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Post by gillianlaird on Jun 29, 2024 17:48:51 GMT
I really felt like I started to get a feel for Binx's aunt when she says/writes these two things: "'A man must live by his lights and do whatever he can and do it as best he can. In this world goodness is destined to be defeated. But a man must go down fighting. That is the victory. To do anything less is to less than a man'" and "Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man, to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and a feeling of affection and freedom and justice." Binx makes a comment about his aunt where he says she "thinks constantly of other people--she is actually unselfish." I disagree with this. Based on what I've read so far, so seems to constantly be imposing her will/desires on Binx (regarding his own life/future). Despite his claims that he is happy and fulfilled by his life, she continues to push him in a different direction--one that she deems more acceptable. While Binx sees this as unselfish and from a place of care, to me it comes across as meddling and from a place of embarrassment. We know that Binx comes from a wealthy, well-to-do family. His aunt seems pained that he chose a more "Everyman" route for his own life. Does anyone see signs of this?
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Post by Dr. Nemmers on Jun 29, 2024 19:03:49 GMT
Yes, she's a very interesting character, Gillian. On the one hand, as you note, she seems to play this Atticus Finch role where she has all these pearls of wisdom and tries to guide him into being a fully developed and mature adult.
On the other hand, she's very representative of the "Old South" guard who laments how the world is changing around her. For example:
"I no longer pretend to understand the world." She is shaking her head yet still smiling her sweet menacing smile. "The world I knew has come crashing down around my ears.” […] For her too the fabric is dissolving, but for her even the dissolving makes sense. She understands the chaos to come.
This isn't to necessarily say that she's in favor of things like segregation and Jim Crow, but she certainly seems to be a conservative force in Binx's life, where she wants to keep him away from all the "chaos" and "dissolving fabric" and whatnot.
To me, I think Binx needs to cut the apron strings and become his own man, away from both his aunt and his mother. But that would make for a drastic change in his life, something he has not shown any interest in so far!
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Post by dianarmartinez on Jul 2, 2024 19:45:21 GMT
I really felt like I started to get a feel for Binx's aunt when she says/writes these two things: "'A man must live by his lights and do whatever he can and do it as best he can. In this world goodness is destined to be defeated. But a man must go down fighting. That is the victory. To do anything less is to less than a man'" and "Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man, to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and a feeling of affection and freedom and justice." Binx makes a comment about his aunt where he says she "thinks constantly of other people--she is actually unselfish." I disagree with this. Based on what I've read so far, so seems to constantly be imposing her will/desires on Binx (regarding his own life/future). Despite his claims that he is happy and fulfilled by his life, she continues to push him in a different direction--one that she deems more acceptable. While Binx sees this as unselfish and from a place of care, to me it comes across as meddling and from a place of embarrassment. We know that Binx comes from a wealthy, well-to-do family. His aunt seems pained that he chose a more "Everyman" route for his own life. Does anyone see signs of this? I can understand your point of view and understand why from an external perspective it seems like she is "guiding" him. However, she could be doing it out of her embarrassment like you said or she is repeating the same pattern of her early life. Not to say that she did not know what to do but that her family had a major influence with her success. Binx sees it from a place of care, it could be because that is all her knows or what he grew up watching at home. However, I do believe that Binx has the luxury to be babied for his actions or indecisiveness unlike other people at this time. Factors such as his financial status, social status, and political climate at the time seem to work in his favor. Like Dr. Nemmers states "he should be his own man." He needs to take responsibility with his life to have the ability to learn to make choices. |
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Post by gillianlaird on Jul 2, 2024 19:52:21 GMT
I really felt like I started to get a feel for Binx's aunt when she says/writes these two things: "'A man must live by his lights and do whatever he can and do it as best he can. In this world goodness is destined to be defeated. But a man must go down fighting. That is the victory. To do anything less is to less than a man'" and "Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man, to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and a feeling of affection and freedom and justice." Binx makes a comment about his aunt where he says she "thinks constantly of other people--she is actually unselfish." I disagree with this. Based on what I've read so far, so seems to constantly be imposing her will/desires on Binx (regarding his own life/future). Despite his claims that he is happy and fulfilled by his life, she continues to push him in a different direction--one that she deems more acceptable. While Binx sees this as unselfish and from a place of care, to me it comes across as meddling and from a place of embarrassment. We know that Binx comes from a wealthy, well-to-do family. His aunt seems pained that he chose a more "Everyman" route for his own life. Does anyone see signs of this? I can understand your point of view and understand why from an external perspective it seems like she is "guiding" him. However, she could be doing it out of her embarrassment like you said or she is repeating the same pattern of her early life. Not to say that she did not know what to do but that her family had a major influence with her success. Binx sees it from a place of care, it could be because that is all her knows or what he grew up watching at home. However, I do believe that Binx has the luxury to be babied for his actions or indecisiveness unlike other people at this time. Factors such as his financial status, social status, and political climate at the time seem to work in his favor. Like Dr. Nemmers states "he should be his own man." He needs to take responsibility with his life to have the ability to learn to make choices. Upon further reading, I almost wonder if Binx has no interest in being "his own man" as Dr. Nemmers stated because. I say this because of his obsession with the movies (something I discussed in another thread). He talks about other people remember special moments from their own individual lives, however he remembers scenes from movies that have impacted him. In allowing his aunt to guide him so much, I wonder if he allowing himself to be the actor to her director. Maybe he is hoping that her guidance will lead to his big film-worthy story. I could be totally off base here. However, I feel that Binx is the type of person who enjoys the attention of being seen and controlled, hence this line: "Whenever I drive in a car, I have the feeling I become invisible. People on the street cannot see you: they only watch your rear fender until it is out of their way." So, I think he has the makings to be able to take control of his life, but he is so caught up in the world of the movies that he doesn't; he lets his aunt do it for him. |
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