In terms of writing idols, Joan Didion is probably near or at the top of my list. I love Didion’s raw honesty that brings about a new meaning to inclusivity of audience. Didion has this way of explaining complicated truth and concepts in her writings in such a way that you feel like you could be in the same room with her listening to her speak. For me, this is a skill I aspire to develop some day when I reach the “grown up” stage if my writing, (if that ever even happens).
I found myself reading and rereading the second page of this piece because there were so many sentences that jumped out at me as being absolutely profound, not just in terms of being a writer but being a decent human being. One of the major quotes was “there is a common superstition that “self-respect” is a kind of a charm against snakes, something that keeps those who have it locked in some unblighted Eden, out of strange beds, ambivalent conversations, and trouble in general. It does not at all. It has nothing to do with the face of things, but instead concerns a separate peace, a private reconciliation.” (216). This quote really struck me because I felt like what she was saying was there’s this misconception that in order to respect ourselves and our work, we have to be perfect, and ultimately nothing is perfect. We as people and our work is always in progress and ever changing and that’s ok, it’s ok to be blemished and imperfect as long as the effort is behind us, we have to respect the achievements we’ve made or attempted.
Becca, I love your observation of Didion's voice being so conversational it's like you're in a room with her. I totally got that from her piece, and I also reread some particularly eloquent lines. You are right that it is more than scholarly merit but also good on a personal, human level that is hard to describe. The quote you chose struck me as well and your articulation as no one is perfect could not be more head on.
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