In part of laying the groundwork for future subjective writings about my mother’s young life and a variety of events, in connection with not only telling my own life story but hers (which is intrinsically interconnected with my own), I am making a variety of observations about my mother through her young writings.
Perhaps it is unfair and biased but as I glanced over the collection of classmate poems that she typed for her junior class as part of an assignment, I take note of similarities and differences in the various expressions. Another classmate did reference Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz which would be not only a clever but pop-cultural reference at that time, and there are other indications that a few students pulled in some bigger concepts through language use and references, but I seem to have focused in on a few things in this collection regarding my mother.
First, another classmate seemed to easily put into writing that my mother had wit, wisdom and consistently sound suggestions. This is significant. Because at one point, in part based on things told me by other family members and my own observations and experience with my mother in her much later years (she was age 39 when I was born), I entertained the possibility that my mother’s mental condition began in her high school years, even her young childhood. I considered she was actually a paranoid schizophrenic of some sort, rather that the more typical labels that were given to her set of symptoms and traits.
I now don’t think this is the case. I now have other views about my mother’s eventual condition that seem more trauma-based (I knew there was trauma, but perhaps not the nature or extent of it) and medically-induced by her unfortunate experiences between April and July of 1946. Sure, she was highly intelligent, creative and possessed other traits often associated with atypical ways of being–but I do wonder at a number of previously untold facets of her early life.
The onset of schizophrenia is typically seen in the adolescent years, from my readings and understandings. While my mother might have been characterized as odd to (some) others, this perception is arguably subjective. And, more so in my mind, the more I explore.
My mother is described in the poetry assignment be a classmate as sound, calm and cool, excelling, cooperative, organized, studious, intelligent, wise and witty and honorable. Sure, one might say this other student was somehow biased or imperceptive, but there are a number of other collaborating evidences that would indicate otherwise.
So, what happened to her? Well…I am in the process of telling that. Bit by bit.
The other thing I notice in the poem my mother wrote about her classmate (Marjorie Williams) is some type of a three-fold structure and her use of language and reference points.
My mother’s first stanza I find witty and image-heavy. While her classmate likely was involved with someone named Arthur and it was not uncommon for marriage to happen shortly after high school graduation at that time, my mother seemingly makes a play on images of chivalry (King Arthur) by stating her classmate’s anticipated lovestruck response to being offered the young man’s hand–despite the possible outcome of this “most-daring” offer!
My mother correctly hyphenates the compound adjective, and her exclamation mark provides a hint of playfulness!
In my mother’s middle section, she draws upon language of affirmation, blessing of others and imitation of a fellow student’s good traits. I find this intriguing.
Lastly, my mother then brings it all together in the third section, cleverly (and accurately) referencing Confucius in a creative manner. The first section created a sense of daringness and potential question of the lovestruck’s ability to make sound response to a quite chivalrous marriage proposal; the second section (and in Chiastic structure would be the most central point of emphasis) highlights the qualities of good traits the classmate possesses; and then the third section creatively indicates even further affirmation: ‘Confuscius’ states the young woman/subject of the poem will need no advice or such device, since she will be capable of right response.
While I would imagine a high school English teacher had suggested the students write in affirming ways of their classmates–perhaps even giving parameters to follow–I imagine that students did not fabricate untruths about others simply for affect or good grade.
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