1. Didion’s allusions were both helpful and alienating. The first time I read it, I was a bit confused because her writing style is complex and unique. Therefore, I reread as many times until I understand her work. I learned more when she started comparing and contrasting self-respect. But when she talks about certain books, quotes, or strange analogy, I could not see her point. Such as “Those people miss it who think self-respect has necessarily to do with not having safety pins in one’s underwear.” I find this bizarre, but there is always a deeper meaning for it that Didion want us to know.
2. Didion spoke clearly about not having self-respect. It is when you know you had the chance to do something you wanted to do, but let it pass. And you lose self-respect because of it. Didion was not elected for Phi Beta Kappa because she did not have the grades for it. She wrote, “To live without self-respect is to lie awake some night, beyond the reach of warm mild, phenobarbital, and the sleeping hand of the coverlet.” I’m sure she means the feeling of discomfort and to lose sleep whether to decide if one can respect ourselves or not. Some people would agree on these assumptions, depending on the right reasons. Like not going to school for a funeral. But for adultery, not so much. They would respect themselves, but I doubt they will regain respect from others. Anybody will have more self-respect when others respect them too.
3. It does connect because writing skills are developed through time, effort, and practice. Like self-respect, you cannot substitute it nor born with it, but you will be able to obtain better writing skills through discipline of the mind. With a sharpen mind, your writing skills will get better and you will respect yourself even more too.
I agree some of the analogies are alienating and others are very helpful. the statement about not being able to sleep and the objects to help were out of reach is a powerful one. i think she is saying that its is very unsettling to lose your self respect and you feel like the only way to settle yourself is out of reach. As i said in my other posts writing skills and self respect are similar in the aspect that they are a habit of mind and cannot be faked.
ReplyDeleteI also think that some of her analogies are very bizarre and difficult to understand sometimes, but as I kept rereading them and thought about them more, I could sort of understand the concept of what she was saying. It's true that good writing skills develop over time like self-respect and it definitely takes discipline. I think one would always respect themselves more when putting forth the effort and trying.
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