The Mathematics of Life

“The One Girl at the Boy’s Party” by Sharon Olds uses mathematics to discuss puberty. This poem intrigued me particularly because it is the one that I understand the least out of all of the poems shown. It uses mathematical terms in an attempt to explain puberty in a new way. I understand that this is an attempt at the use of conceit, but because of my lacking in mathematical knowledge I feel like I’m missing something. I do not doubt that math I capable of commenting on life in some valuable way. After all a good number of very influential philosophers have been well versed and notable mathematicians. There is a definite link in mathematical thought and thought concerning life’s grander mysteries.

The mystery of puberty is being explored here in mathematical terms that don’t entirely make sense to me. As a conceit it makes sense that it uses terms that are so far apart that it is necessary for the writer to help the reader to make the logical jump that they have discovered. This jump just isn’t happening for me. What do all the terms reflect exactly? The best I can understand is that the girl as an unknown power over the boys at the party because she has begun to enter her womanhood.