I loved the teeth and was unafraid of that love.
-- Narrator (Vagina Dentata)

Importance: When Claire first finds the teeth in her vagina, she feels disturbed and unsettled. With time, however, Claire forms an attachment to the teeth. Whereas Claire struggles to love her baby and her husband, love for the teeth feels easy. Indeed, the teeth are a representation of Claire's unresolved hurt and pain. They are private and hidden, just like her internal struggles. She can love them because they are concealed from others. However, it is not until Claire tells Noah about the teeth, that she is also able to begin articulating her real emotional difficulties. This moment contributes to the author's explorations concerning identity and love.

You must remember that this was real.
-- Narrator (A Personal Narrative of People and Places)

Importance: Amidst Claire's childhood recollections, she interrupts the narrative with the above line. The moment formally surprises the reader, as Claire suddenly breaks the fourth wall and reaches...