Thursday, July 10, 2008
Mommy-love
This is a common refrain in our house right now. In fact, it is usually followed by "Away, Daddy!" This means C is often left out of snuggles, hugs, and kisses as Wild Man is very much preoccupied with me. This also means that I cannot check email, sit on the couch, water my plants, wash dishes, or even go to the bathroom out of Wild Man's eyesight. I'm glad my son loves me so much, but sometimes I just need a bit more space. I was reminded of this need for space this morning as I was editing a passage of my Phelps chapter. In The Story of Avis, Avis, who is a painter, is forced to lock her young son out of her studio at one point just so she can steal a few hours to work on a painting. When she unlocks the studio door, "Van, all paint and patience, like a spaniel lies curled upon the floor, with his lips against the studio-door. The stout little lover, faithful in exile, has lain and kissed the threshold till he has kissed himself asleep."
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4 comments:
That description breaks my heart. Supa-T is often quite Mommy-centric, and it does sometimes wear me down. But I simply can't bear to hear him crying for me without responding. Too too sad. I guess that makes me his bitch, huh? :)
What I love about this passage, and in fact, about this character, is that is shows how much she struggles to keep her artistic life separate from her home life. She only locks Van out of her studio as a last resort, and she is struggling to complete the painting b/c she has to sell it to pay off debts her husband accumulated without her knowledge. After she opens the door, she picks him up, kisses him many times, and carries him to bed, aware that she cannot divide her life into neat divisions.
Yeah, so I don't even do American lit, but I'm totally wanting to read this novel now. You, my friend, have piqued my interest in this text....no small feat considering I'm up to my eyeballs in EEBO printouts about credit, debt, and all things related to money in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The text is The Story of Avis, published in 1877, by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. And I'm glad I've piqued your interest!
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