Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses Chapter Summary & Analysis - Supreme Stimulus for Lechery Summary

Supreme Stimulus for Lechery Summary

This chapter is the perfect accompaniment to the preceding chapter about eggs and their aphrodisiac qualities. It makes the connection between eggs as a symbol of fertility and reproduction that is present in every society, and eggs as a stimulus for lecherous behavior. Readers will question what effect eggs have on their behavior, if any, and where they are on the continuum between passion and lechery.

Supreme Stimulus for Lechery Analysis

Allende heightens the passion in this chapter through the use of exotic imagery of the German princess, turned Russian czarina, the Indian snake charmers, and virgin hens. In addition, she uses phallic symbols, such as the serpents standing at attention and the San Francisco lighthouse, combined with eggs, the symbol of female fertility, to subtly influence readers' perception of passion within the writing.