Clarice's Blog for Women's Writing Worldwide

  3/1 361 From Diary by Anne Frank “Also it says that Eva has a monthly period. Oh, I’m so longing to have it too; it seems so important” (283).  Having a period is one of the many things I take for granted and often complain about. To think that it was so important to Anne Frank makes me sad and remember my blessings.  Anne finds it hard to relate to those around her (275). Even though they are all in hiding and live very close together, they do not see from Anne’s childlike point of view (275). To combat this, Anne creates an imaginary friend, Kitty, to whom she addresses every diary entry. Kitty is an outlet for her fear and anger. My brothers were born much later, so growing up I often felt alone in my feelings and habits that only other children could relate to. Anne’s adolescent feelings and thoughts are so understandable, and it allows the reader to see her in a very empathetic light.  When she lived, Jews were hated, and I think reading this proves how human ...

  2/27 275 From Times and Places by Emily Hahn “Though I had always wanted to be an opium addict, I can’t claim that as the reason I went to China. The opium ambition dates back to that obscure period of childhood when I wanted to be a lot of other things, too–the greatest expert on ghosts, the world’s best ice skater, the champion lion tamer, you know the kind of thing. But by the time I went to China I was grown up, and all those dreams were forgotten” (344).  Reading this passage is difficult, but not in the way it was difficult to read the others. In other excerpts we had to read about child loss, torture, and pain that the female authors could not avoid or prevent. Here, Emily Hahn actively chooses to become an addict, although she believes she is not an addict and can stop anytime (350). While reading, you wish to stop the author and intervene. She is obviously very strong-minded and intelligent, and this addiction wastes so much of her potential in my eyes. The autho...

  2/24 270 From Blackberry Winter by Margaret Mead “My decision to become an anthropologist was based in part on my belief that a scientist, even one that had no great and special gift such as a great artist must have, could make a useful contribution to knowledge” (555). Reading this passage from Blackberry Winter is so refreshing to read. Margaret Mead is a truly fascinating person. She talks casually to record her travels and discoveries, and yet, the experiences she has are far from casual or normal. Even with this tone that is more like a personal diary or journal, it is easy to see Margaret’s passion and intelligence in her writing. One thing she wishes to stress in her writing is the importance of anthropologists being fully prepared to begin field study work (558). Margaret Mead is surrounded by educated men (like her professors and father) that support her academic efforts fully and wish for her to be secure and efficient with her findings while in the field (555). Other...

  2/22 273 From Journey into the Whirlwind by Eugenia Semyonova Ginzburg “So I had no business to be sorry for myself. I was luckier than most” (306). Ginzberg utilizes strong imagery in all of her writing. It feels as though the reader is there with her. You can taste, see, smell, hear, and feel all the things Ginzberg describes in depth. She also gives the reader inside into her deepest thoughts. Even in this vulnerability, Ginzberg keeps a strong mentality, which is the key to survival.  Ginsburg, although wrongfully imprisoned, looks for the positive in everything she experiences (299). For example, she finds true companionship with the brief, vital moments she shares with the other prisoners (302). When she describes how they talk and react, it is easy to see that these people are genuinely good, and also wrongfully imprisoned, like Ginzberg (304). Eugenia also finds comfort in her own strength and health (306). These can be easily taken for granted and they are lacking ...

  2/19 347 From The War by Marguerite Duras In the selected passage from The War , Duras writing is very scattered as she recalls the flashing images from her time trying to find her husband, Robert (232). I actually had some trouble following along with this reading, and I believe that it is because her style of writing reflects the chaos of the events she describes. While the reader tries to piece-together the situation, Duras is trying to make sense of her past herself. There are some moments where she can’t understand why certain events or feelings took place (237). Perhaps it is because of the trauma she received from the time she describes.  She stands night and day waiting to ask any returning prisoners if they might know where her husband is (233). We follow her train of thought and quickly become tired as she describes her exhaustion. We feel sympathy for those she sees and describes that suffer mistreatment or those who know they will die soon. Duras writes, “Every ...

  2/17 296 From When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip  “Although I could silence Miss Ly’s song– which now seemed to me obscene– I could not silence the children’s pain. For the pain itself was a voice; a voice that had risen above Ky La as a chorus of deathly smoke” (367).  I think that this passage from Le Ly Hayslip When Heaven and Earth Changed Places might be the hardest thing we have had to read in this class so far. While reading, readers live through the constant torture, anxiety, and suffering that Hayslip experienced during the war in her village Ky La (361). Her diction evokes strong imagery. You feel the bites, bruises, and cold cement floor (365). You picture the dead bodies of humans and animals on the road, ignored by Republicans, waiting to be buried and put to rest (368). You feel the snakes, ants, sweat, and hits (366). It hurts to read this.  In this passage and in Le Ly’s life, there are only extremely brief moments of relief tha...

  2/6 326 From Gifts of Passage by Santha Rama Rau In the first passage, “ By Any Other Name ”, by Santha Rama Rau, she describes her life at her Anglo-Indian school (671). She is very young at this time, but is still able to clearly see the differences between the Indian students and the other students (673). Her teacher refuses to use her name and calls her Cynthia instead of Santha (672). Santha feels like when she enters her school, she must play the part of another person; she must become Cynthia. Cynthia does not attract attention to herself. Cynthia does not use Indian terms and does not interact with the non-Indian children at school. Cynthia must be happy with her new name. This is the part she feels she must play. But in truth, Santha loves her Indian food and wishes to make more friends. She hates the name Cynthia, and refused to say it to the class at one point in rebellion, even though she was naturally more shy in her youth (673).  In the second passage, “ The G...

  2/3  277 From The Price of my Soul by Bernadette Devlin “The combined effect of Mother Benignus and my fellow students turned me into a convinced Republican, and a year of absorbing the lesson, “We are Irish. We are proud of our history, our dead, our culture, and our language,” groomed me for the talent competition.” (192) Devlin was constantly surrounded by strong minds, opinions, and lots of propaganda at a young age (187). Because of this, she turned into a raging republican for Ireland (189). She memorized lines for debates, and naturally inherited a strong, angry passion for the republican ideology just like the people around her (188).  I think many people can relate to adopting similar views as their family or peers. I know I can relate to this in a big way. My whole family is extremely right-leaning politically. Both of my parents are strong-minded conservatives who majored in political science in college. At a very young age, I was taught about the greatness ...