SUSANNA. Yeah. How's she doin'?
MRS. GILCREST. 'Just accepted at Radcliffe. What a conundrum. I'm a Wellesley girl myself, but these days young women should make up their own minds, don't you think?
Just to bring you back to what we watched today, the completion of the scene we ended with:
Girl, Interrupted is based on a memoir by Susanna Kaysen about the eighteen months she spent at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. It is the same psychiatric hospital that Sylvia Plath spent time at in 1953 and that she writes about in The Bell Jar. (The reason we're watching this movie just became a lot clearer, didn't it?)
Not worrying about Plath yet: though several of you have already seen the film (all girls, for some reason), most of you haven't: and Andrew's response at the end of fifth period probably speaks for many of your responses, which was basically, "What the hell?#@>?" It's a disorienting film, for sure. Susanna struggles with her focus and balance; Polly who burned herself; Georgina, "the pathological liar"; Daisy and her chickens; Lisa, chaos on two feet; all raise the question of, indeed, what the hell? How did they get this way? What is the treatment they receive at Claymoor doing for them? Will they get better? Can they get better? And what's all this have to do with The American Dream? Answers are forthcoming.
First: what was your response to the first 40 minutes of the film we watched today? And what scene, moment, or image stuck with you, and why?
Second, for second period, answer the following question: do you recognize the world Susanna exists in? Yes, it's 1968 and it's Boston, but if the film still resonates for an audience, it's because we can, on some level, relate and understand what Susanna's experiencing. Is her world all that different than yours? Where does her world (that is, home and school) intersect with yours?
Second, for fifth period: are you surprised that Susanna is struggling with her emotional and psychological balance? Can you make a case that her imbalance is, on some level, a rational response to the life she's living? If so, how? If not, why not?
So that's two questions, guys. Everyone answer #1, and second period does the first part of #2 and fifth period does the second part of #2.
We'll see you all tomorrow and we'll discover what other fun things are in store for Susanna at Claymoor.
1. As you said above John, my core reaction to what we have seen so far is certainly along the lines of, "what the hell is going on," but I have a feeling that as we progress further into the film everything will clear up at least somewhat. It is hard for me to express any sort of opinion of the film so far as it is still such a jumbled mess, and despite plenty of effort spent trying to pick up on the core themes of the film, I'm still essentially completely confused. So far it is shocking how many scenes have stuck out to me. For example, pretty much every scene that involves a close up of Polly's face has stuck with me vividly as it is simply such a gruesome scar. Not only is Polly's scar somewhat memorable, so is the story regarding how she obtained the scar. The story about a young girl who became so upset over her allergic reaction to her puppy that she poured gasoline on herself and lit it on fire only serves to make Polly's existence in the movie much more notable. Additionally the scene in which Lisa first appeared sticks with me as a memorable moment.
ReplyDelete2. No, I am not surprised whatsoever at Susannah's struggle. Even after watching only forty minutes of the movie we know that Susannah's life has not exactly been stable. Her apparent sexual relationship with Mr. Gilcrest, her struggles at school, and we even get some idea that she struggles with her parents when she tells the college counselor that her reason for not attending college was that she didn't want to end up like her mother. No, her reaction to the events that have taken place in her life are not surprising whatsoever. What's interesting is that ever since she arrived at Claymoore her life has actually been even more chaotic and stressful (as far as we know) and I can't imagine the experience would be helpful. But overall her imbalance is certainly justifiable based purely on the stress and trauma that the rest of her life has caused. Additionally there could be some clinical depression involved, which would only serve to reinforce the idea that her attitude is justified as she has no way to control her sadness were that the case.
ReplyDelete1. Over the summer, I watched this movie, after reading the book that it is based off of, written by Susanna Kaysen. Reading the book definitely set me up with expectations for the movie, such as just the pure psychodrama that fills the air throughout the movie. This is one of my favorite movies, because it really gets into your mind and makes you think. In the first forty minutes, I love meeting Lisa, because she is actually insane, but she’s such a different type of insane than what I imagine when I think of women in a mental hospital. Lisa seems like someone that you would see on the street and think of as a woman who holds herself with pride and confidence. But she’s a maniac! The first time we meet her, she has just been found after escaping the hospital two weeks before. I don’t know, she just has some sort of qualities about her that I find really interesting.
