Monday, April 14, 2008
The suck
I was struck over and over again by Didion's description of "the vortex" as if these memories of home and family life were a black hole, dangerous and difficult to escape. Yet, for me, those stories were some of the best reading of the whole book. They provided the back story we needed to understand the family relationships. Do you think the vortex provided any positive purpose for Didion? Or did she simply recount those episodes as a good writer for our benefit?
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I think the vortex of memories, though extremely painful, helped her to see that they had this whole huge experience of life together and that it lives on, even though he doesn't. And I also think she had to provide some of that as simple background, as you noted. I think anyone who has lost a love partner would agree that the flood of memories is overwhelming — all the things you did together, the places you went, the things you cherished, all things that you identify with that person and with being happy with that person become bitter and painful and sad. When you get to a point where that's not the case, then you are getting to a place of acceptance and healing.
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