In class last week we were confronted with the poem, "Living in Sin" by Adrienne Rich. Though the contemporary idea of living in sin is associated with "shacking up" or living with a person that is not your spouse the inner meaning of Rich's poem does not serve to discourage or ostracize those that live out of wedlock. Instead the words strive to expose a far larger problem that each of us have undoubtedly dealt with. The narrator in the poem describes a life of dichotomy, one in which she finds happiness in the nighttime but slowly sinks into depression as the day progresses. In this description, we found, with Mrs. Elliott's assistance of course, that the sin in which the narrator was living was not the fact that she was with a man that was not her husband but that she had yet to do anything to save herself from the emotional rollercoaster that she was experiencing. Personally, it reminded me of this quote;
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein
Indeed this woman that Rich described was, in Einstein's definition, insane because she did nothing to change the situation she was in even though she knew that change was needed to alter her sad life. So let us all take a lesson from Adrienne Rich's literary figure and choose our own hapiness and our own sanity.- Jake
I really like the connection you made from the poem to Albert Einstein's quote. I think many people go throughout their lives in a similar way, riding on an "emotional rollercoaster" and not living happily. The lesson I've taken from this poem is similar to what you stated, which is to be more aware of your purpose in life and to make the necessary changes that will leave you satisfied with your life.
ReplyDelete-Matt A.
To me, the woman narrating was happiest at night because she was able to be someone other than herself. It is easy to be a different person for a few hours and to give into the physical pleasure, but when the morning comes the mask comes off. Until the narrator (and/or ourselves) are happy with who we are, we can never be happy with ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThe connection to living or sleeping with a man/women who is not a spouse is interesting, especially since we are about to go to college. At my table, we were discussing the merits of that type of relationship, and decided that it is okay as long as you personally are happy with the way your life is going, which the narrator is not. Physical connection can only enforce a relationship, it cannot build one.
-Brianna C.
I find that the woman in the poem is almost stuck in this position, a position that I see many young people in, a bad relationship that is not beneficial to either party it seems but they stay together because they feel that they are better off loving someone. Sometimes it is better to leave love when love is causing pain.
ReplyDelete-Kevin P.
Albert Einstein is the man!
ReplyDeleteBonus points for using his quote dude. The girl from the poem is in love with this guy whom could care less of her. She constantly gives in to the "pleasures" and constantly awakens with shame and guilt. Everyday, day after day. It was a bit paradoxical that you say she finds happiness at night but is depressed at day. This statement is true, and I like how you worded it.
Haha Thanks Sasan it just came to me. Thats definitely true Brianna. I though that some how the night was that bandaid that would seal the wound and then just had to be ripped off every morning.
ReplyDelete- jake S.