2. I definitely recognize Susanna’s world, but definitely from a lesser extent. She is a seemingly normal girl, who seems to have nothing majorly “wrong” with her, except for maybe her perception of time and chronological events. In all honesty however, she is stuck in her own mind with no way to get out. Susanna is someone who is haunted by memories, maybe not haunted by voices in her head. For me, I cannot draw a parallel between my home life and hers, nor her school life and mine, but I can draw a parallel with her feelings and mine. As a teenager, no matter your background, I think that the majority of us go through periods of time where we doubt ourselves and everything around us blurs over. For some, those times are just short snapshots that don’t last very long. For others, they last weeks, months, sometimes even years, I’m sure. I can definitely say I’ve had my moments where my mind will not quiet down at times where I really need it to, but I can also say that I’ve never gone to the point that Susanna did.
1. I really like the movie so far and, unlike Andrew who freaked out every time there was a jump in the story, I’ve realized that you just have to go with it. This is the story of someone who is unstable and a little unhinged, so the narrative of the story isn’t going to be straightforward. A scene that stood out to me was the scene where Georgina admitted that she was a pathological liar. It was surprising to me because in the few glimpses of her prior to this moment, she seemed very honest and innocent, but appearances are not everything and there is something different beneath the surface. It also stood out to me because she had just told Susanna the story of how Polly got her scars, and it made me question whether or not she was telling the truth. Everything in this film is different from what it seems, and the character of Georgina is an example of that.
ReplyDelete2. I completely understand her imbalance. She’s going against the path that has been set out for her and it is clear that she is being judged by her community for that decision. She doesn’t want to end up like her mother; she doesn’t want to follow the status quo that society wants her to follow. There’s also the draft, where people are basically getting death sentences at the draw of a number. To have something as terrifying as that would be traumatic for anyone, and for a young woman who is just figuring out her life, it must be even more distressing. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the country, and there’s a lot of uncertainty in her life. She’s unsure of how she feels and what she wants. It’s all very stressful, and when you add it all up, her immense struggle makes perfect sense.
I very much enjoy the opening of this chaotic movie. Clearly pieces of Susanna's past are slowly being brought together and the more we watch the more will make sense. I find the characters fascinating with all their problems and quirks. It all seems very real. When Lisa broke into Susanna's room confronting her about her best friend that committed suicide I felt scared myself. On the first day you are admitted to a mental hospital getting attacked by a lunatic does not sound appealing. This scene is full of chaos. At first glance Lisa brings images of bullies and feelings of fear, but after watching for the small amount I have so far has made me realize she isn't doing it to hurt the others. She finds amusement in her chaotic behavior. I found this scene very telling about the entire movie so far. Things are jumbled and not as clear as they seem. I have enjoyed it very much so far.
ReplyDelete2. I see Susanna's struggle as normal. If there were no signs of turmoil in her from the harsh past we have seen so far I would be worried. I agree with Andrew that the family relationships are much worse than we have been shown. We know that Susanna is older than eighteen and can care for herself, but she still seems to act like a child. No signs of maturity have come from Susanna yet either. Also we learn that Susanna is the only senior that is not going to graduate. Her parents must know about this but do nothing to help? Something is wrong in this family and gives Susanna a clear case for the turmoil inside her. She has no one to turn to. Therefore turns to attempted suicide? Hopefully we will find out tomorrow.
1. I really enjoyed the first part of the film. I liked how they switched back and forth between the past and the present. It was trippy. The hospital is a creepy place. It reminds me a bit of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s nest. I wonder if these places are actually like they’re portrayed in movies. I know it’s based on a book, which is based on a true story, but the author of that book has stated her disappointment with the film. Either way, the characters are very interesting. I didn’t know that people could get hooked on laxatives. My favorite scene would have to be the one right after the first nighttime “check” when Georgina tells Susanna Polly’s story and then admits to being a pathological liar. The smile she gives right after was chilling. She seemed quite normal compared to everyone else, and then we find out that she could be the most dangerous of all of the patients.
ReplyDelete2. Well, I know that it can be difficult dealing with life as childhood and school end. I don’t know how much intersection there is passed that. She clearly has some mental health problems. What makes it worse is that she doesn’t seem to understand or will not admit that there is something wrong. She’s lying in some capacity when she tells everyone that she just had a headache. Perhaps she’s just constantly being interrupted, and she feels like no one’s really listening to her. However, she’s certainly not telling the full truth. It’s hard to make a judgment without really knowing what’s going on.
