Not Either an Experimental Doll
Ryan Shellady
Professor Mtisi
Paideia
October 31st, 2012 Placing Fault: A Look at Determining Who is to Blame for Lily Moya’s Downfall in Not Either an Experimental Doll The Separate Worlds of Three South African Women In today’s Western culture, it is hard to imagine a world without education. Adults and children alike view education as a common practice that is essential to everyday life. For Lily Moya, this is not the case. In Not Either an Experimental Doll, edited by Shula Marks, letters of correspondence reveal a relationship between Dr. Mabel Palmer, a well-known European supporter of black education, and Lily Moya, a girl growing up in apartheid South Africa. Lily writes to Palmer requesting acceptance into a school. Due to Lily’s amusing writing style, Palmer feels a connection to her. In turn, Palmer decides to find a way to fund Lily’s education. Throughout the letters, Lily alludes to this idea that she desires a more intimate friendship with Palmer; however, Palmer continues to assertively state that the relationship Lily seeks is impossible. In the end of the correspondence, Dr. Palmer releases her sponsorship from Lily’s education which means Lily can no longer attend school. For these two reasons, some critics will argue that Palmer is to blame for Lily’s mental breakdown at the end of the book. These people are mistaken; Mabel Palmer’s actions are not to blame for what happens to Lily. Fault lies in the differing cultures between Lily and Palmer, and in Lily’s stubbornness, egocentrism, and her inability to follow simple instructions. It is easy to infer that there are inevitable differences in culture between a European woman in her seventies and a fifteen-year-old African girl living in apartheid-ruled South Africa. In the introduction of the book, editor and expert in the field of South African studies Shula Marks articulates that the cultural differences between Lily and Dr. Palmer make for a difficult understanding of correspondence
Professor Mtisi
Paideia
October 31st, 2012 Placing Fault: A Look at Determining Who is to Blame for Lily Moya’s Downfall in Not Either an Experimental Doll The Separate Worlds of Three South African Women In today’s Western culture, it is hard to imagine a world without education. Adults and children alike view education as a common practice that is essential to everyday life. For Lily Moya, this is not the case. In Not Either an Experimental Doll, edited by Shula Marks, letters of correspondence reveal a relationship between Dr. Mabel Palmer, a well-known European supporter of black education, and Lily Moya, a girl growing up in apartheid South Africa. Lily writes to Palmer requesting acceptance into a school. Due to Lily’s amusing writing style, Palmer feels a connection to her. In turn, Palmer decides to find a way to fund Lily’s education. Throughout the letters, Lily alludes to this idea that she desires a more intimate friendship with Palmer; however, Palmer continues to assertively state that the relationship Lily seeks is impossible. In the end of the correspondence, Dr. Palmer releases her sponsorship from Lily’s education which means Lily can no longer attend school. For these two reasons, some critics will argue that Palmer is to blame for Lily’s mental breakdown at the end of the book. These people are mistaken; Mabel Palmer’s actions are not to blame for what happens to Lily. Fault lies in the differing cultures between Lily and Palmer, and in Lily’s stubbornness, egocentrism, and her inability to follow simple instructions. It is easy to infer that there are inevitable differences in culture between a European woman in her seventies and a fifteen-year-old African girl living in apartheid-ruled South Africa. In the introduction of the book, editor and expert in the field of South African studies Shula Marks articulates that the cultural differences between Lily and Dr. Palmer make for a difficult understanding of correspondence
Cited: Shula, Marks, ed. Not Either and Experimental Doll. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana UP, 1987. Print.