I find it interesting that Solnit admits this realization. Earlier in the book, Solnit claims we are not our parents, or more specifically, that she is not her mother. She explained to her mother in an unsent letter, "I am not a mirror, and the shortcomings you see are not my fault" (24). Here it seems Solnit is refusing to see images of her mother within herself, saying, "Mirrors show everything but themselves…nothing of your own will be heard" (24-25). But Solnit never details what her "own" actually is. Does she have a clear sense of that? Or is she just so offended by the idea of becoming like her mother? It seems, she finally admits on page 248 that we are made up of many selves. Does she realize this means she is like her mother, at least in some aspects? I wonder if her including this new realization at the end is Solnit realizing that we are always like our parents, just as we are like our friends and heroes. We are part of everything we are ever exposed to. We form our "own" by the examples of others. I wonder if her journey to reconcile her opinion of her mother comes to fruition with this admittance of likeness.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Solnit Response
I agree with Solnit's suggestion that we are made up of many selves. It seems so obvious to me that, whether wiling or not, we are shaped by the opinions and behavior of other people. From family and friends we are expected, pressured, to act certain ways. We allow strangers to influence our behavior because we covet their lives. We aspire to be like some, we avoid becoming like others. We shape ourselves only by comparison. There is no individual. We can only become alternative mash-ups of those around us.
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I talked about the idea of multiple selves in my response to the Solnit reading. I really like that you focus on your own understanding that we are influenced by outside forces and how that ties into what she was attempting to convey. As you said, she often says that she is not her mother, and yet she is - in a way - from the influence her mother has had over shaping her personality.
ReplyDeleteThis all leads to the end of your response where you state: "We are part of everything we are ever exposed to." We react in certain ways to the different people that come into our lives and they affect a small part of us, causing specific behaviors or personality traits to develop. Similarly, Solnit takes something away from every person she meets throughout her journey.
I focused more on how she has different selves with her mother, but I think it's entirely possible that she could develop more than one distinct self from the influence of one person. I really liked your last sentence, and I think you're onto something. I have to agree that I believe that in a way she is admitting being like her mother by finally reconciling the opinion she had held of her for so long.
I find it interesting that you brought up the multiple self aspect of the book, because I too find myself questioning what the true essence of myself is and connected with this. To be honest, we are what we learn. If we strip away all that away, what is really at our core? I think her accepting that she is in some way like her mom is the core of the book.
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