After doing some research on Jean Rhys, I found out she didnt have the smoothest life. She apparently was an alcoholic and was arrested at some point in her life for being drunk and disorderly. She also had several husbands and was, at times, a homewrecker. A lot of her work makes it seem like she was writing about herself and almost venting through her work. She had a husband and 2 kids (one died at birth). Her husband was imprisoned, and that was when she began writing with the help of Ford Maddox Ford, whom she met and lived with in Paris in 1924.
Her first novel, Postures (1928) was described as "the fate of the innocent, helpless victim who do not have control of her own life." According to the website posted at the bottom of this post, which has a more detailed explanation about everything, this book was actually about the affair she ended up having with Ford. In the book apparently the main character is a woman who's husband was imprisoned, and while he was gone, the woman is seduced by a friend. Amongst her other novels, there is After Leavin Mr Mackenzie, (1931) which is about a woman who is separated by her lover and has set off to live in cheap hotels where apparently she would talk to herself.
The second novel mentioned is basically what happend to Rhys, and it seems as if she considered her writing as a form of talking to herself. If that was how she looked at writing it is kind of inspiring that she was able to take to something she loved and use that as a way to release her inner demons which she evidently had plenty of. She was criticized by others for her opposition of slavery which obviously was a mindset ahead of her time. One last interesting quote taken from her autobiography:
"Black women Rhys considered stronger than white - 'Dear God, let me be black,' she wrote in her autobiography."
In 1927 Rhys published her first collection of stories, The Left Bank and Other Stories, taking the penname Jean Rhys. Her first novel, Postures (1928), is a classical version of the fate of the innocent, helpless victim who do not have control of her own life. The book is considered to be an account of Rhys's affair with Ford Madox Ford. Marya Zelli, the heroine, is a young English woman. She meets and marries a Polish man, Stephan, who lives in Paris. While her husband is in prison, she is seduced by a friend. After Leaving Mr Mackenzie (1931) was a story of Julia Martin, for whom poverty is a way to hide her need of love and security. She has parted from her lover, Mr. Mackenzie, to live in a cheap hotel, where she talks to herself. Eventually Julia learns to lend money without feeling guilty, and accepts insecurity as a part of her existence.
Her first novel, Postures (1928) was described as "the fate of the innocent, helpless victim who do not have control of her own life." According to the website posted at the bottom of this post, which has a more detailed explanation about everything, this book was actually about the affair she ended up having with Ford. In the book apparently the main character is a woman who's husband was imprisoned, and while he was gone, the woman is seduced by a friend. Amongst her other novels, there is After Leavin Mr Mackenzie, (1931) which is about a woman who is separated by her lover and has set off to live in cheap hotels where apparently she would talk to herself.
The second novel mentioned is basically what happend to Rhys, and it seems as if she considered her writing as a form of talking to herself. If that was how she looked at writing it is kind of inspiring that she was able to take to something she loved and use that as a way to release her inner demons which she evidently had plenty of. She was criticized by others for her opposition of slavery which obviously was a mindset ahead of her time. One last interesting quote taken from her autobiography:
"Black women Rhys considered stronger than white - 'Dear God, let me be black,' she wrote in her autobiography."
In 1927 Rhys published her first collection of stories, The Left Bank and Other Stories, taking the penname Jean Rhys. Her first novel, Postures (1928), is a classical version of the fate of the innocent, helpless victim who do not have control of her own life. The book is considered to be an account of Rhys's affair with Ford Madox Ford. Marya Zelli, the heroine, is a young English woman. She meets and marries a Polish man, Stephan, who lives in Paris. While her husband is in prison, she is seduced by a friend. After Leaving Mr Mackenzie (1931) was a story of Julia Martin, for whom poverty is a way to hide her need of love and security. She has parted from her lover, Mr. Mackenzie, to live in a cheap hotel, where she talks to herself. Eventually Julia learns to lend money without feeling guilty, and accepts insecurity as a part of her existence.
Good post about Rhys it is interesting to know more about the author who wrote this book
ReplyDeleteIts interesting to hear where Rhys has come from and what she has been through, the confusion and unsettling nature of her novel comes together a little more after learning these things.
ReplyDeleteWow This is interesting. I actually may have expected this from Rhys. I can see that there is no doubt by the other themes you mentioned in her works, that her life had a heavy influence in her literature.
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