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orrmattThinking back, Connie genuinely did have mental problems. I feel that Luciente and the future were simply her 'paranoid schizophrenia' manifesting itself. Of course, this might be my view because I have a tendency to trust the doctors, trust the science, and trust the more 'reliable' (perhaps empirical) view.
In terms of Piercy, the contrast of the two 'could-be's' was barely drawn out. Though we do eventually see the polluted future, the dystopia of future capitalism, the pitfalls of the utopia of Mattapoisett do not quite evidence themselves. Given that these are two completely different possibilities, I find it strange how they were juxtaposed. Not directly, but rather through the intermediary of Connie. I feel that the way Connie is introduced to the second, more polluted future, skews our own introduction. Though necessary to build up the conflict, and set Connie on her path to her ultimate fate, the scene in the windowless apartment seems only to be a poorly fleshed out foil for the Massachusetts utopia. It could have been done better? To say that, however, is dangerous, for I am no fiction writer myself. For me, I feel that though the book is supposed to be about the future- the future is never fleshed out fully. My final thoughts on this reading deal with the fact that perhaps because it is always alluded to, the brief scene of battle is all the more powerful. I find it interesting that that scene really exists at all, given that all it serves to do is to allow Connie to think herself at war with the institution. But it is with that connection, between Luciente's war and her war, that I believe she was after all, insane.
In terms of Piercy, the contrast of the two 'could-be's' was barely drawn out. Though we do eventually see the polluted future, the dystopia of future capitalism, the pitfalls of the utopia of Mattapoisett do not quite evidence themselves. Given that these are two completely different possibilities, I find it strange how they were juxtaposed. Not directly, but rather through the intermediary of Connie. I feel that the way Connie is introduced to the second, more polluted future, skews our own introduction. Though necessary to build up the conflict, and set Connie on her path to her ultimate fate, the scene in the windowless apartment seems only to be a poorly fleshed out foil for the Massachusetts utopia. It could have been done better? To say that, however, is dangerous, for I am no fiction writer myself. For me, I feel that though the book is supposed to be about the future- the future is never fleshed out fully. My final thoughts on this reading deal with the fact that perhaps because it is always alluded to, the brief scene of battle is all the more powerful. I find it interesting that that scene really exists at all, given that all it serves to do is to allow Connie to think herself at war with the institution. But it is with that connection, between Luciente's war and her war, that I believe she was after all, insane.
