I know I’ve talked about Story of O before, but I can’t find the post about it, and maybe it was on an earlier blog. But Eros Prism mentioned in a comment that he’d like to hear my thoughts about it.
Just in case you haven’t read it, here is how Wikipedia describes it:
A young woman fashion photographer, known only as O, is taken by her lover René to Château Roissy, where she is subject to various sexual and sadomasochistic acts as part of her training to serve the members of the club.
It is the quintessential M/s book.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, {The author was Pauline}“Réage”—a name invented specifically for The Story of O—was apparently told by her lover, the literary publisher Jean Paulhan, who was an admirer of the sadistic Marquis de Sade, that no woman could ever write an erotic novel. The Story of O was her response, begun as a series of erotic letters to Paulhan.
I love that bit of trivia about the author. I can imagaine her fuming, “Tell me I can’t write an erotic novel! Take this!!”
This is the cover of the edition I read.
It was the book that introduced me to submission, and kept me away from acting on any of my fantasies for the first half of my life. I discovered the book in my early teens, and read it til it was dog-eared. I mostly only read it til I got so turned on I would – you know, take care of myself, and then I would set it aside.
I can’t say that I liked the book. But I couldn’t quit reading it. I didn’t want to be blindfolded and taken by multiple men or whipped or any of that – and yet… Spanking and whippings and having to obey somehow touched some part of me.
I enjoyed it less the deeper it took me into her subjugation. I was unperturbed by her having her “nether lips,” as they said, pierced, and fascinated when they branded her. But even deeper into the book – I don’t know – it became less arousing.
So of course I only read the parts I liked. And I could ignore the ending.
In the end, after Sir Stephen has completely conquered her, marked her with his brand, and taken everything he wants, he leaves her. He takes her to strangers, naked, chained by the ring in her lips, and marked with his brand.
“Who is she?’ they were saying, “Who does she belong to?”
“You, if you like,” he replied…”
And they take her, one after the other.
The book I have ends with a brief sort of footnote. Paraphrasing a bit, it says that in a final chapter, which has been suppressed, he takes her back to Roissy, where she had first been trained, and leaves her. Right below, it adds that, in another version, O, seeing that Sir Stephen was going to leave her, asks to die, and he agrees to this.
I can imagine the asking to die part. She has given and given and given – and ultimately, he leaves her? With his brand on her ass? I might be done too.
This ending of Story of O reminds me of the children’s book The Giving Tree. Or the Velveteen Rabbit. Self-sacrifice is woven into the stories as a way to be loved and happy. But the Giving Tree has given away all. Only a stump left, The Velveteen Rabbit is tossed into the “burn” pile.
I am not as self-sacrificial, not as willing to give my all, as I once was.
But I can whisper this truth. I will go a long way to feel the sense of connection and belonging that submission can bring.
Dear Olivia. There is worth in submission, fulfilment too, as you know. There is also worth in the other parts of you, author, therapist, teacher to name but some, though none are completely separate from the others. There too you have found fulfilment.
Put simply, being you, all of you, is worthwhile and worthy of respect.
I for one would be very happier you continued being you.
Thank you, James.
I mostly know that there is value in submission – and in the rest of me as well.. I think that when the value is not recognized – not necessarily for myself, but in books or other people too – I have to remind myself that a line needs to be drawn there.
‘t care much for the story of O but there were certainly some parts that i do get turned on by. the velveteen rabbit – now you’re speaking my language! lol
i agree with James, there are many, many parts of you that are worthwhile and deserving of respect.
i think we all need reminding once in a while. you have plenty of folks here that value you and your friendship who are more than happy to remind you now and then.
also, don’t forget that the rabbit becomes real – that’s worth the sacrifice right there. to be real is what it wanted in the first place. 🙂
Hmpf, becomes real by magic. Lol, ok, I’ll get off the Velveteen Rabbit’s case. And really, I guess we all give ourselves up before we end up on the – um, underground… 💜
lol okay, i will stop with the rabbit stuff, too! 😛 except i can’t help but make a connection from that to BDSM lol you give me way too many post ideas, my friend!!
Well, you touched upon it in “Siri Get Directions…” I read O in college and know exactly what you mean by ‘It was my first experience with one-handed-reading.’
Seeing the cover of “O” really took me back. Like you, I was mostly enamored by the first half of the book as I imagined myself being taken to a place like this to be trained and used. Sir and I have discussed this novel a number of times and he has clearly stated that he would never loan out his submissive…he’s so territorial. But the fantasy of going to a place like this, as you and I have discussed before, is very real to me. I wonder if I’ll ever be brave enough to act on this desire.
