Pages 200-223

Some humdrum stuff compared to what else is going to be in this post…

There was a mention of Brussels lace so I decided to look that up.

I believe when Young mentioned Venus under a patriarchal fog she might have been referring to Mary Richardson and her vandalism of the Rokeby Venus over women’s suffrage in the UK. "I have tried to destroy the picture of the most beautiful woman in mythological history as a protest against the Government for destroying Mrs Pankhurst, who is the most beautiful character in modern history. Justice is an element of beauty as much as colour and outline on canvas. Mrs Pankhurst seeks to procure justice for womanhood, and for this she is being slowly murdered by a Government of Iscariot politicians. If there is an outcry against my deed, let every one remember that such an outcry is an hypocrisy so long as they allow the destruction of Mrs Pankhurst and other beautiful living women, and that until the public cease to countenance human destruction the stones cast against me for the destruction of this picture are each an evidence against them of artistic as well as moral and political humbug and hypocrisy."

— "Miss Richardson's Statement". The Times. London. 11 March 1914.

There was a really good feminist art history book that examined this incident but I bought it as a paperback and I always pass them along after I’m done (or I’d be floor to ceiling books in my house everywhere) so I can’t find the title.

At the end of the reading there is a discussion over “the dead ear” and how we can’t hear the universe which when I googled that comes up that if we could hear all the noise the universe is making we would go deaf.

Okay on to the thing that kept me up until 3am. Conversations. I wrote this a couple of days ago and am now coming back for a more temperate look. I feel like there are concurrent conversations running through the book between characters and objects. You have the mundane “useful circle” and even tabloid headlines kind of thing one level and then there is this other level of philosophical discussions going on. I do feel these conversations (relationship dialectic) is key to getting the most out of the book.

But here’s where I was at 3am…

OMO! OMO! OMO!

I THINK I FOUND A KEY!!

I’m not gonna lie, full disclosure, I had an edible and all the sudden while reading it felt like one of those conspiracy theory/detective boards with all the red yarn linking all these clippings and photos together.

Listen, LISTEN! I’m not advocating drug use. I did nothing until it was completely legal and my body’s check engine light came on. So kids, DON’T DO DRUGS! Save that for when you really need it, when you’re old!

Okay. Here me out!! This is how it happened. Corey in the Facebook group posted this quote from a Young interview -

“Some of the reviewers recognized the social and political implications of “Miss MacIntosh, My Darling.” It isn’t that Miss MacIntosh has a social conscience, but the book does. If you understand hallucination and illusion, you don’t blindly follow any leader. You must know if the person is sane or insane, over the abyss. Mr. Spitzer’s adventures and the passages on the little frog musician investigate the nature of illusion, and if there is no certain reality, the idea of following a leader must be scrutinized. Some of the poetic writers who insert passages of realism in their texts have no underlying philosophy to uphold them and revert to realism. I don’t believe there can be a poetic novel without political consciousness. I have a strong political conscience, and the Debs book shows this as well.”

Then I talked last week about how the names in Miss MacIntosh, My Darling meant something. They didn’t seem random and I had included some examples: Beatrice after Dante’s Inferno and Georgia (George) meant of the earth and had a female/male counterpoint name.

Then as I was walking from one room to another I stopped dead in my tracks (just like in the movies) and thought - WHAT IF THE NAMES MEAN SOMETHING?! Which scared my husband because I became very agitated and he thought something was wrong. XD

And I went straight to Google and started searching the names. Now, I’m not saying the novel is built around these actual historical people but they are aspects of these people having conversations about topics (life, love, truth).

WAIT, WAIT… HEAR ME OUT!

AGAIN, I’m not saying Young is using these characters to faithfully represent their actual history but they do add to the characterization and message in the book which we’ll harken back to Week 1 - dialectic/relationship dialectic.

This led me down a wonderful historical rabbit hole, which this book seems to do to me on a constant basis: a history I didn’t know I wanted/needed to know.

BUT THEN!

Two more thoughts and why I couldn’t sleep and had to get up in the middle of the night to write this I was so excited at the possibilities.

I circled around the idea when I was first writing about the book that it seemed the characters are talking about something. They represent something that the characters then embody in dialogue. \

At first, I went with God and the Devil because there are a lot of Bible quotes in Young’s book and I remembered something way back when where the Devil wants to quit but God says he needs him to keep going (but I have no idea where this scene came from and can’t find anything on the Internet). Ultimately there are a lot of references and could be a facet of the story which I included in To All My Darlings, Vol 3. I didn’t feel then I could pull it all together into a cohesive thought. There are a lot of ramblings in Vol 3.

