I was in a coffee shop today, reading a chapter about Camus, for my class. I was wondering how I missed the fact that The Plague is an allegory for Fascism, when I noticed a woman and her daughter getting their drinks from the counter. The little girl was 2 or 3 years old. What do you say? asked the mother.
thank you
They walked past me. What do you say?
excuse me
The mother saw a friend. What do you say?
Hello.
Turn around when you talk to someone.
Minutes later I heard the mother pointing out a woman and child crossing the street. They looked both ways. He held her hand. We always look both ways. We always hold hands.
And it seemed to me there was some slippery similarity between this well- meaning mother’s moment by moment intrusion into her daughter’s experience and the fascist denial of personal autonomy.
thank you
They walked past me. What do you say?
excuse me
The mother saw a friend. What do you say?
Hello.
Turn around when you talk to someone.
Minutes later I heard the mother pointing out a woman and child crossing the street. They looked both ways. He held her hand. We always look both ways. We always hold hands.
And it seemed to me there was some slippery similarity between this well- meaning mother’s moment by moment intrusion into her daughter’s experience and the fascist denial of personal autonomy.
3 comments:
Well said!
there are only few people who can write this beautifully with originality. i admire your intermittent & entwine of storytelling.
I agree with you, but with an emphasis on "slippery". Maybe all mothers are Fascists?
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