there are also two essays in there about lifelong friendships that [Fraterrigo] had and women that she’s encountered…that make girlhood worth it.”
The advice and stories that Fraterrigo poured into “The Perils of Girlhood,” express her experiences growing up female and connect women across America.
“We have an amazing dynamic audience and it’s always a great show. So if people are interested, it’s so worth it to attend,” said Riley. The next KWS event is on Nov. 5, where Afsheen Farhadi will deliver a reading of his book “FALSE PROPHET.” For more information visit University of Indianapolis News.
