Beverly Farmer - Collected Stories

[memka]

Beverly Farmer came and gave at talk about Collect Stories at my school today. 
If anyone's interested this is a copy of the notes I took.
I won't say 100% they're right though...kinda stopped paying attention towards the end.

General Comments:
•   Most of stories are about a character that is aware of a place but looking within it for meaning.

•   Stories about how perceptions can change, i.e. something can be beautiful one day, ugly the next, you can love and hate something/one at the same time etc.

•   Stories about ordinary people, often based on Farmer’s personal experiences.

•   Each stories shows a moment of truth e.g. first crack in a marriage

•   Farmer imagines stories as a movie, i.e. in close ups, long shots, etc, different characters blurry at different times.

•   Same characters in multiple stories (e.g. Bell, Barbara) – unconscious decision to write more about them as Farmer felt there was more to tell.

•   Often men appear distant and cold in stories because in real Greek life (back then) men are distant. Greek families had rigid family structure. 

•   Colour symbolism came naturally e.g. pomegranate are red, red links with rebirth in religion. Light in Greece makes every colour intense.

Our Lady of the Beehives:
•   On meaning of “Our four bodies in the house, she thought, four bubbles of blood, and a fifth still forming, afloat on our white beds. A hollow light seeped through the shutters. Time and sun stood still. (Page 248): shows acceptance of the world, peace, a nest (“bubbles of blood” could have been “eggs”)

Home time:
•   Symbolism in 2 empty chairs at the table, 2 windows, 2 lamps.

Market Day:
•   Grey symbolism – everthing is grey to Mikiri Elpida except her memory of the marketplace. Now she remembers things in sounds and smells.

•   In her mind she remains young so the thought of her hair half grey saddens her.

The Harem:
•   In Bell’s eyes the ‘Harem’ isn’t such a bad place but adult readers have deeper understanding.

Place of Birth:
•   Contrast between red Chloe and white Barbara.

Marina:
•   Based on a real person Farmer heard of. Story haunted her so she wrote Marina as a warning.