Many quotes and excerpts from this memoir, Running with Scissors, suggests a very abnormal lifestyle. There is quite a bit of anger in this memoir, but the anger used here creates irony. Psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, is in some ways provoking the anger and allowing it to continue rather than trying to help Augusten's mother fix her relationship problems with her husband.
The reader receives a very different point of view on young people in this memoir. It would be considered shameful if such acts were presented in our community: "[In] kindergarten....the kids hated me, calling me names like freak and faggot"(pg.54). Such quotes contaminates our view of their society. When there are kindergarten aged children calling each other names in an offensive manner, then it's not hard to imagine how the adults must be acting as well. Most of the adults are self-centered within their group of adults. They allow their children to do whatever they desire such as having sex as well as smoking at a very young age.
Most of the characters have the same personality. They all think in the same way and even the professionals are not doing their job in correcting the misguided persons' thoughts. "'Doctor, if being a bitch is healthy, then I am the healthiest damn woman on the face of the earth'"(pg.31), this quote shows how Dr. Finch is allowing Deirdre to continue to think that her ways of life are appropriate. But as the reader, I know for a fact that those ways are extremely incorrect and will only worsen any given situation.
Lastly, scenarios occur abruptly and without reason: "I couldn't help but think, This car is taking me to a mental hospital and my mother is treating it like open-mic night at a Greenwich Village cafe"(pg.127). There isn't much reasoning for why Augusten is taking to a mental hospital and it's ironic because it's obvious from the start that her mother is the insane one who needs treatment. But instead, Augusten is being taken there by Dr. Finch.
Overall, this memoir creates a realistic parallel universe to ours. Commonsense in our community is in major contrast compared to their ideals. All of these quotes ties together a very vivid picture of how our society of common people are different from their's.
Hey David, your novel sounds very exciting. I like the three quotes you chose and I think that they say a lot about the personalities of the characters in the story. Your first quote is very surprising to me and you are defiantly right when you say that our society would never stand for that kind of behaviour. In kindergarten you barely know what day it is and in this quote the child is already using harmful names like 'faggot'. In today’s society you would never hear that come out of a five year olds mouth. I completely agree that their behaviour is a reflection on their parents. Your second quote is also shocking. I doubt any person would ever say something like that to an adult and let alone a doctor. It almost seems like that character is proud of the way she is acting which is completely awful. The last quote you wrote lets us know that there is something wrong with the adults in this story. The mother is taking her son to the mental hospital when really it’s the mother that needs to be treated. These three quotes all have something in common and the adults are crazy! Your story is very interesting and seems like a real page turner. Good job pointing out those important points, David!
ReplyDeleteHi David!
ReplyDeleteYour interpretation is very good. Your book sounds very intriguing. It doesn't come as a surprise that young children know such derogatory terms such as the word "faggot". These days, I sometimes hear young children as young as 8 years old using such horrible language. The environment children live in and the people they are surrounded by always have some sort of impact on them. This book somehow reflects on modern day society.