Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"....Firs" part 1
I think that the character of the narrator encompasses the ideal of the "New Woman". She is living alone in a schoolhouse, which she pays for herself, whilst writing her book. Given that this novel was written in the late 1800s, that is an unusual profession for a woman. Also, her living alone, without a man as a young lady, is exceptionally scandalous. I also noticed the theme of community and the small town feeling of Dunnet Landing. Small towns have such a strong sense of togetherness and even though individuals may have differing ideas (Mrs. Todd, the herbalist and the town doctor), they still get along. The narrator seems to be an outsider watching all of this but makes her own connections through storytelling. The sea captain seems to do the same thing; he forms human connections through his storytelling.
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I think it's really interesting how you pointed out the similiarties between the narrator and the captain. I hadn't thought about that, but they both are outsiders as you had mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI agree entirely with your comparison of the narrator and the "New Woman." The fact that she's unattached, feisty in demeanor, and furthermore seeking a professional kind of writing (time that she values immensely over any other activity) shows that she isn't the typical domesticated housewife women of this time period commonly conformed to.
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