Didions: A Brief Summary Didion
This selection of Didion’s writing evolves from her discussing the circumstances and events around John’s, her husband’s, death to her coping with Quintana’s seemingly never ending illness. This selection of the book also cover’s Didion’s battle with the “vortex.” The vortex consists of the memories that Didion finds herself trapped in. Even the most mundane tasks will remind her of her memories with John or Quintana. This results in her spending chunks of her time dwelling in the past as though she is permanently trapped there. Didion also dwells with who is to blame in the case of John’s death and Quintana’s illness. Eventually, she comes to the riveting conclusion that she balances between blaming herself for what has happened to blaming
her loved ones for allowing it to happen to them. I feel that this book is eloquently written. Even when the book appears repetitive or choppy there is still a poise surrounding Didion’s words. Another phenomenal thing about this book is how genuine and candid it is. There are parts of the book that are difficult to read, this is fitting because death is a difficult topic. Never does Didion give you seven steps to deal with so you can be happy again. Nor does she have “commercialized” grief that we sometimes encounter in cinema where she cries, claims it makes her a better person, comes to some riveting, life changing idea, and moves on to find her happy ever after. Didion even acknowledges at one point that she does not know is she is ever going overcome her grief. She honestly explains how it feels to be the person left behind after death. When she discusses that I parallel Didion with Justine from Melancholia. They are both candid, codependent, characters that occasionally come across as cruel, such as when Didion acknowledges that she may not want John to resurrect because she does not want to deal with the fact that he may blame her for his death. Their main difference being that Didion typically knows how to behave in social settings, although this point can be argued when you recall how Didion behaves when Quintana is in UCLA.
her loved ones for allowing it to happen to them. I feel that this book is eloquently written. Even when the book appears repetitive or choppy there is still a poise surrounding Didion’s words. Another phenomenal thing about this book is how genuine and candid it is. There are parts of the book that are difficult to read, this is fitting because death is a difficult topic. Never does Didion give you seven steps to deal with so you can be happy again. Nor does she have “commercialized” grief that we sometimes encounter in cinema where she cries, claims it makes her a better person, comes to some riveting, life changing idea, and moves on to find her happy ever after. Didion even acknowledges at one point that she does not know is she is ever going overcome her grief. She honestly explains how it feels to be the person left behind after death. When she discusses that I parallel Didion with Justine from Melancholia. They are both candid, codependent, characters that occasionally come across as cruel, such as when Didion acknowledges that she may not want John to resurrect because she does not want to deal with the fact that he may blame her for his death. Their main difference being that Didion typically knows how to behave in social settings, although this point can be argued when you recall how Didion behaves when Quintana is in UCLA.