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| Kathleen Cleaver at Home, 1968. Photograph by Alan Copeland. |
When Barb is invited to attend a fundraiser to help bring Prisoners of War home, she says one reason she doesn't want to go is because she doesn't want to wear pantyhose: "You know I haven't worn them in years"(304). As the narration reveals, when she and Frankie go to the fundraiser, "Frankie dressed in a way that would have made her mother proud: in a navy blue knit pantsuit. Beneath the jacket, she wore a bold geometric print blouse with large, pointed lapels"(305). Barb, meanwhile, "wore a black miniskirt and a black turtleneck and black knee boots" (305).
This is one of many passages in the novel that describe in some detail the clothing choices made by the characters. As you continue to read through the text, pay attention to these descriptions and consider: do you think the author pays too much attention to the clothes the women wear? Does the focus on clothing seem trivial? Do these descriptions help create a more vivid images in readers' minds? Do the clothing choices tell us something important about power and politics in the time period (and in our own)?
I do not think the author pays too much attention at all, and the focus on clothing, to me at least, is not trivial in the slightest. While yes, such detailing on the clothes helps create more vivid images in readers’ minds, I do not think that was the point. Yale has done research that shows how clothing trends can change based on the political state of a nation (Yale Article). One example of the power of clothing would be the pantsuit. This specific type of clothing is mentioned in the novel a few times, and in the time period these were worn, women were pushing for equal rights. As the pantsuit is not as “feminine” as a skirt or a dress, it helped their cause by challenging social norms.
ReplyDeleteQuestion- No, the author is not paying too much attention to the clothes. The author is just providing crucial information to the readers. Clothes can be a way of expressing individuality, rebellion against the norm, a glimpse into the character’s personality, and even a specific message to the audience. Neither is the mention of the clothing trivial. In Barb’s case, it shows she is so invested in what she is doing that she will dress out of her comfort zone to fit in and help Frankie at lunch. It also provides more of Barb’s character, showing her love and loyalty towards her friends. The descriptions of clothing in the book give the reader a vivid image. They provide context to the events taking place and to the time the book is set in. The clothes Frankie chooses on her return constantly push the social norm. Her jeans and pantsuits are a stark contrast to the ladies dressed in skirts and dresses. In a time when equality is being fought for, it is a statement that Frankie is against the stereotypical feminine things.
ReplyDeleteThe author is not paying too much attention to the clothes. She is just providing important details that show us the normal way women dressed and how the way Barb dressed was against the norm. The difference in the way Barb dressed versus Frankie shows the difference in their personalities. It shows how Barb is more expressive of her opinion than Frankie might be. I don't think the focus on clothing choices is trivial at all because it gives the reader insight into how society was at that time and what the world looked like. We are able to envision the time period. The clothing choices show us how women are perceived in the political world based on how they dressed back then and how they do now. The way a woman dresses gives them more power. For example, someone who dresses in a pantsuit like Frankie would be taken more seriously, and possibly seen as more intelligent than someone who wore a miniskirt like Barb. While clothing does not determine the power or intelligence someone holds, dressing a certain way has gotten people farther than others in politics. It seems that people who are not wealthy can seem wealthy by dressing proper; therefore, they are taken more seriously by others who are involved in politics.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don’t think that the author is paying too much attention to the clothes worn by Frankie and Barb are wearing in this part of the story. I feel it speaks to the change that the Vietnam War brought in the U.S. The change in the normal gender roles of the time are, I feel is signified by the two different outfits. I compare it to details in a movie, the details that maybe make up a background of scene in a movie make all the difference. Not just visually, but also for the story of that scene and the overall movie. I feel that the authors fixation on the clothes is used to paint a picture of just that scene and of the overarching message of the book in the readers mind. Therefore, in relation to that opinion is also do not believe that the attention to detail is trivial. I believe that it is an important element in the storytelling process used by the author.
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