Author: Nora Apt

Over Thanksgiving Break, I also visited Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery. Within the gallery, I visited two exhibits: Christopher Madden’s “Works of Thanksgiving” and the Holiday Art Show. The first display showcased an array of painted images, ranging from silhouettes to deserts. Madden used lots of cool tones in his work. My favorite piece from the collection, “Laundry Day,” illustrated homes on a hill, seaside with laundry hung up on clothes pins breezing in the wind. The only piece I found that clearly related to Thanksgiving was a piece titled “Breezing Up.” The image displayed pioneers on a ship labeled “Gloucester.”

The second exhibit, “Holiday Art Show,” featured various cheery pieces. Some of my favorites include the multicolored glassware and the festive, ceramic Christmas ornaments. Additionally, I really liked a painting called “Train.” The piece was very soothing; it was an acrylic painting on canvas. It seemed to be an abstract work using teal, white, and light blue paint. Although I cannot clearly draw a connection to our class discussions (like I was able to do with the other gallery I visited), I still enjoyed my experience at Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery.

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While home for Thanksgiving break, I visited the Pieces and Parts exhibit at the Falls Church Arts Gallery. This show highlights assemblage/media media multi-part works. The artists incorporated various mediums into their work. Two pieces in particular stood out to me. The first piece, titled “A New Day,” originated as a commentary on the school shooting in Newtown. However, after starting the artistic process, the creator realized the subject matter was too upsetting. In the excerpt next to her piece, the artist notes that “a direct view of the tragedy could never do it justice.” As such, the artist painted over what she had and started over. She recognized that following her intuition brought her to “a more optimistic place.” In conclusion, she titled her piece “A New Day” as that is what she wishes for the children who survived, the school’s staff, and the families of those affected. I think that the artist’s commentary on tragedy directly relates to our discussions in the class throughout the semester. Like the works we’ve read, works of culture shed light on political/social issues in a manner that allows readers to more easily process them; a direct, harsh depiction might shy readers/viewers/spectators away from thinking about such difficult yet important issues.

The second piece that really caught my eye, titled “Walls,” illustrates the artist’s response to current governmental policies. The artist utilized clippings from magazines as her medium for the paper collage. Collectively, the work showcases “Pieces and Parts” of individual’s lives, those who face the repercussions of those policies. The piece highlights the diversity within the United States, but also conveys the affect of “Walls.” In her artist statement, Vicky Dorn-Fontana notes that “we need to remain a safe haven for all who seek freedom from war, oppression and are in search of a better life.” While this particular statement directly speaks to the United States, I think it has relevance globally and relates to our discussions throughout the course of the semester.

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I found that the readings for Tuesday’s class provide a solid introduction to “Black Panther”. I had never seen the movie before, and two quotes from Wallace’s “Defining Moment” helped set the stage for what was to come. On page 3, Wallace writes that “superheroes are powerful and beloved, held in high esteem by society at large; the idea that a normal black person could experience such a thing in America was so farfetched as to effectively constitute gallows humor.” Further down the page, the article features a quotation from Jamie Broadnax, the founder of Black Girl Nerds, an online community centered around sci-fi and comic-books. Broadnax notes that Black Panther is “‘the first time in a very long time that we’re seeing a film with centered black people, where we have a lot of agency’…these characters, she notes, ‘are rulers of a kingdom, inventors and creators of advanced technology. We’re not dealing with black pain, and black suffering, and black poverty’ — the usual topics of acclaimed movies about the black experience.” (Wallace 3-4). I think that these two excerpts effectively summarize “Black Panther”’s significance: a movie that showcases both African-American males and females in a powerful, positive light.

“Black Panther” reached movie theaters in February of 2018, a little over a year after Donald Trump took office. I cannot help but draw a connection between these two events, given their proximity. I found an article on The Atlantic titled “An Oral History of Trump’s Bigotry.” This piece exposes many instances in which Donald Trump uses racist rhetoric. Not only does this film bring an African-American story to Hollywood, but it also counters the degrading language that the President frequently uses. Furthermore, “Black Panther” provides a change in the typical narrative of pop-culture — that is a different perspective other than the usual white narrative.

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This final section of The Handmaid’s Tale leaves readers with a lot of unanswered questions. Chapter 40 begins with an unreliable account from Offred regarding her interactions with Nick. As we have discussed in reference to many of the works we’ve read this semester, individuals choose to reconfigure memories in order to cope with them. In reference to her encounters with Nick, Offred notes that “I made that up. It didn’t happen that way” (261). This uncertainty feeds into the ambivalence of the novel’s final scene.

A blog post about this final section would be incomplete without mentioning the scene where Serena Joy confronts Offred. Serena Joy summons Offred to reveal that she found her winter cloak with lipstick on it and the sequin purple costume. Serena Joy is clearly disgusted with Offred; however, I suspect that these feelings stem from the fact that Offred has a relationship with the Commander that deviates from the purpose of her role as a handmaid, bearing a child.

