Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem

I was assigned this book for a senior seminar in undergrad (almost seven years ago, now), though I'm not sure if it was the whole book, or only part of it. Looking back to the class, it was probably only the first half, or maybe the titular essay. In any case, I don't remember reading everything I was assigned (I know I didn't read the whole book). Anyway, a few months back I started re-reading the book, but didn't really get into it and put it down again. Then yesterday I decided to start over yet again (I think I was only two essay into it), and it's gone so much better and faster this time, though I don't quite understand why. I have a few quotes I'm going to pull out of it, for my own purposes. I think it would be interesting to read something about Didion looking back on "Slouching," in particular, since she talks about the "atomization" of society and youth searching for values in the late 1960's: "We were seeing the desperate attempt of a handful of pathetically unequipped children to create a community in a social vacuum." I wonder what she would say of youth now.

Anyway, some (mostly) unrelated quotes:

A Preface

My only advantage as a reporter is that I am so physically small, so temperamentally unobstrusive, and so neurotically inarticulate that people tend to forget that my presence runs counter to their best interests. And it always does. That is one last thing to remember: writers are always selling somebody out.

This reminds me of the David Sedaris piece where he talks about his family being reluctant to tell him things anymore for fear of finding it recounted in one of his stories. I wonder to what extent it applies to fiction writers though--I was thinking of Castle Rock and Munro writing about her family...

"Slouching Towards Bethlehem"

I am still committed to the idea that the ability to think for one's self depends upon one's mastery of the language.

Spoken like a true writer? Maybe? Who knows. I value writing and think that it's the best way for me to discipline my thinking, even though I find it very difficult and time-consuming (hence the discipline?). Not that my writing equals "mastery" of the language, but I think Isee what she's getting at.

"On Self-Respect"

[C]haracter--the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life--is the source from which self-respect springs.

I find this attractive so far, though I would have called that willingness "maturity." Also, it seems like a classic (i.e. old but still applicable) idea, but I haven't finished the essay, so I guess I'll see how it develops.