Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel WINTERGIRLS brings us inside the private thoughts of her main character “Lia”. I feel that Lia has experienced such turbulence in her life(her parent's divorce and subsequent lack of connection) that she has become a person that no longer desires to “feel” anything. I believe that emotions were so painful to her that as a defense she would rather feel none at all. She had no control over her parents ending their marriage even though it so deeply affected her life. She likely feels that one of the only areas of her life that she can control is the food she intakes. Since she sees the world in terms of food (“marshmallow-airbag” or “cake-frosting clouds”) and since she has decided that empty is good emotionally and she can control food, she feels the same way about her eating. She even says, “I am shiny and pink inside, clean. Empty is good. Empty is good.” This could mean both empty of unhealthy foods or painful emotion.
Do you agree with this interpretation of the literature? In addition, assuming that Lia did see life as unhealthy and unsatisfying processed foods that are harmful to her, what food would you use to describe your life? And why?
Interesting question - if you subscribed to this philosophy it brings to mind- "you are what you eat". I am presently in the middle of eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and as a metaphor for my life right now it could mean- jam packed (with calories) sticky, messy and satisfying! If I could choose a food as a metaphor for my life- I might choose a pomegranite. I've been eating a lot of these lately and am enchanted by the gem like appearance of each seed, so perfect and translucent, sweet and nutritious. The sticky part remains, and the difficulty in eating one, parallels the complexity and yet the beauty of life.
ReplyDeleteI love your interpretation and all of your references to food. Like you said, I do think that Lia wanted to empty herself of all of the painful emotions. I think she also wanted to replace those painful ones with feelings of happiness. She believed happiness could be attained if only she could be thin and her obsession to find that emotion kept her in starvation mode. Humankind has to "feel" something" and will go to great (often destructive) lengths to do so.
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note, if I were to pick a food that would describe my life it would have to be a sandwich. Sometimes I am an open-faced sandwich. Sometimes I like two slices of bread to surround me. Sometimes I peek out from behind the bread slices, like a nice slab of cheese and a crisp piece of lettuce. Sometimes I just can't help but let it all out, like a sloppy Joe or an over stuffed tuna sandwich. Thanks, Mark...that was fun...
I love how you mentioned, that she was starving herself because that was the only thing that she could control in her life. Years ago I had a friend that was going through a Divorce, and she was very thin, and she pretty much told me the same thing. So I do feel that one of the reasons Lia starved herself was because she felt that was the only thing she had control of in her life.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to pick a food that would best describe my life it would have to be a big bowl of soup. The kind of soup that is filled with all kinds of different things, like pasta, beans and veggies. Where there is such a wide variety of choices in my bowl that I'm not sure what will end up on my spoon. But I keep reaching back into that bowl, because I love everything that is in there. The combinations are almost always great, and I feel happy, content and satisfied.
I do agree with this interpretation of the literature. Because everything else in life felt out of control I do agree that Lia's issues with food can be linked to a sense of control over herself and her life. As an adolescent people are often caught in this "in-between-stage" where to some extent you are very much still a child with much to learn, but in the same breath are learning about who you are and craving independence. I Lia craved emptiness because it instill a sense of control.
ReplyDeleteI would describe my life best using fruit as the food that fuels me the best and makes me feel the healthiest. It is clean, vibrant and makes me feel light after eating it, no bogged down or heavy. It is one of the best things I can put into my body with little preservatives.