T2W6 paper 2 quotes (Szymborska and The Long Song)

There can be multiple versions of the truth

Traditional approach of the text starting with the birth of the protagonist

including three versions of July’s birth

• mythical version where Kitty doesn’t realise she has given birth

• July being snatched by a tiger/blown by the wind

• Kitty giving birth in the hut

Safety can come with telling different versions of stories

Writing as a means to change our circumstances

Two endings to the story are offered:

• July sells jams and opens a lodge

• July is in a dire state and reunites with Thomas

Writing is a means of justice, getting back at the orthodox telling of a story by the victors

for a real story you can go “meandering through the puff and twaddle of some white lady’s mind”

Determination to tell a story, be included in literature

“I will continue my tale” (after July squashes a bug that was getting in her way)

History is about personal events too

“Baptist war (as my son does name it)”

Individuals remember personal stories not big events

“Caroline Mortimer’s unfinished dinner”

Writers are pressured to adjust their stories to suit the likes of others

interruptions from Thomas “Reader, my son tells me that this is too indelicate a commencement of any tale”

Names as a label, way of removing someone’s individuality

“it was only Caroline Mortimer who did look upon July’s face to see a Marguerite residing there”

Names as a means of independence

“But now Nimrod was a man with his own name — not given, but chosen”

Writing is about stories not truth

“They forget that what’s here isn’t life”

The Joy of Writing

Author’s control their stories

“Not a thing will ever happen unless I say so”

The Joy of Writing

Writing is powerful

The joy of writing. / The power of preserving. / The revenge of a mortal hand.

The Joy of Writing

The stories of people are important in history

“Nathan’s name…”
“Isaac’s name…”
“Sarah’s name…”

Still

Appearances have been used against people arbitrarily

“for here they divide the bad from the good / based on a name or the shape of an eyelid”

Still

The power of a name, making a decision to survive

“Lech is the name he will have”

Still

Existing is a political act

Like it or not, your genes have a political past, / your skin has a political cast, / your eyes a political aspect.

Children of Our Era

Literature is political in nature

To be or not to be, that is the question. / Question? What question? Dear, here’s a suggestion: / A political question.

Children of Our Era

Including personal stories/details

“his fists on the wall”

Still

Literature is subject to criticism and backlash

hunters “slowly aim their guns” at the writing

The Joy of Writing