Interesting, isn’t it, how the idea of being shared is not appealing, but going somewhere like that… yep. I’m 99% sure I”ll never do it now, I think my window of opportunity has closed. But I would love to live vicariously though you, my friend…. 💜
Sorry it has taken me so long to get around to commenting on this. I’ve just been busy with moving and more recently, traveling for work. Enjoyed this commentary quite a bit. I’m with you, as hot as parts of it are, it does take it quite a bit too far in many places. It definitely seems to have influenced many people’s interest in kink and BDSM, for sure. Not really the same, but I read The Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille roughly around the same time and it’s pretty twisted as well, but in a different way. Not quite a bleak. Another French guy wrote it. He’s known more for his philosophical and intellectual work, but his literature is quite good and imaginative as well.
No worries about taking your time. It wasn’t quite the post I thought I’d write so I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve never heard of The Story of the Eye – I’ll have to look at it. Thanks for sharing that!
Glad you’ve been moving! Hope the work travel is good too. 💜
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Life is a patchwork of moments — laughter, solitude, everyday joys, and quiet aches. Through scribbled stories, I explore travels both far and inward, from sunrise over unfamiliar streets to the comfort of home. This is life as I see it, captured in ink and memory. Stick around; let's wander together.
Olivia 
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Dear Olivia. There is worth in submission, fulfilment too, as you know. There is also worth in the other parts of you, author, therapist, teacher to name but some, though none are completely separate from the others. There too you have found fulfilment.
Put simply, being you, all of you, is worthwhile and worthy of respect.
I for one would be very happier you continued being you.
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Thank you, James.
I mostly know that there is value in submission – and in the rest of me as well.. I think that when the value is not recognized – not necessarily for myself, but in books or other people too – I have to remind myself that a line needs to be drawn there.
No worries, I’m not likely to change much! 💜
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‘t care much for the story of O but there were certainly some parts that i do get turned on by. the velveteen rabbit – now you’re speaking my language! lol
i agree with James, there are many, many parts of you that are worthwhile and deserving of respect.
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Thanks for the support, nijintje! I do know that I have value really, I guess I just need to remind myself sometimes!
But the poor Velveteen Rabbit!! 💜
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i think we all need reminding once in a while. you have plenty of folks here that value you and your friendship who are more than happy to remind you now and then.
also, don’t forget that the rabbit becomes real – that’s worth the sacrifice right there. to be real is what it wanted in the first place. 🙂
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Thanks, nijintje!
Hmpf, becomes real by magic. Lol, ok, I’ll get off the Velveteen Rabbit’s case. And really, I guess we all give ourselves up before we end up on the – um, underground… 💜
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lol okay, i will stop with the rabbit stuff, too! 😛 except i can’t help but make a connection from that to BDSM lol you give me way too many post ideas, my friend!!
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And after all, you are the bunny! But already a real one.
I love that I give you post idea!! You do the same, so it all works out. 💜
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Well, you touched upon it in “Siri Get Directions…” I read O in college and know exactly what you mean by ‘It was my first experience with one-handed-reading.’
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I’m impressed that you remembered where I mentioned it! And I’m laughing about you knowing what I mean…. 😊
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Seeing the cover of “O” really took me back. Like you, I was mostly enamored by the first half of the book as I imagined myself being taken to a place like this to be trained and used. Sir and I have discussed this novel a number of times and he has clearly stated that he would never loan out his submissive…he’s so territorial. But the fantasy of going to a place like this, as you and I have discussed before, is very real to me. I wonder if I’ll ever be brave enough to act on this desire.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Interesting, isn’t it, how the idea of being shared is not appealing, but going somewhere like that… yep. I’m 99% sure I”ll never do it now, I think my window of opportunity has closed. But I would love to live vicariously though you, my friend…. 💜
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sorry it has taken me so long to get around to commenting on this. I’ve just been busy with moving and more recently, traveling for work. Enjoyed this commentary quite a bit. I’m with you, as hot as parts of it are, it does take it quite a bit too far in many places. It definitely seems to have influenced many people’s interest in kink and BDSM, for sure. Not really the same, but I read The Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille roughly around the same time and it’s pretty twisted as well, but in a different way. Not quite a bleak. Another French guy wrote it. He’s known more for his philosophical and intellectual work, but his literature is quite good and imaginative as well.
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No worries about taking your time. It wasn’t quite the post I thought I’d write so I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve never heard of The Story of the Eye – I’ll have to look at it. Thanks for sharing that!
Glad you’ve been moving! Hope the work travel is good too. 💜
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