Every body has a story and a history. Here I offer mine with a memoir of my body and my hunger. (chapter 1 paragraph 1)

Importance: These are the first lines of Hunger, and they are significant because they introduce the focus of Gay's memoir. While memoirs typically recount the lives and experiences of individuals, Gay strives to write an even more intimate book by telling that story through her body, suggesting that our lives can be traced through the ways we are physically present in the world.

I have presence, I am told. I take up space. I intimidate. I do not want to take up space. I want to go unnoticed. I want to hide. I want to disappear until I gain control of my body." (chapter 4 paragraph 1)

Importance: Here, Gay introduces the reader to some of the emotional turmoil she experiences as a tall, fat woman. This quote is indicative of the type of gender...