But that idea of conversations stayed with me.

Then there was an allusion to the Symposium by Plato in MMMD where “It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable Athenian men attending a banquet. The men include the philosopher Socrates, the general and statesman Alcibiades, and the comic playwright Aristophanes. The panegyrics are to be given in praise of Eros, the god of love and sex.”

Then I remembered Young was described as TALKING TO and even ENCOURAGED her students to have conversations with people who were dead. She would invite Edgar Allen Poe to her class or Henry James.

And then it clicked.

THAT’S the KEY!

What if Mad Madge (Cavendish) and Homer were having a conversation on a bus with Moses driving? What if George Washington/what he is said to stand for is not the complete reality of the US (i.e. slavery, genocide, colonialism). When Vera sees the “true” Miss MacIntosh (who supports revolution) she is/feels “raped” or “attacked”. Esther takes on a whole new meaning and in the end Vera (the truth) wants to be like Esther - she’ll only use rhetoric to save people. It makes sense now that Vera, the truth, is not the center of the novel but Miss Georgia MacIntosh who is having this conversation where the dream of what you can be/do always clashes with the reality of what can be done aka the United States of America.

“When you have examined all the illusions of life and know that there isn't any reality, but you nevertheless go on, then you are a mature human being.” Marguerite Young

Whew!

Yes, I have read Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco. If you know, you know.

At times Young’s writing is sheer beauty and should be appreciated for that alone. Yet it is also Alice in Wonderland in it’s rabbit holes and constant questioning, exploring, adventuring. I love and am obsessed with both.

The exciting part for me is this key isn’t the end. It opens up new ways of exploring the novel and enjoying it.

I’m going to include a list of the names and links so you get the idea of what I’m trying to articulate. A list of characters and short bios of who they are in the novel is in To All My Darlings Volume 3 Part 1.

There is no leader/ruler named Vera but it does have these meanings. I think the one that most fits the book is “true”.

The name Vera has multiple meanings and origins, including:

Slavic: The name Vera is of Slavic origin and means "faith". It comes from the Slavic word vera. In ancient times, the Eastern Orthodox Church popularized the name to signify a strong belief in the church's teachings.

Latin: Vera is also explained as Latin vera, which means "true".

Turkish: In Turkish, Vera means piety.

Spanish: As a surname, Vera is a topographic name that means "river bank" or "area of fertile land between a river and an upland". It can also be a habitational name from various places called (La) Vera.

Modern Greek and Italian: In modern Greek and Italian, vera is a word that means "wedding ring".

The reason I think it is not George III is because Miss MacIntosh said she hated the British and anything British.

The name Georgia is a feminine name of Greek origin that means "farmer" or "earth worker":

Origin

The name comes from the Greek word Georgía, which is made up of the words ge, meaning "earth", and ergon, meaning "work".

History

The name was first used in English in the 16th century and became popular in the United States in the 19th century after the state of Georgia was admitted to the Union.

Relation to George

Georgia is the feminine form of the name George, which also comes from the Greek word Georgios.

Other feminine forms

There are other feminine forms of the name, such as Georgina, Georgiana, and Georgette, but Georgia is the most popular.

Saint George

The name Georgia first gained prominence due to the existence of Saint George, a Christian martyr who was revered in medieval Europe.

George Washington

The name Catherine is a girl's name of Greek origin that means "pure". It comes from the Greek word katharos.

Catherine has ancient roots and has had a significant impact on many cultures and societies. In Greek mythology, the name is associated with the goddess Hecate, who symbolizes the purity of the moon.

The name Helena is a Greek name that means "light" or "shining light":

There are many rulers with the name Catherine, including queens, empresses, and other royalty:

Catherine of Alexandria

In Greek mythology, Helena was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and was known for her beauty. Her abduction by Paris of Troy led to the Trojan War.

The name Jock has multiple meanings, including a diminutive of the name John and a term for an athletic man:

Diminutive of John

Jock is a Scottish diminutive of the name John, which comes from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious". In medieval England, diminutives were used to show affection or familiarity. In Scotland and Northern England, Jock became a common nickname for people named John.

Athletic man

The term "jock" is used to describe an athletic man, and is thought to have originated around 1963. It may come from the word "jockstrap", an undergarment worn to support the genitals while playing sports. In British slang, "jock" can also refer to a young man who is very enthusiastic about a particular sport. Some people use the term to suggest that the person has few other interests.

