Regardless of era or locale, being twelve is rough:
There was a watery kitchen mirror hanging above the sink. Frankie looked, but her eyes were gray as they always were. This summer she was grown so tall that she was almost a big freak, and her shoulders were narrow, her legs too long. She wore a pair of blue black shorts, a B.V.D. undervest, and she was barefooted. Her hair had been cut like a boy's, but it had not been cut for a long time and was now not even parted. The reflection in the glass was warped and crooked, but Frankie knew well what she looked like; she drew up her left shoulder and turned her head aside.
Carson McCullers continues to amaze me.
Carson McCullers best works are her early years. I think she had a fear of writer's block for most of her life. A bit of too much success at a young age.
Posted by: | 19 August 2005 at 02:29 AM
Hi! I was the smartarse who went on about Conrad earlier. Just wanted to say i agree with you about McCullers - I've now read everything of hers except 'The Heart', which I'm holding off on so that I still have something of hers to look forward to (if that makes sense). That unread book aside, I thought 'The member of the Wedding' was her best - a fantastic, absorbing little book that made me glad I'm no longer a kid.
Posted by: James Morrison | 21 August 2005 at 03:04 AM
I think it makes complete sense to hold off on one book--it's the same reason that I've steadfastly refused to read the last Josephine Tey and I've also avoided all of the Lord Peter short stories. Once I've read them, I won't have anything new left.
Posted by: Leila | 22 August 2005 at 11:38 AM
Maybe the reason I hated this book was my Literature teacher. Maybe not. This book dragged along slowly. You knew what would happen in the end except for one thing and since that's the only thing you want to know it's not gone into. If you ever have to watch the movie there is a completly nasty part where Frankie licks her cousins ear (also in book). Why is that relevetnt?.. It's NASTY! Everyone just wanted Frankie to die and thoue you may wish she did, she would not. Frankie is just ANNOYING! The movie version (not the movie version in black in white, but the '90s version) had terric acting from the actor who played Berenice (not Bernice, Berenice) but Frankie, oh Frankie... what awful acting(she also looked 11... which has nothing to do with her acting, but does make sence with the plot). Also the Red headed Solider didn't look anything like one would imagine him to look like. Things like the we of me and how both words are in the title (The Member of the Wedding) seemed forced. It seems like she forced herself to write a good book, and just ploped the Member of The Wedding in front of us. I think I'm just going to have a look at it again in a few years and see if i still feel the same way (though I might just have to stop if it's as bad as I remebered).
Posted by: Not Known | 29 June 2006 at 10:22 AM
My lit teacher made me read this.it pretty much sucks.
Posted by: Savannah Smith | 23 January 2008 at 10:45 AM