The second question: Did you imagine a story behind it? What was the story? I could, but was too enthralled by the color and texture to go beyond those elements to bring out a story. I'm finding so much to gaze at in this work. There is a lot to learn of history, a life style, a home in these painting she shares with us.
Before I close, I'll admit I have been lack in posting my musings on Jane's words. So I'd like to go back to one of the earlier weeks of our readings and how it has directed my thoughts.
Week 4: Domestic Novels - I never even thought of them as such - but I have read some. One of the questions was: What book have you read in the past which still holds an emotional connection for you? In what way? I have two favorites:
This is the story of 16 year old Katherine Mary O'Fallon, an Irish girl from Boston, and Sergeant Mike Flannigan of the Canadian Mounted Police who meet at her uncle's ranch in Alberta, Canada where she is sent to recover from pleurisy. Not only must she adapt to the fierce Canadian land, but also create a domestic life in her new role as a wife and mother. The learning curve is steep, but with her background and determination she grows from girl to woman making a new home and a new Kathy.
The second I discovered at the age of 11 when I went to my first library. I loved books, but to walk into that Carnegie library, I thought I was in heaven and didn't want to leave. One of the first books I checked out was Elizabeth George Speare's Calico Captive. Based on an actual 1770s narrative diary, young Miriam finds herself captive during an Indian raid at her New Hampshire home. Thus she finds herself thrust into the French and Indian War. The opposite of Kathy, Miriam survives adapting and using the skills she learned at home to provide for her family and make the least of the indentured life she must endure. Both of these books appealed to my young mind. I must admit, much of my childhood was boring. I escaped into books to bring some adventure into my days. The domestic nature did not become evident until I reread this as a young adult and could pick up the richness of these works in all the little details.
I picked three books from Jane's offerings to read, and must admit I could not finish two. The first one, Diary of a Provincial Lady, was so beyond my life's experience that I could not get through it. We were poor and never had servants or worried about such little matters as the Provincial Lady does. It was very funny throughout the third of the book I got thru, but had no desire to finish. The second one was The Home-Maker. In this one, it was the character that got to me. I had to stop (and this was very early in the novel) with her diatribe at dinner. When you are around someone like that, you don't want to repeat the experience. I know I didn't even get to the part when the husband must take over because of his accident, but past experience does direct one at times.
The third one I thoroughly enjoyed. It was Understood Betsy. This was a treat and eye opener into a timid girls transformation to a productive, competent member of a family. Betsy learns a lot of life's lessons as we do, too reading this classic novel. The domestic details really stood out for me - mostly because this was my first read and for this book study. Here's an example I could really relate to: “…the room was very long and narrow, and all along one side were windows with white, ruffled curtains drawn back at the sides, and with small shining panes of glass, through which the sun poured golden light on a long shelf of potted plants that took the place of a windowsill. The shelf was covered with shining white oil cloth, the sturdy, stocky plants of bright green with clear red and white flowers… Once, back in the big brick school building, as she had sat drooping her shoulders over her desk, some sort of procession had gone by with a brass band playing a lively air. For some reason, every time she now glanced at that sheet of sunlight and the bright flowers she had a little of the same thrill which had straightened her back and gone up and down her spine…” Thank you Jane for bringing this author to our attention.
The third one I thoroughly enjoyed. It was Understood Betsy. This was a treat and eye opener into a timid girls transformation to a productive, competent member of a family. Betsy learns a lot of life's lessons as we do, too reading this classic novel. The domestic details really stood out for me - mostly because this was my first read and for this book study. Here's an example I could really relate to: “…the room was very long and narrow, and all along one side were windows with white, ruffled curtains drawn back at the sides, and with small shining panes of glass, through which the sun poured golden light on a long shelf of potted plants that took the place of a windowsill. The shelf was covered with shining white oil cloth, the sturdy, stocky plants of bright green with clear red and white flowers… Once, back in the big brick school building, as she had sat drooping her shoulders over her desk, some sort of procession had gone by with a brass band playing a lively air. For some reason, every time she now glanced at that sheet of sunlight and the bright flowers she had a little of the same thrill which had straightened her back and gone up and down her spine…” Thank you Jane for bringing this author to our attention.
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