The most prominent ruler with the name "Jacques" is Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the first Emperor of Haiti who led the Haitian Revolution and declared the country's independence; his full name is often written as "Jean-Jacques Dessalines".

The name Joachim is a boy's name of Hebrew origin that means "raised by Yahweh" or "established by God". Joachim has historical and religious significance:

In the Bible, Joachim is the father of the Virgin Mary, making him the grandfather of Jesus Christ.

In medieval Europe, Joachim was associated with masculinity, strength, and divine protection.

In religious art, Joachim is depicted as a compassionate and virtuous figure.

Joachim Murat, King of Naples

The surname Perron has multiple origins and meanings:

French: A pet form of the Old French name Perre, which is a variant of Pierre. It may also be a habitational name from places in France named from the word pierre, which means "stone rock".

Breton: A variant of Pédron.

Spanish: Probably from an augmentative of perro, which means "dog".

Italian: A variant of Perrone, with the loss of the final syllable.

Juan Domingo Peron

The name Moses has multiple meanings and origins, including:

Hebrew

The name Moses comes from the Hebrew verb masha, which means "to draw out" or "extract from water". The name refers to the biblical story of Moses being found in a basket in the Nile and rescued by Pharaoh's daughter.

Egyptian

The name Moses may also come from the Egyptian word mes, which means "child". It may also be a short form of an ancient Egyptian name like Rameses or Tutmosis, which mean "conceived (by a god)".

Greek

The name Moses may also come from the Greek verb muso, which means "to hide" or "cover".

Symbolic

The name Moses symbolizes salvation, a new beginning, leadership, and deliverance. It reflects Moses' role as the guide of the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.

Moses

The name Justice is a gender-neutral name that means "to deliver what is just". It's of English origin, and is a variant of the name Justus.

The word "justice" comes from the Old French word justice or jostise, which means "uprightness, equity, vindication of right, administration of law". The French word justice comes from the Latin abstract noun justitia.

In the Bible, justice means that God deals with humans based on their adherence to his laws.

The Roman goddess of justice was called Justitia, and was often depicted wearing a blindfold and balancing scales and a sword.

The name Madge has multiple meanings and origins:

English

The name Madge comes from the English term maegen, which means "young woman" or "maiden". It also acquired the meaning of "pearl" over time, reflecting the symbolism of pearls' beauty and purity.

Greek

Madge is a pet form of Greek names like Madeline, Marjorie, and Margarite, and means "pearl" and "elegant".

Noun

Madge can also be a noun that means "barn owl" or "magpie" in British dialect.

Margaret Cavendish, Duchess

The name Homer is a masculine name of Greek origin that means "security," "pledge," or "hostage". It comes from the Greek word homeros.

The name Homer is associated with the legendary Greek poet Homer, who is credited with writing the epics The Iliad and The Odyssey. Homer's works have had a lasting impact on Western literature and are still studied and revered today. The name Homer is often used to evoke a sense of literary greatness and classical traditions.

Homer - Iliad/Odyssey

The name Jacqueline is a feminine form of the name Jacques, which is a French variant of the names Jacob and James. The name Jacqueline means "supplanter" and comes from the Old French form of Jacques, which is derived from the Latin name Iacobus. The name has Hebrew roots and means "he who supplants".

Jacqueline, Countess

The name Hannah is a feminine name of Hebrew origin that means "favor" or "grace". It comes from the root ḥ-n-n, and is a variation of the name Channah.

In the Bible, Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel and one of Elkanah's wives. The name's biblical association has contributed to its popularity throughout history.

Hannah (biblical figure)

Hannah Callowhill Penn

The name Esther has multiple meanings and origins:

Hidden identity

The name Esther may come from the Hebrew root s-t-r, which means "hide" or "conceal". This may refer to the Persian queen's hidden identity.

Star

The name Esther may come from the Old Persian word stāra, which means "star". This may be related to the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar, who was associated with the planet Venus.

Myrtle

The name Esther may come from the Persian word aster, which means "myrtle leaf". This may refer to the original Hebrew name of the biblical queen Esther, Hadassah, which means "myrtle".

Ishtar

The name Esther may be related to the Babylonian goddess of love, Ishtar, who was also known as Inanna.

Esther - Bible “According to Susan Zaeske, by virtue of the fact that Esther used only rhetoric to convince the king to save her people, the story of Esther is a "rhetoric of exile and empowerment that, for millennia, has notably shaped the discourse of marginalized peoples such as Jews, women, and African Americans", persuading those who have power over them.

Jeffrey Hudson

Richard Gibson (painter)