The novel ends with Offred waiting in her room to find out her punishment from Serena Joy. As she brainstorms potential ways to escape her penalty, the Eye’s black van arrives at the house. Nick enters her room to tell her not to worry as the members of the Eye who are here to take her are apart of Mayday. Serena Joy and the Commander do not understand what Offred has done. This confusion reveals that they were not the individuals who called the Eyes. The Eyes declare that they do not need a warrant due to “violation of state secrets.” This ominous ending relates to both Offred’s relationships with both Nick and the Commander. I can’t help but wonder what Offred’s relationship with Nick was truly like, and if that influenced the novel’s final scene. I might have to read the sequel as I am extremely curious as to what happens to Offred.

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On November 12^th, I attended the Sharp Viewpoint Speakers Series event featuring Michele Norris. Founder of The Race Card Project and host for National Public Radio, Norris discussed the importance of leaning into uncomfortable conversations about race, identity, and inclusion. Norris’s Race Card Project accepts six-word story submissions about race. Starting with only paper submissions, The Race Card Project grew to accept responses to the prompt electronically. Norris and her team have collected 500,000 cards to date. These six-word stories tap into the individual’s honest thoughts about difficult topics of discussion. Often, when confronted with discomfort, many individuals fold their arms and tend to shy away from the uncomfortable. Given the extent of political polarization within the United States, conversations regarding race, identity, and inclusion are more important than ever. In President Crutcher’s introduction of Norris, he mentioned our nation’s “fraying social fabric.” I think this phrase perfectly captures the reason for discussions such as those facilitated through the Sharp Viewpoint Speaker Series: opportunities to engage with other perspectives.

One of the stories Michele Norris shared particularly stood out to me. Jamal, a white male, received a job offer from a high school in Des Moines, Iowa. Members of the school administration were surprised upon Jamal’s arrival on his first day. Quickly, Jamal realized he was a diversity hire, judgement made based on his name. Norris shared a quote from Jamal, “a name can walk into the room before they do.” This quotation demonstrates the prevalence of implicit bias within our country. I really enjoyed the discussion with Michele Norris, and I think that it was an effective method to spark tough conversation among individuals on our campus.

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This section of The Handmaid’s Tale provides greater insight into the how the Gilead assumed power. We learn that after “the catastrophe,” members of the Gilead “shot the president and machine-gunned the Congress” (174). Offred recounts that in the moment, these acts were blamed on “the Islamic fanatics” (174). After these attacks, the Gilead authority suspended the Constitution. New regulations were implemented: newspaper censorship, roadblocks, and closure of “Pornomarts,” “Feels on Wheels vans,” and “Bun-Dle Buggies” (174). These changes reflect the beginning of a shift towards a conservative society. Offred notes that Moira worked for a women’s collective at the time that the Gilead assumed power. Moira worked in the publishing division and “they put out books on birth control and rape” (178). I found this piece of information interesting; prior to the Gilead, Moira worked as an activist for women’s rights, yet we know that Moira defied authority and escaped the Center as a mechanism for survival/maintaining autonomy. I think that her occupation prior to the Gilead and her decision to the escape from the Center relate in the sense that both decisions reflect a desire to stand up for what she believes in.

I am very interested to see how Offred’s relationship with the Commander continues to develop. In this section, we learn that the previous Handmaid gathered the phrase “nolite te bastardes carborundorum” through visits she had with the Commander. Moreover, we learn that the previous Handmaid hung herself from the light fixture in her room. This helps to explain why the Commander continues to invite Offred into his office – to make sure her life is “bearable” (187). This confirms that the Commander’s own feelings serve as motivation for his actions.

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As Rachel mentions in her blogpost below, this section of The Handmaid’s Tale contains a great deal of information. The reading begins with a discussion of time. Offred longs for a hobby such as embroidery, weaving, or knitting to occupy herself. She recalls pieces of artwork that she’s seen that feature women waiting for something; pieces of art that convey a sense of boredom. Offred relates to these pieces of art as she too now waits for a man to put her to “use” (69). It was disheartening to see how easily Offred could connect with those paintings and animals such as caged pigs and lab rats. Moreover, Offred thinks back to her time in the gymnasium when the Aunts gave them time to rest and considers that maybe they were on some kind of drug. I was particularly struck by this remark; however, I think I agree with Offred’s commentary that “it was better to be lethargic. You could tell yourself you were saving up your strength” (70). By using this mentality, the Handmaids were able to cope as best as they could with their surroundings.

