Like the other stories, reading Clay was at least a two pass process. There seemed to be a face pace, a lot of people, movement, but I reah the end, and was scratching my head. Who is Maria and what really happened? For some reason I kept getting stuck on Joyce's repeated description of her "nose almost touching her chin" which seems cartoonish, and exaggerated. Not physically possible, Why was this important? She seems to buss arounf with all the tiny tasks and duties she performs, all like clockwork precision (until she loses the plum cake, which wrecks the clock work).So she is always in motion doing-- but is she living? Isn't that another variation of paralysis we even know today, that sens of always doing things (email, phone, twitter, facebook, email, twitter... ) but not really doing anything. So she operates in her world where she is pious and devoted and accomplishes everything, but she does not see her lack of ultimate precision (loses the cake, misunderstands the game, sings the song wrong). There is te Donnelly family which seems to treat her like an extra special family member, and they seem genuine, and there is a suggestion of a mother substitute relationship to Joe- but is this expressed warmth really love? duty? neighborly? And what is the whole clay bit about? I assume it is the substance placed in the bowl for her during the game, which sets her of guard 9and everyone else). Is clay messiness in her orderly minutiae filled life? Is it represent earth, death, the clay we go to? There is this crescendo of emotion that seems to build with her singing a song that touches Joe, who is restless himself with his place, his estranged brother... and the culmination of what might be a real human moment is focused on an unimportant object (the corkscrew). I see all these people as going through motions of life, without much feeling or awareness of it. It boils down to routines done on the outside, and emptiness on the inside.And yet, I am still confused with who Maria is- tormented empty vessel or a happy little package? Who is Maria?
Like the other stories, reading Clay was at least a two pass process. There seemed to be a face pace, a lot of people, movement, but I reah the end, and was scratching my head. Who is Maria and what really happened? For some reason I kept getting stuck on Joyce's repeated description of her "nose almost touching her chin" which seems cartoonish, and exaggerated. Not physically possible, Why was this important? She seems to buss arounf with all the tiny tasks and duties she performs, all like clockwork precision (until she loses the plum cake, which wrecks the clock work).So she is always in motion doing-- but is she living? Isn't that another variation of paralysis we even know today, that sens of always doing things (email, phone, twitter, facebook, email, twitter... ) but not really doing anything. So she operates in her world where she is pious and devoted and accomplishes everything, but she does not see her lack of ultimate precision (loses the cake, misunderstands the game, sings the song wrong). There is te Donnelly family which seems to treat her like an extra special family member, and they seem genuine, and there is a suggestion of a mother substitute relationship to Joe- but is this expressed warmth really love? duty? neighborly? And what is the whole clay bit about? I assume it is the substance placed in the bowl for her during the game, which sets her of guard 9and everyone else). Is clay messiness in her orderly minutiae filled life? Is it represent earth, death, the clay we go to? There is this crescendo of emotion that seems to build with her singing a song that touches Joe, who is restless himself with his place, his estranged brother... and the culmination of what might be a real human moment is focused on an unimportant object (the corkscrew). I see all these people as going through motions of life, without much feeling or awareness of it. It boils down to routines done on the outside, and emptiness on the inside.And yet, I am still confused with who Maria is- tormented empty vessel or a happy little package?
Designed by Blink First & coded by Cory Watilo.
More great Posterous themes at themes.posterous.com.
More great Posterous themes at themes.posterous.com.
