As i write this post, i find myself struggling to find something about this story that i like. In general, i enjoy the ideas presented by the future generation. It is almost a communist state, but the ideas are held by all and remains uncorrupted. It seems that almost every problem that we face as a society has been solved. The more i read however, the more i feel like this lady is full on crazy! Throughout these chapters, each new character reminds Connie of someone from her past. It really makes me think that this is all just a world that she is imagining to help alleviate her pain while in this asylum. The longer she is locked up and subject to the tests and medication, the stronger her made up world becomes.
One of the most important people in Connie’s life was Claud. In Chapter 9, she see’s the character Bee (Piercy 179) as a archetype of Claud. His big strong hands, yet soft touch touches her just how Claud used to before his death. He could even see her “with his hands” (Piercy 180) the same as how blind Claud was able to. Their “interactions” lead me to believe that its in her head, just as how she see’s her daughter Angeline in the little girl, Dawn. Each of these characters bear some similarity towards those around her.
The raising of the children is done with the care of 3 mothers. Connie describes herself to Luciente as having 3 names; Consuelo who was “a Mexican woman, a servant of servants,” Connie, a more educated woman, and Conchita, the bad part of her. (Piercy 114) Everything about this future is in some way the better version of Connie’s life. Could the idea of 3 mothers represent the three sides of Connie? I think maybe this idea of the mothers is Connie’s way of dealing with the loss of her child.
While watching 2 children attempt sex, we get another glimpse into the messed up life of this woman. (Piercy 130) It is revealed that as a child, her brother molested her, and she even fooled around with her younger, nicer brother. These are not the actions of a healthy individual. It seems that her life just gets worse and worse.
The people of this world have no problem flaunting their flaws, something that Connie is incapable of doing. They describe healing mental issues as worming, which to me makes me think of something burrowing into their heads… just like how a doctor uses electroshock therapy to bury the issues that people suffer from.
At the end of chapter 8, Nurse Wright awakens Connie by slapping her repeatedly. Nurse Wright told her that she “thought you’d… withdrawn” (Piercy 155). Her “traveling” leaves her in a state where she looks as if she is no longer there. Often people who are put in situations withdraw into their own minds to a world where they don’t have to deal with what is going on in the real world. These points that i have addressed really make me think that Connie is not really going to the future, but is making this all up to cope with her issues and her circumstances.
