Chapter 1: A Pair of Friends
It says friends but I’m shipping the hell out of them. Diana, 28, is a sculptor and partly inspired by Harriet Hosmer, according to Sarah Elbert’s introduction. Percy, 25, is a painter and her mixture of fun-loving and artistic dedication resembles May Alcott. Percy’s only family is her grandmother, while Diana lives alone, “denying herself the pleasures of youth, the honors of sex and beauty, the joys of love, the solaces of home.”
Percy comes to tell Diana that one, she’s rejected her suitor, and two, she’s leaving in a week to study in Paris then Rome. Diana heartily approves of both items. Percy shows her a painting of a lark flying in the sky and Diana says “it is very good!” Grandmother thought the lark should have a nest for a home. Diana disagrees, liking that the bird “does not stoop to fill gaping beaks with worms.” The symbolism needs no explanation.( Read more... )
Later this month: Moods, revised edition.
Edit: I’m starting to think that Harriet Hosmer never made a statue of Saul and people are confusing her with William Wetmore Story’s Saul.
Interestingly, in her introduction to Alternative Alcott (an excellent book), Elaine Showalter suggests that “At Home” is meant to be Chapter 3 and “Puck” is meant to be Chapter 4.
It says friends but I’m shipping the hell out of them. Diana, 28, is a sculptor and partly inspired by Harriet Hosmer, according to Sarah Elbert’s introduction. Percy, 25, is a painter and her mixture of fun-loving and artistic dedication resembles May Alcott. Percy’s only family is her grandmother, while Diana lives alone, “denying herself the pleasures of youth, the honors of sex and beauty, the joys of love, the solaces of home.”
Percy comes to tell Diana that one, she’s rejected her suitor, and two, she’s leaving in a week to study in Paris then Rome. Diana heartily approves of both items. Percy shows her a painting of a lark flying in the sky and Diana says “it is very good!” Grandmother thought the lark should have a nest for a home. Diana disagrees, liking that the bird “does not stoop to fill gaping beaks with worms.” The symbolism needs no explanation.( Read more... )
Later this month: Moods, revised edition.
Edit: I’m starting to think that Harriet Hosmer never made a statue of Saul and people are confusing her with William Wetmore Story’s Saul.
Interestingly, in her introduction to Alternative Alcott (an excellent book), Elaine Showalter suggests that “At Home” is meant to be Chapter 3 and “Puck” is meant to be Chapter 4.
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