Yonnondio, by Tillie Olsen, is a novel that gives voice to people who have been dehumanized and used to feed the insatiable appetite of the capitalist system. However, Olsen’s characters and their voices are not limited to the oppressed laborer of the depression era. Her characters embody and express the desires of every human heart. They share with the reader the need for safety, security, and a desire to leave something of ourselves behind. They also remind us of the frailties of human nature, the consequences of greed, the dominion of poverty, the cost of ignorance and hope deferred. One of Olsen's characters, Anna Holbrook, is a work of art, sculpted by Olsen, who represents the cries of the female heart as it is gripped by extreme hardship.
Dear Jeanette and Victoria:
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you did not shy away from such a tough complex text and that you attacked this project with a sense of professionalism and determination: it certainly shows. I think many of your posts are excellent--I really like how you link the song of Mary to the Anna and Maizie with some nice textual reading. Also I like how you connect Jim to the life of lester (although for my money Happiness is a much better and disturbing film about middle class/middle age malaise). Good stuff. I also like how you mix music and film and that you follow a very orderly and logical formula to all of your posts.
I think you might have spent a little more time with some of your explanations when you deal with your media--often time you make one line connection. But since they are all so interesting and unique, a more robust explanation would help me see the clips the way you want me to see them.
All in all a really solid job and you should be proud of your work. Good luck as you move forward and take care!