Covert Control in Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres Essay -- Smiley Thous

unseeable Control in A Thousand Acres   Though thither argon instances of overt control and destruction performed by the patriarchy upon both women and nature, the most pervasive forms the Apollonian controlling impulse takes, are covert. What Ginny says about Larry, also goes for the dodge of which he is the ultimate signifier I feel like theres treacherous undercurrents all the time. I think Im standing on solid ground, but and so I discover that theres something moving underneath it, shifting from place to place.(104). The most striking example of this, is of course the secret of the incest. But throughout the novel, there is an interplay of genial imperatives and mortal expression, a power struggle of discourses. This struggle is hidden under a shiny hard surface maintained by patriarchal control, as when Jess leftover for Canada to avoid the draft and slipped into the category of the unmentionable (6), or in Tys own desires having to be camouflaged with smiles and hopes and patience until he becomes his own mask modelling no shadow, radiating no heat (306). As signified by the motif of the tiles, and its many metaphoric implications, the community that Ginny lives in, especially her family, is ruled by a meshing of masks concealing the real motivations of people. For Ginny, this is even internalized into her understanding of her own body as layered with meaning I seemed, on the surface, to be continually talk of the town to myself, tolerant myself instructions or admonishments, asking myself what I really wanted, do comparisons, busily working my rational faculties over every aspect of Jess and my feelings for him as if there were real something to decide. Beneath this voice, flowing more sweetly, was t... ... semiotic, even that has been contaminated by the poison of Apollonian control. This covert control -in farming, capitalism, and discourse- is part and parcel of the land and its people, and it al authoritys has been You Ty, bu t by implication everybody in this system see this grand history, but I see blows. I see taking what you want because you want it, then making something up that justifies what you did. I see getting others to pay the price, then covering up and forgetting what the price was. Do I think Daddy came up with beat and keister us on his own?... No. I think he had lessons, and those lesons were part of the package, along with the land and the lust to run things exactly the way he wanted to no matter what, poisoning the water and destroying the topsoil and buying bigger and bigger machinery... (342-343) Destroying the poison jar may be futile. Covert Control in Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres Essay -- Smiley Thous Covert Control in A Thousand Acres   Though there are instances of overt control and destruction performed by the patriarchy upon both women and nature, the most pervasive forms the Apollonian controlling impulse takes, are covert. What Ginny says about Larry, also goes for the system of which he is the ultimate signifier I feel like theres treacherous undercurrents all the time. I think Im standing on solid ground, but then I discover that theres something moving underneath it, shifting from place to place.(104). The most striking example of this, is of course the secret of the incest. But throughout the novel, there is an interplay of social imperatives and individual expression, a power struggle of discourses. This struggle is hidden under a shiny hard surface maintained by patriarchal control, as when Jess left for Canada to avoid the draft and slipped into the category of the unmentionable (6), or in Tys own desires having to be camouflaged with smiles and hopes and patience until he becomes his own mask casting no shadow, radiating no heat (306). As signified by the motif of the tiles, and its many metaphoric implications, the community that Ginny lives in, especially her family, is ruled by a network of masks concealing the real motivations of people. For Ginny, this is even internalized into her understanding of her own body as layered with meaning I seemed, on the surface, to be continually talking to myself, giving myself instructions or admonishments, asking myself what I really wanted, making comparisons, busily working my rational faculties over every aspect of Jess and my feelings for him as if there were actually something to decide. Beneath this voice, flowing more sweetly, was t... ... semiotic, even that has been contaminated by the poison of Apollonian control. This covert control -in farming, capitalism, and discourse- is part and parcel of the land and its people, and it always has been You Ty, but by implication everybody in this system see this grand history, but I see blows. I see taking what you want because you want it, then making something up that justifies what you did. I see getting others to pay the price, then covering up and forgetting what the price was. Do I think Daddy came up with beating and fucking us on his own?... No. I think he had lessons, and those lesons were part of the package, along with the land and the lust to run things exactly the way he wanted to no matter what, poisoning the water and destroying the topsoil and buying bigger and bigger machinery... (342-343) Destroying the poison jar may be futile.