1. I left the room feeling confused, but definitely eager to watch more of the movie. It forces you to take a step back from a critical thinking point of view, and into a more open, out of the box thinking. I am really interested to see what happens next with Lisa, but especially Georgina, she has not exhibited any really odd mental traits, although she mentions she is a liar. I want to see how her and Susanna's relationship develops. One moment that really stuck with me was when the nurses called everyone up for their medication, and they all rushed over like it was christmas morning. It gave off a feeling of institutionalization, if thats a word. Most of the members of the hospital, aside from maybe Lisa, have bought into a system and have come to depend on in with their medication. They are addicted.
ReplyDelete2. Everyone has burdens they may have to live with, small or large. Susanna's memoir of her time spent at Claymoors is her journey and struggle, simply in fruition. We all have to deal with struggles in our own heads and A Girl,Interrupted gives us a omnipotent view of Susanna's struggle. She is being swept up in this crazy asylum, and even though everyone tells her she made the decision, we know she really did not. In many ways, that lack of control is identical in many students lives. Our parents may make decisions for us, without ever admitting it. She feels lost in the asylum, afraid of the people in it and of new places. This is much like any teenagers life, learning new things but fearing the unknown.
1. I saw this movie a while ago and I remember when I first saw it it took a little time for me to get used to all of the quirks of the patients and also the way it jumps back and forth. Over time though I do like how chaotic it is like the scene where Susanna just keeps waking up but it's jumping from previous moments and the sense of time is distorted because it shows just how chaotic and mashed up everything inside Susanna's mind is. In the first part that we watched today I liked the scene where everyone is sitting in the little tv area and Susanna is sitting next to the unblinking woman and I just liked how you could see all of the different people there and all of their quirks and personalities and how they interact with each other. I think that's what makes it a very colorful scene (and slightly humorous when Susanna blows smoke into the woman's face) and I like that it has the lighter moments because mental hospitals are often depicted as morbid and bleak and terrifying.
ReplyDelete2. Susanna's imbalance makes perfect sense. She obviously lives in a world where she doesn't feel like she belongs like with her fathers birthday party or when she was with Toby. She feels disconnected because she isn't the kind of daughter her parents seem to have imagined for themselves and she has trouble articulating her thoughts and emotions because no one around her seems to be able to listen to her or resonate with her. The character and the thoughts and the life of Susanna Kaysen does not match up to the suburban 60's lifestyle and the images of women in this time period. I think because she is suppressed and doesn't have an outlet it causes a major imbalance that people are interpreting as mental illness.
So far I am really intrigued and really like Girl, Interrupted. It’s different from any movie I have ever seen, with the flashbacks of moments in Susanna’s life which explain a little bit why she is troubled. A scene that struck me was the scene when Susanna was signing into the institution. The lady at the front desk tells her that it is her decision because she is 18, and at that point Susanna could just turn around and decide to leave. However, she doesn’t. Yes, Susanna’s parents are for this idea, but I think that when she is finally in the building the idea intrigues her and maybe she wonders what they could do for her there; if they could help her figure out some of her life’s puzzles. Maybe I don’t understand well, but this is the impression I was left with.
ReplyDeleteI think it is, in some ways, easy to relate to Susanna’s world and problems. In her world she has pressure and expectations from parents and peers just like we do. It’s hard to understand things sometimes, especially if you’re not willing to just accept them as they are, and instead you want to try to make sense out of the unknown or ambiguous. I also think that when Susanna signs herself into that institution she so in part because she would have nowhere else to go and no one else to go to.
1. I can definitely understand people's confusions surrounding this movie. It took me a few minutes to register what was going on at all. The confusion of the movie reflects the jumbled emotions and thoughts of Susanna very well. Compared to a lot of the other girls there she seems pretty sane, but no matter how calm she acts Susanna is having a few problems. She doesn't want to admit them. I like the movie a lot so far. It is really interesting to see the dynamic between all of the girls that live in the hospital. The scene that sticks out to me the most is the scene where Lisa comes back to realize that Jamie died. This really brought out the general feeling around the hospital. Death is normal and fine to talk about without feeling. Polly seemed to think it was more interesting than anything else. This is an example of the culture shock that Susanna is in for there.
