What's a Bunbury?

During our last class, we discussed the issue of a Bunbury with regards to the book, The Importance of Being Earnest. The word and significance of a Bunbury had no importance to me while reading, which made the class discussion change the entire meaning of the book for me. Bunburying, as I was informed in class, is defined by anal penetration. This definition refers to sexuality in terms of homosexual behavior. The relationship between Jack and Algernon takes on a new meaning during the first act. Algernon refers to Jack as being a Bunburyist, which has an underlying meaning suggesting that Algernon has an attraction to Jack and is, in a way, forcing Jack to thinks that he is homosexual. Jack refuses to identify with being a Bunbury because he believes that if he is to marry Gwendolen he will never be accused or want to be a Bunbury. The homosexuality element in the book transform the meaning of marriage by implying that it is something that is a social norm instead of an act of passionate love. Figuring out the meaning of a Bunbury made the already confusing story that much more of a mystery. The blog member, Wednesday, also stated that the implication of a Bunbury was surprising. I felt that many students didn’t understand the term while reading the book, which changed the entire meaning of the book for them as well. I have yet to watch the movie; however, I feel that when I do I will have a better understanding of the story and will be able to connect certain elements of the book together.