Thursday, May 26, 2011
Mennonite Discussion #8
To what extent is this a memoir about growing up? Rhoda humorously relates her embarrassment at having to eat “shame-based foods” at school as a child – but admits that as an adult, she enjoys them. Similarly, she looks back fondly on other experiences that were likely not very pleasant at the time – setting off a yard bomb inside the van she was sleeping in on a camping trip, for one. Are there other examples you can think of? Do you think this kind of nostalgia – a willingness to appreciate and poke fun at bad memories – is something that’s indicative of maturity, of adulthood?
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2 comments:
Meh, I'm not too interested in answering this one.
Yes, I think this shows a sign of maturity. Just like I think its a sign of maturity that I no longer hate to eat my vegetables.
I don't think she went through some abnormal life changing revelation. I think she just got old.
I think this kind of nostalgia is also a way to feel connected to your past. I like remembering times my brother and I spent doing things together (like when I fell out of a go-cart and he accidentally ran over my back with it :-)), in part, because it reminds me that we used to spend time together and enjoy it (sometimes). We're not very close now, but remembering these kinds of things (even if they're "bad" like when he and my cousin made me eat dishwashing soap) invoke warm feelings toward the people with whom I shared them. Okay, sappiness out.
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