ReplyDelete2. It isn't that surprising. Susanna never fit into the prevailing culture of the sixties. She didn't want to go to college to get her Mrs. Her mother always knew what she wanted and where she belonged, but Susanna isn't sure. She has always been pressured to be someone that she is not and now she doesn't now who to be. Susanna doesn't fit anywhere. She is mentally ill enough to have to live in a mental hospital, but she is still an outsider to the culture and people who are in a worse condition than she is in. I can see how her behavior would be reasonable in her situation. Susanna has had a lot of problems in her life and she doesn't know how to deal with them. Her family doesn't understand her and Susanna doesn't have any good relationships in her life to help her through it. Her mother loves her but she doesn't know what to do with Susanna. She can't find her fit anywhere.
1. I've seen this movie before and I love it. I love it because it's confusing and disturbing, which mostly goes hand in hand with being intriguing. It make your own life seem all the more normal. I forgot about the flashbacks though. I find it interesting how normal Susanna seems and how confusing it is that she's there and how somehow that makes the flashbacks seem more normal. You have to wonder if her instability causes the flashbacks or if the flashbacks cause the instability. I love any seen with Lisa. As you said, she is chaos on two feet. It's interesting that as crazy as she is, everyone but Daisy likes her. When Lisa comes and sits on the couch with the other girl, there's a sense of love and comfort. Lisa's chaos makes some of the other patients at ease somehow.
ReplyDelete2. I can find some similarities in our worlds. She's a young woman who is only trying to figure out what she wants to do and who she wants to be. She's unsure of what the future holds for her, and I am in the same position. I feel that I have a little more direction than she does, but I can relate to the feeling of being at a crossroads. She's a girl who feels like no one understands her. I think most everyone can relate to that at some point or another.
1. I can honestly say that I was complete surprise by the movie. The style of the movie does not seem to fit with other thing we have done in the past. With that said, I think that the movie was great. It is a nice way to begin the semester. I think that it is weird and confusing but that is what makes it great. The way the movie jumps between the present and past is very intriguing and makes the audience feel like Susanna in the sense that we are not sure what is real and what is happening. The ambiance of the hospital creates ambivalent feelings of homeliness and creepiness. One of the scenes that really stuck to me was when Lisa first enters the hospital. The way she was able to escape from the doctors gave me the illusion that she owns the place. She seems rude and violent but the way she behaves with other patients made me wonder why she reacts like that with doctors only.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Susanna is right when she says that she is simply sad. When she is in the hospital, she seems like a lost puppy. It is obvious that she lives a very hard life and that she is trying to make sense of what is going on. It makes sense that she is unbalance when people tell her one thing but she sees other things. The fact that other people make decisions about her life without asking her contributes to her confusion. She reminds me of any teenager that is trying to understand but nobody takes the time to explain. I think that everybody assumes that she is crazy but do not listen to her. She is living in a world where she thinks differently than everyone else and she is not free to explain how she feel nor is she free to ask for an explanation.
1. So far, I'm enjoying this movie. It's really reminding me of a female version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Lily reminds me of Jack Nicholson's character and then there's the more shy and insecure characters. I like the distinct personalities and characteristics of each patient and this harsh reality of mental illness. I really like Lily's character and I'm really interested to see how she carries on throughout the movie and if she finally breaks down or if she keeps up this independent and confident facade. One scene that really jumped out at me was when Lily comes back to the institute like she rules the place. She comes back with confidence and ready to take charge again, but she immediately is shut down when she sees Jamie is missing and they must inject her.
ReplyDelete2. I'm not surprised Susanna feels unbalanced. She feels out of place and she's struggling with her emotions and herself. She feels out of place in the real world and in society, yet she also feels out of place in the institute. She doesn't feel like she belongs with Lily or Georgina. She doesn't know her place and she doesn't have control over her own life. She's having a hard time accepting herself and her problems, and she doesn't know how to handle them. I think she's feeling imbalanced, because society is pulling her one way and telling her she is "crazy", but she disagrees and is uncertain about herself and her emotions.