A blog post about this section would be incomplete without at least mentioning the horrific scene as recounted in Chapter 16. This scene explicitly reveals the true duty of a Handmaid, to serve as merely a body: a body capable of carrying a child. Serena Joy’s quick dismissal of Offred reveals her desire to assert her dominance within the social hierarchy rather than increase the chances of conception.

Chapter 17 describes three distinct acts of rebellion. First, Offred uses the butter (that she previously hid in her shoe) as lotion. Second, Offred sneaks out of her room to steal something. As Offred describes on page 97, she is “doing something, on [her] own.” These acts serve as glimpses of freedom in her very restricted life. Furthermore, these acts speak to the extent of her oppression, in the sense that she must use butter and leaving her bedroom in the middle of the night in order to feel somewhat liberated. Third, Offred and Nick’s encounter in the sitting room. Offred notes that “it’s so good, to be touched by someone, to be felt so greedily, to feel so greedy” (99). Like Rachel, I am curious to see the outcome of this scene and why The Commander is calling Offred into his office.

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This last section of Persepolis covers a lot of ground; however, I want to focus my attention to pages 304 through 309. Soon after starting art school, Marji discovers that half of her classmates share the same traditional beliefs as the government while the other half thinks similarly to her. These likeminded individuals gather at one person’s home and practice drawing in a way that the school prohibits: one individual holds a pose while the others observe and sketch their physique. Marji notes that over time, the number of individuals in this outgroup increases. I find it somewhat surprising that their professor supports the student’s artwork that they complete outside of school. Specifically, the professor tells the students “bravo! An artist should defy the law” and congratulates them. Based on previous interactions throughout the graphic novel, I expected an individual in a position of higher power to prohibit any creative expression, particularly an act that the government would find unacceptable.

In addition to drawing, Marji and her friends gather nightly to throw parties. The patrol of guardians of the revolution routinely bust these events; however, their visit on one particular night has greater intensity than those prior. Satrapi conveys the magnitude of this dark encounter through the absence of words on pages 307, 308, and 309. This artistic decision effectively communicates the story and embodies the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” In this case, the three pages worth of wordless cells depict one man’s death as he falls short in a jump from building to building (an attempt to outrun the officers). Satrapi’s decision to illustrate this heartbreaking scene with a minimalistic style demonstrates that fact that “less is more.”

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While this section of Persepolis contains many important scenes, I was particularly struck by the panels recounting the explosion on Marji’s street. Amidst shopping with her friend, Marji learns that a missile exploded in her neighborhood. Satrapi uses different shapes for the speech bubbles to depict different emotions. The shop clerk, who informs Marji of the incident, has a speech bubble drawn with slightly rigid lines which suggests a shakiness in his voice. Satrapi draws Marji’s reply inside of a speech bubble with well-defined rigids; this artistic decision conveys both Marji’s urgency and feelings of terror. Once Marji arrives back on her street, the style of the drawings within the cells change. The blank backgrounds call attention to the dialogue between Marji and her mother. As they discuss whether or not the Baba-Levy’s were home at the time of the incident, Marji’s eyes communicate fear. Marji and her mother pass the Baba-Levy’s home which is illustrated with shading. This is the first time in the work that we see something drawn with more than one color. While physically the shading represents the damage caused by the missile, I think the artistic choice serves to draw attention to the magnitude of the event.

In this moment, the war hits close to home (both literally and metaphorically) for Marji. Marji recognizes Neda’s bracelet among the ruins of the Baba-Levy’s home. Upon closer examination, Marji realizes that the bracelet is still attached to Neda’s arm. This unimaginable moment, particularly for a young child to experience, is life-altering. Up until this point in the graphic novel, Marji idealized aspects of the war; however, in the last cell on page 142, Marji expresses both feelings of suffering and anger. This moment clearly causes any of those romantic feelings about war to disappear. The choice to express Marji’s feelings with just a black square as the illustration reveals the intensity of these feelings.

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In his final interaction with Sethe, Paul D embodies the novel’s final message: he acknowledges the weight of the past as well as the need for a future separate from this past. He tells Sethe, “me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow” (322). Slavery withholds much of the future’s promise from its victims; having been denied the opportunity to shape his own tomorrows, Paul D must also claim his ability to decide what happens next.

Throughout Beloved’s final chapter, Morrison repeats the phrase “It was not a story to pass on” twice and then switches to the present tense to note that “this is not a story to pass on” (323-324). The initial use of the past tense establishes irony as the whole novel recounts a narrative that was “not a story to pass on.” Over the course of the novel, the characters struggle to liberate themselves from memories of their traumatic pasts in order to move forward. This message could serve as a reminder that the only way to advance in life is to forget about the past. In a literal sense, the phrase also demonstrates that the atrocity of slavery is not to be replicated in the future. In order to prevent this duplication, individuals and authors such as Morrison must continue to share the horrific yet important narrative of slavery.

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