Hunger audiobook cover - A Memoir of (My) Body

Hunger

A Memoir of (My) Body

Roxane Gay

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Categories:
Biography & MemoirHealth & Nutrition

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Key Takeaways from Hunger

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Hunger
Trauma & Coping+
Abuse & Self-Worth+
Societal Prejudice+
Humiliation & Intersectionality+
Healing & Acceptance+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
According to the text, what was the primary psychological reason Roxane Gay began overeating as a teenager?
  • A. She developed an eating disorder due to the immense academic pressure of her pre-med program at Yale.
  • B. She wanted to make her body larger and less conventionally desirable to protect herself from further sexual violence.
  • C. She was rebelling against her family's strict Catholic values and their athletic expectations.
  • D. She sought to cope with the isolation and racial profiling she experienced growing up in Nebraska.
Question 2 of 6
Why does Roxane Gay view reality weight-loss shows like 'The Biggest Loser' as exploitative?
  • A. They force contestants to purchase expensive diet products that rarely work long-term.
  • B. They publicly shame contestants' families for enabling unhealthy eating habits.
  • C. They focus entirely on extreme physical exercise and ignore the complex emotional traumas that often cause weight gain.
  • D. They promote unattainable beauty standards by only casting contestants who are already relatively fit.
Question 3 of 6
After dropping out of college, why did Roxane find herself trapped in a cycle of abusive relationships?
  • A. She believed her body was already ruined and sought out partners who treated her in a way that matched her damaged self-image.
  • B. She was financially dependent on her partners and felt she could not afford to leave them.
  • C. She subconsciously sought out partners who resembled the strict, demanding nature of her parents.
  • D. She was experimenting with her newly discovered bisexuality and struggled to navigate healthy relationship dynamics.
Question 4 of 6
How do strangers frequently interact with Roxane regarding her weight in public spaces?
  • A. They offer unsolicited sympathy and recommend therapists to help her deal with her trauma.
  • B. They equate her obesity with stupidity and feel entitled to interfere in her life, such as taking food out of her shopping cart.
  • C. They go out of their way to accommodate her by offering her larger seats on public transportation.
  • D. They completely ignore her, making her feel entirely invisible and isolated from society.
Question 5 of 6
How did living in small Midwestern towns complicate Roxane's desire to remain invisible?
  • A. The lack of public transportation forced her to walk everywhere, drawing constant physical attention to her size.
  • B. The close-knit communities constantly invited her to social events, preventing her from isolating herself.
  • C. The local medical professionals repeatedly staged interventions regarding her health and weight.
  • D. The towns were predominantly white, making her a highly visible target for racial profiling and harassment.
Question 6 of 6
What is the primary psychological obstacle Roxane faces when she succeeds in losing weight?
  • A. She experiences a resurgence of panic because losing weight means losing the physical 'protection' she built against predators.
  • B. She loses the support of her athletic family, who suddenly feel threatened by her physical progress.
  • C. She feels a deep sense of guilt for betraying the body-positivity movement and other overweight women.
  • D. She experiences intense emotional withdrawal symptoms from no longer using food as a daily coping mechanism.

Hunger — Full Chapter Overview

Hunger Summary & Overview

Hunger (2017) is a personal, open-hearted account of what it’s like to live with a body that’s frowned upon by society.

Who Should Listen to Hunger?

  • Victims of abuse and sexual violence
  • Students of psychology and social work
  • Anyone struggling with eating disorders

About the Author: Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay is a writer and associate professor of English at Purdue University. Her writing can often be found in the New York Times, where she’s a regular op-ed contributor. She is also the author of the bestsellers Bad Feminist and Difficult Women.

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