At first I was confused and didn;t really like how the film transitioned and was like "what the...?" but after a while I got used to the way the film is made and began to like it. I agree with Sohail when he says "I liked how they switched back and forth between the past and the present. " I find this to be a very interesting technique thats shows viewers parts of Susanna's life. What stuck with me was the differences between each of the characters, but at the same time they share a common thing which is what has them at Claymore. They all have some kind of mental disorder that prevents hem from being included in American Society. What also sticks too me is Susannas body language and her facial expressions. You can tell she does not enjoy Claymore and does not fit in. She is afraid of the place and is always observing her surroundings and the other patients. Another things thats stuck out to me was that everyone she has spoken to so far, her parents, the first therapist she went to, Dr. melvin and Valerie seem to do what they want for her and not what she wants. For example the first therapist she see's calls a cab even though she wants her parents to take her. He sends her off to Claymore with out asking her is she wants to, revealing that he and her parents had already talked about it. Another moment was when she is asked about why she is not going to college and what it is she wants to do. She responds she wants to write and Dr. Sonia asks "what do you want to do again". And I think this is part of the reason she struggles balancing her emotional and psychological balance. Like erin said she feels out of place everywhere she goes and just wants to be her own unique individual and not be like the mainstream society she lives in. She is lost because its seems her parents have babied her and only done what they want for her. It doesnt seem like she gets to do what she wants.
ReplyDelete1. So far, I really enjoy the movie. It's disorienting, scary and uncomfortable. There's a terrifying balance of what is acceptable behavior and what isn't. How different steps you take can bring you to a mental ward. The scene the struck me the most was when Susanna was taking a bath and Vivienne gave her a razor to shave her legs. At this moment I was tense because I thought that Susanna was going to try to cut herself, but I was also enraged that she couldn't have any privacy while bathing. These contradicting emotions were constant throughout the entire segment we watched.
ReplyDelete2. I can see snapshots and begin to understand how Susanna wound up in this mental institution. She was never the perfect daughter her parents wanted her to be (I've gathered so far). She doesn't want to conform and become a secretary like everyone else in her class. She struggles with being different, and she is susceptible to people taking advantage of her. Her situation truly deteriorates when the whole world is saying she needs to be put away in a mental institution. She has a hard time accepting this, but when her parents refuse to drop her off at the hospital, I think she begins to doubt herself. I can see how this internal struggle of what's really going on with her and what society wants to do with her.
1+2: I've seen this movie before, but every time I watch it it affects me in a deeper way. I, like the rest of the class it seems, really like how it switches between the past and present of Susanna's life. This lets the audience slowly figure out why exactly Susanna is at the mental institution. My favorite scene is in the beginning where Susanna meets with a therapist, who happens to be her dads colleague, which makes things ten times more uncomfortable for her. It seems like she is completely numb and shut out from the world. When the therapist asks what she's thinking about when she doesn't respond to him, all she says is "I don't know what I'm thinking." I feel like she is in a kind of stage that most teenagers go through, were you don't know who you are or what you are doing with your life and you kind of lose yourself. I think she is obsessed with finding some kind of purpose to her life, as shown when she converses with her principal about why she isn't going to college and says "I don't want to turn out like my mother." She lives in a society where breaking from the gender norms is extremely unusual. She's stuck in a place where she no longer fits. Because of this, I think that it is perfectly reasonable for her to feel imbalanced and out of control. However, there must be a problem much deeper than not fitting in and making mistakes in order for her to want to take her own life. She is also having an affair with one of her classmates married parents, which is a really uncomfortable and gross situation. She seems to be consumed with quilt about mistakes that she has made in the past.
ReplyDelete1. I really liked it so far. It does raise the interesting question of what happens in America to people who are different and strange. Susana doesn't fit into regular life in some way or another, and maybe this is what has caused her torment. It is pretty obvious in the house party scene that Susana doesn't really give a shit about society and doesn't fit in, considering how much she didn't want to be there.
ReplyDelete2. her life relates to everyone's in that she is an embodiment of being a reject. Most people are locked into societal expectations, but she is not. She isn't going to college, she does drugs, and I'm guessing does a lot of other shit that isn't considered to be okay. Even though most people don't go as crazy as her, they probably want to. To let loose and be themselves. the only thing holding them back is the same thing that was portrayed in the movie. you get thrown out of society
1. I had no idea what was going on during the first 20 minutes or so of the film, but am now beginning to somewhat grasp the themes of the film. I think that the film is well shot and like the way that bits and pieces of Susanna’s past emerge and intertwine with each other, painting a picture of this “suicidal” girl and her motives to do what she has done. The moment of the film I remember most clearly is when Toby’s birthday is called for draft, and how Susanna lingers on the fact that this man she shared one night with might die while the psychiatrist waves it off and continues with his therapy. I also remember the naked man outside of the window, and the general disconnect that Susanna has with what is happening in front of her and what is happening around her and how she sees pivotal points in her life (the older man she talks to) in these situations.
ReplyDelete2. The pressure that Susanna suffers from her parents and her teachers to become what they define as successful, but call a free choice, is an understandable factor to her emotional and psychological unbalance. She floats between worlds where she wants to be free, I assume, as a writer, and the responsibility and expectation that is thrust upon her by her peers. Susanna is unable to compromise the rift between the two sides, and the easiest way to decide, in her mind, is to not decide and just kill herself. The imbalance that she experiences is difficult but normal, but her immediate response, suicide, is not rational.
1. At this point, I’m not really sure what to think of the film at this point. It is definitely intriguing, and has a character that I find very difficult to label. At some points in the film, Susannah could be any normal high school girl, while at others, such as the discussion concerning suicide and her flashbacks, she seems anything but. I feel that the scene that stuck with me was the discussion about the suicide, which is where I feel we’ve seen the inner workings of Susannah’s mind, and understood the extent of her inner issues.
ReplyDelete2. The only parallel that I can really draw between Susannah and myself is the lack of control in her life, which is something I believe any of us can relate to. Our parents push us to go to this college or that college, to enroll in these sports teams, etc., much as we see her little control of her own life. Her parents make the largest decisions in her life, specifically the decision to enroll herself in the institution. All around us we have people telling us what is best for us, from parents to counselors, much like she has nurses and doctors dictating what she needs.
1) I wasn’t too confused about the movie I actually liked the first forty minutes. Like Erin said it really does have a One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest type atmosphere and each character adds a lot to the story. It’s an interesting phenomenon to create a character who is somewhat relatable and then send her to a mental institution. Something tells me that she is slightly drawn to or intrigued by something in Claymoor. This is clearly more than a simple “rest” period and I have a feeling the outside world will never be the same to her. I’m confused by the whole time travel thing, but I think it adds a nice mysteriousness to the character of Susanna. I’m excited to keep watching.
ReplyDelete2) At this point, it is too early to tell. There is a distinct difference between Susanna and the other women in the ward, but Susanna is still clearly confused by her own mental state. She doesn’t feel crazy, yet she doesn’t feel right. Because this story is told through her eyes, we are left asking the same questions she is. My guess is that as we learn more about her, we will either realize how normal she is or how crazy she has become. Because we don’t know much about the life she is living, it is hard to tell whether or not this is a rational response. But through her eyes, the outside world seems pretty lifeless and I don’t feel that she is totally insane.
1. I like the film so far, although it definitely is, as some of my classmates have mentioned, a little hard to follow at times, especially at the beginning. After the first ten minutes or so, the film assumes a more defined chronology, although there is still the unresolved question of that first, cryptic scene at the very start of the film. One thing that struck me most about the film was the heavy black humor used in some parts. Some of these were so grim that I was surprised to hear others laughing at them. For instance, there is a transition immediately after Elisabeth Moss' character tells Susannah, rather casually, that Georgina's roommate hung herself after Lisa left to two of the other patients laughing at a variety show on TV. There's also the matter of how close some of the nurses are to Lisa, even taking relationship advice from her. This seems, if you'll pardon the pun, rather ill-advised to me.
ReplyDelete2. The one thing that struck me as something that Susannah and the modern teenager might have in common would be her parent's expectations of her in terms of post-High School education. This is certainly salient in the scene that John quoted in the prelude to tonight's blog questions. The awkwardness between Susannah is palpable when Mrs. Gilchrist tells her that her daughter was accepted to RADCLIFFE (Oh my!)! On a side note, I find it hilarious that Mrs. Gilchrist is blissfully unaware of her husband's affair with Susannah--another instance of black humor, but more subtle. It's clear that Susannah is not keen on living up to anyone's expectations of her, whether it be her parents, the school guidance counselor, or the psychiatrist that sends her to Claymoore.
1. Like some people mentioned earlier, the film can be a little hard to follow, especially during the beginning and the introduction, when we see her lying somewhere and in the hospital. I had no idea what was going on just then. But so far, now that I am in the rhythm of the movie and understand the flashbacks and so forth, I really like the film. It is very interesting, especially how she remembers some parts of her life and how they connect not only with each other but what she is experiencing at the moment. For example, when she heard and then saw Dec. 30 being chosen for the draft, and she is remembering Toby.
ReplyDelete2. I feel like I can connect to some disconnect that she feels between her parents’ and other people’s expectations of her and what she wants. For example, she wants to be a writer, and doesn’t want to go to college. However, her school counselor does. At the same time, an old classmate’s mother talks about how her daughter got accepted into some college but her mom talks about a college rivalry. We can see that Susannah is uninterested and just walks away. She is just so different from her parents and their friends, and I feel that way too. Also, I can understand somewhat that whole little bit on suicide, like, once you start thinking of it, it is kind of hard to not think about it.
1. The film definitely does a good job of grabbing your attention, while at the same time keeping you somewhat confused or uncomfortable. One of the things that stuck with me was her repetition of the idea that she would only be in there a little while. From what John said on this blog, it sounds like her little while turns out to be 18 months. Also the intro scene laid down some serious foreshadowing for the messed up stuff to come.
ReplyDelete2. I think most Paideia kids can definitely identify with aspects of her home and school life. She is clearly from a well off family with parents with connections. There's the scene where an administrator was telling her that she was the only person in her high school not going on to a college. I can imagine the people would have a similar reaction at paideia if someone decided to go become a writer instead of furthering their education. I thought it was somewhat ironic that the woman said that "woman have so many more options these days" while scrutinizing her decision to not follow what everyone else expected her to do.
I was quite taken aback by the first 40 minutes of this film. It was, to say the least, not what I expected, and simply hard to follow. For the first few scenes I found myself indeed asking, what the hell is going on? The movie begins with what seems like it should be the end of the movie, and may be the end of the movie, and then proceeds to switch back and forth from scene to scene in no particular order, going from present to past and back to present once more. While this was hard to follow at first, I seemed to have gotten the hang of it as the movie went on. One has to first understand that the movie is shot and filmed from her perspective as someone who is mentally unstable, and in hindsight I think it's a very different, very affective way to go about making this film. But so far, I have to say that I don't like the film. It seems a little too dark, a little too twisted for my tastes. But that's just my opinion. I think there were many scenes, many moments that stuck with me from today's showing, but I think the ones that stuck with me the most were the scenes with the boy she had an affair with whose birthday was December 30th and who was drafted for the Vietnam War. It's more of a personal reason that this stuck out at me, my birthday happens to be December 30th as well, and I have often thought about this in relation to the draft, as my birthday was in fact the third date chosen. In a way it made the scene all the more real for me, I could feel her stomach wrench up for the boy while the other women had no sympathy, because I couldn't help but think that had I been born 45, 50 years later, that would've been me.
ReplyDeleteI do recognize the world Susannah is living in. The main focus I think of the world that she lives in in this film is on expectations, for example college and being successful out of school, and on the pressure of these expectations that ultimately leads to her attempted suicide. Of course, this is from the little information I have after only 40 minutes. Expectations, and the pressure that these expectations create, are certainly not foreign to me in my life or to any Paideia student I would say. The expectations from society and from my parents to leave Paideia for college and then to go on to be successful are very real, very much a part of my life today almost 50 years after the set time of the film. The pressure is there, although it hasn't led me to attempted suicide or driven me to a mental hospital. But it may drive me clinically insane, one day.
The rest of the afternoon I was haunted by the beginning of this movie. Especially the scene in the taxi when the driver asks Susanna why she's going to Claymoor. It just scares me because there is seemingly nothing wrong with her. She's not crazy compared to the folks around her. That's what's dangerous, that someone who apparently had all of the right opportunities could get to where life is so devoid of meaning that death is something to be contemplated. It is a well done movie though, and the cuts to her memories are not completely out of the blue.
ReplyDeleteNone of what she does is rational. She has no moral grounds to stand on, no foundation upon which to place meaning. Obviously things at home aren't gravy. She's sleeping with her parents friend. She won't graduate and go to college. She doesn't want to be like her mom. Lots of hints are being dropped as to what might be going wrong with her mental state, but I have a feeling that the question of why people go crazy won't be answered in this movie. I think that's the point. There is no explanation, there are theories. Maybe without a rigid structure growing up Susanna was given too much freedom and abused it, or maybe without being forced into a mold of what she should do, she grew up around it and doesn't know how to function in the real world.
