White Oleander Review
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down, yet it was a difficult read. Not the writing itself but the way it was written, it was very graphic and at some point unnecessary, I did not need graphic details of her remembering giving head to a 50 year old man at the age of 14. On page 54, this quote caught my eye; "I'm enjoying my hatred so much more than I ever enjoyed love. Love is temperamental. Tiring. It makes demands. Love uses you. Changes its mind. But hatred, now. That's something you can use. Sculpt. Wield. It's hard or soft, however you need it. Love humiliates you, but hatred cradles you. It's so soothing. I feel infinitely better now." This quote made me sad to think she really meant what she was saying. It also made me see how poetic she was in taking after her mother. I think this is a good book for this class and our age group as it definetly made me keep reading as once I got uninterested, Fitch would throw another issue out there.
The overall message of White Oleander to me was no matter the distance between a mother and daughter, there is always a bind between them. White Oleander is about the weakness, and all of the issues that love brings, with the novel being centered on the power of motherhood. This story reminded me of the type of stories in “Red”; I feel that if it were to be shortened it would fit perfectly in there. Showing Astrid’s struggles, yet overcoming them all and ending on a positive note. The story is of a mother, Ingrid Magnussen, a poet, and her daughter Astrid Magnussen. Janet Fitch uses the White Oleander as a symbol depicting how motherhood can negatively affect a relationship between a mother and daughter. The Oleander itself thrives under intensely hot and dry weather; it is both strong and tough under the worst of situations. By using the flower as a symbol, