Girl, Interrupted.

I watched this Academy Award winning film yesterday for the first time. I found it to be an incredibly moving piece, and was surprised by the way in which it impressed itself upon me in a permanent way. Angelina Jolie is famed for her depiction of Lisa, labelled a sociopath, in this film, but it was Winona Ryder's portrayal of Susanna Kaysen that resonated with me, perhaps for the reason that Susanna's character is not especially unrecognisable.
Girl, Interrupted is the movie adaptation of the real-life memoir of Susanna Kaysen, who was placed into the care of a mental health facility after a suicide attempt. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, Susanna resists the facility in whose care she is placed, and is inspired and mesmerised by fellow patient Lisa's radical manipulation of those around her. In denial of her disorder and furious with her life both inside and outside of the hospital, Susanna's journey to mental health is a struggle in which the hospital staff, therapists and other patients participate in, and at times, appear to hinder.
The film sheds light on the way in which mental health was viewed in the sixties; arguably a mixture of emerging acceptance and lingering predjudice. It is also an example of the way in which a seemingly healthy person may be suffering under the surface, perhaps unknowingly.

I don't want to summarise the plot too much, or to analyse too heavily its details, as I feel that for many, that ruins the purpose of the movie. In this post, I just wanted to commend the film for being a sympathetic and realistic portrayal of the journey through which people with mental health issues must struggle. It is refreshing to see the staff of a mental health facility being portrayed in a positive light, for they deserve nothing less in this modern era (Nurse Rached, be gone!).

I think the title of the film, and the memoir from which it is derived, is incredibly apt. Girl, Interrupted is demonstrative of the way in which one's life may be temporarily, or permanently, interrupted by the presence of mental health issues, and brings about the notion that, in order to move on, these issues must be managed and worked with with nothing less than the utmost of diligence and care, as is depicted with finesse in this wonderful film.

Burned: A Verse Novel

It's hard not to pull out the literary critic's jargon when assessing this novel, but I'm trying not to let the structuralist in me win out over my appreciation of this incredible book, so here's a quick rundown of the plot:

Pattyn is a seventeen year old girl, the eldest of seven in a strict Mormon family. Hopkins is staunch in her depiction of Mormon women as submissive to men, naming them as "slaves" in some places, and she brings this to the forefront as Pattyn's primary conflict. After a typical teenage tousle leads Pattyn to be expelled by her abusive father to the countryside of Nevada, she is opened to the realities of life outside of Mormon doctrine. Growing closer to her nurturing and damaged aunt, Pattyn is exposed to the sorrows and joys of a life ruled by personal choice, and not religious law. Finding freedom, "forever love", and a new perspective of herself, Pattyn becomes a new person. The reader shares in this tentative journey as the protaganist reveals the pleasures and revelations she experiences as she emerges from underneath the oppressive influence of her father's misogynistic and abusive interpretation of Mormon doctrine.

Seemingly as soon as she has established herself in her new Nevada home, Pattyn is called to her familial one to take care of the eighth baby her mother has borne. This brings about changes Pattyn dreads, and the relaxation and relief she experienced in her time away from her zealous and abusive father weakens her against his influence.



Featuring a shocking and arguably fitting ending (which I would do no justice to attempt to describe), Burned is both traumatic and beautiful. I wouldn't really label it as a true tragedy, though there are certainly elements of the tragic within its pages.



It is, of course, in my nature to pay homage to Hopkins' incredible poetic structure. To a poetry novice such as myself, the words initially read in a straightforward manner, and very few verses rhyme, or have apparent rhythmic devices. However, the way in which the poetry is laid out invites the prose to be read twice, with a deeper, consolidatory meaning often concealed in the secondary reading of a piece.



Ellen Hopkins' verse novel Burned is a triumph of the genre, and a masterful exposition of the turmoil and joy faced by the protaganist Pattyn as she navigates her way through crises of religion, love and family. Burned presents what feels like a snapshot of the life of a Mormon girl in prose which is innovative both in a literary and visual context. It is a sad tale, but one which is peppered with moments of true joy and lightheartedness. Possibly a very different use of poetry to one you may be accustomed to - at least it was to me.



[It warrants warning, also, that Hopkins' depiction of the Mormon Church is very extreme. It is not a subject I claim to know much about, and I understood the portrayal contextually - that is, as part of a fictional story. Thus, it follows, that I should register my understanding that this is not, by any means, a complete or accurate portrayal of the Mormon Church, but simply an interprative one.]

I'll leave you with this quote from Burned; it is taken from the section of the novel where Pattyn has lost her virginity to the man she truly loves. Her struggle with the religious and personal implications of her decisions are evident in the way she describes it as follows:


I cried for what
I had lost,


my best-kept secret,
given away.


I cried for what
I had gained,


the knowledge of Eden, irrevocably
learned.


Happy reading!

claire. x.

The Truth About True Blood

Charlaine Harris's paranormal romance series, referred to as the Dead in Dallas or Sookie Stackhouse novels before the True Blood TV show, was largely ignored before director Alan Ball picked it up. Not so ignored, however, that I didn't devour them in the transitional period between primary and high school. A viewer of True Blood would perhaps be shocked that a twelve year old had read the novels which inspired the gritty show, and to be honest, so am I, now. But at the time, I thought they were sweet, cute stories about a pretty waitress with a vampire boyfriend and an unwanted telepathic ability, somewhat like Matilda, of Roald Dahl fame. Hence, when I first watched True Blood, I was appalled at the raw, confronting manner in which it was portrayed, and refused to watch any more. I thought Alan Ball had got it wrong, and that my tweenaged interpretation of the Sookie Stackhouse novels was far more accurate than this gritty portrayal of life in the South with legalised vampires.

Here is where the truth about True Blood lies. True Blood (the title now encompasses the novels and the show) is not merely a predeccessor to our current, somewhat softened, vampire romance model. It is a fertile social commentary which provides intrigue and possibly more moments of sadness and contemplation than suspense and thrill (although those are there too). It has more parallels with Harper Lee than it does with Stephenie Meyer, and series creator Alan Ball has imbued the characters and relationships established in the novels with more meaning and clarity onscreen than you probably thought possible in a show centring on vampires.

The creation of synthetic blood in Japan has brought about the legalisation of vampires across the globe. However, vampires face predjudice in various forms as they attempt to "mainstream" and re-integrate with communities populated by humans. Such is the case for Bill Compton, whose return to his original home of Bon Temps (pronounced "Bohn To-ahm". Sort of.) brings about a flurry of commotion. Upon entering Merlottes bar, workplace of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, he begins a deep flirtation and eventual romance with her.

Their dalliance is met with contempt from those around Sookie, including her hedonistic brother Jason, her enamoured boss Sam, her abrasive friend Tara and the local police. When several women, known "fangbangers", are murdered, suspiscion falls heavily upon Bill, and Sookie is forced to make decisions she never anticipated.

At this point, I'm sure you've realised that the setting of True Blood in Louisiana is no accident. The Southern American societal depiction conjures considerations of segregation and predjudice perhaps like no other in Western contemporary culture, thanks to Harper Lee's landmark masterpiece. I would never be so presumptuos as to hold True Blood up to To Kill A Mockingbird, but I acknowledge and admire the progressive commentary it provides on similar issues. The series has been acclaimed for its honest and unashamed exploration of drug use, sex, homosexuality, alcoholism, and small town mentality (more so the bad and ugly than the good), and all in accompaniment with the underlying ideology of society's continuing resistance to accept minorities.

Laced with characters which range from the likeable to the despicable, True Blood is probably not for everyone. But I urge you to give it a second try, as I did, if you found that you did not enjoy it the first time. However, this time, look not for the sweet moments in the vampire relationship between Bill and Sookie, for there are few - these vampires are as real as we're gonna get, and they do not sparkle. Instead, search in True Blood for those valuable insights into societal mindsets which refuse the onset of the new, and push away the different, in whatever form. I hope that you'll see in it the value that I now have!

I hope this isn't too much like a literary essay...I find that I miss very much the exploration of texts and the exposition of underlying messages in them. I'm craving complex books and series and the moment! Let me know if True Blood has grown on you, or if you liked it from the start!

Claire.xx

An Absence and Some Promises

Hello to all those patient enough to still be reading my blog,

I've been away from it for a while, as I've had a busy Christmas and New Year; I was away from home for a few weeks, and didn't have my regular access to my computer. Needless to say, when my laptop and I are happily reunited, I'll be updating on the books I've read (there are a lot of them, and a number of fantastic ones), some of the movies I've seen (Avatar was incredible, and the Lovely Bones was quite emotional for me...) and Christmas chaos in retail.

For now, I thought I'd post my New Year's resolutions, as a tribute to the time I've missed here, and also, hopefully, in order to motivate me to keep them throughout the year, given that I've published them!

1. Learn to drive. I know, I know, how can I not have got my license already...the truth is, I just never needed, nor wanted it. So I never got it! I live very close to the Busway here in Brisbane, and I have access to everywhere in the city and beyond that I could hope for, all two minutes walk away. However, the time will come soon when I will be moving out with my boyfriend, and may be removed from my beloved Busway, so I guess this is a must do this year.

2. Learn to cook. I want to be able to cook basic meals and some nice ones, as well as biscuits and cakes and things. I'm aiming to be healthier this year, and this is one way to get started on that! My gran bought me the Women's Weekly Complete Cook book for Christmas to get me kick-started!

3. Attend the gym twice a week. This is a pretty obvious one, I guess. Keep fit, make use of my gym membership, etc, etc. I've been going good with it so far thanks to a work friend who has taken on the task of being my personal trainer! She's going to make a great PT when she's qualified!

4. Never be afraid of failing at uni again. This one is easily achievable; I was so frightened I had failed a course - I had to take an exam again due to illness on the day and I was certain I had failed. I was wrong, thankfully, but I never want that feeling again!

On top of these, I plan to keep saving money for moving out, and all those sorts of big things, as well as planning to stay away from situations which make me stressed. Stress takes a physical toll on me, and I end up becoming ill from it (as do most people, I guess), so this year, I plan to stay as far away from stress as possible!

On a different topic, I'm working with some designs for my tattoo. I plan to get it underneath my ankle bone on my left ankle (so that when I'm a teacher, it can easily be covered by my favourite ballet flats). I have always loved cherry blossoms. I studied Japanese from grade two, and was introduced to them from a young age. I would want my tattoo to be delicate and fine, and to have no heavy black on it at all. I want to make use of white inks, and to find the perfect pink colour. I will design it myself (well, before the tattoo artist finalises it, anyway). I've been fascinated by tattoos at the moment, and would love to hear about yours, if you have some, or if you plan to in the future. I love hearing the stories behind people's tattoos - for the most part, if you choose to ink yourself permanently, chances are you've got a good story behind your choice! I like this design, but by no means is it what I will finally have... Thoughts? More updates soon. Love Claire.xx