1) I have already read the book and watched the movie and I feel like that is the only reason why I am not completely confused right now. The book, as Molly said, definitely helped set up my expectations for the movie and the time jumps are a lot easier to understand as I am watching the movie for the second time. One scene that really stuck with me was when Susanna didn't take her medicine for the first time. I felt like that was a small but sort of cute moment that Susanna and Lisa shared. After Susanna spit out her medicine, Lisa was mumbling something to her tiger puppet that I couldn't entirely make out but I believe it was something along the lines of "we're not going to have any problems". I feel that this is so important because, even from the small amount of Lisa that we have seen, I feel like everyone can already tell that Lisa will make the life of anyone she doesn't like a total living Hell.
ReplyDelete2) I sort of feel the connection. I have definitely done things for certain reasons and have never been able to convince people of that fact and, even though I don't experience jumps to the past randomly, I do have abnormal inability to recall time in a linear fashion. That being said, I feel like I am much happier in both my school and my home life, probably mostly due to the fact that Susanna's mom seems like a terribly condescending and annoying person. I think that Susanna seems so easy to connect with because she feels and acts (within the confines of the mental hospital so far) completely sane. The only other person so far that has claimed sanity (sort of) is Polly and she definitely still seems, to me at least, to be crazy (or at least extremely emotionally imbalanced). The only other person that is in the mental hospital that I feel is on the same level of apparent sanity as Susanna is Georgina, and she has accepted that she is in the hospital because of her insanity.
1. I really liked the first 40 minutes of the movie. I think that the way the movie was directed made it really interesting. I like the way she keeps having flashbacks, as it helps explain the plot which I was struggling to follow in the first 10 minutes. I liked the scene with Lisa lounging in the tv room and Susanna reading a book. I think that the scene really shows a lot about Lisa, because it seems like she is really popular with the rest of the patients and even most of the nurses. It shows a completely different side of her compared to when she arrived back at the hospital. I'm actually very excited to come to class today and continue watching it.
ReplyDelete2. I'm not surprised at all that Susanna is struggling with her physiological and physical health. Her life seems to be in constant turmoil, what with Mr. Gilcrest, the whole issue with her parents and the college councilor, and her personal issues. It's also apparent that most of her classmates don't like her, and the closest thing she has to a friend is a pathological liar. It probably doesn't help either that her mom doesn't seem to actually care about Susanna. I mean, she didn't even bother to drive her to Claymoor herself. We don't even know where Susanna's dad is, we've seen him a grand total of one time, so I guess that kind of rules him out too. So that leaves her with her dad's friend who used to be a psychiatrist? Sounds kinda sucky.
I loved the first 40 minutes of this film. The opening scene was so confusing but intriguing. From the minute we saw the light bulb smashed on the ground I wanted to see what was going on, and how this girl had been "interrupted". I like the contrast between the two worlds that this girl lives in, from her pristine world at her home where her parents live where everything is perfect and nothing is out of place. To where she moves into literally craziness. her mother is trying to control her in every way, and the nurses control her to a point where they watch her shave. She has no privacy and no control over her own life. I really like the movie and I really want to watch how she transforms this situation and who she meets and how she deals with her life in different ways.
ReplyDeleteI truly don't know if her household has contributed to her illness and breakdown. I hope to see more of her family and more about her life before her "accident". I think her lack of control has def. added to her stress and her need to control something in her life, the only thing she can control, or thinks she can control is ending her life. I think her parents and family have had a lot to do with her illness, I just hope to see more flashbacks that can explain that better.
1) So far I love the first forty minutes of the movie. I love the mysterious and eerie feel and look on Susanna’s face. I especially love the soundtrack of the movie so far. The song Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel is timeless and it seemed like a great way to entice me into the movie. Although it is a very confusing movie, I like all the characters because they are so bold and unique. I think what stuck out to me the most was Lisa’s character. Her lack of an accent and her small body frame really shocked me. The scene when they take her away and she’s fighting, kicking and screaming is what stayed with me the most. It makes me wonder whether she would normally react like that or if people generally end up reacting like this after being dragged away multiple times. Sometimes I am skeptical of institutions like these much like Susanna is. Who knows if they are helping a a mentally disabled girl or if they are convincing a healthy girl that she has psychological damage therefore they literally need to restrain her.
ReplyDelete2)I think that I’m stuck in the moment where I know have everything but there is not much motivation to accept and open every opportunity that comes my way. Even though I know what I have and what I want, it is not enough for me to do the work required to get there. I related a lot to much of the film.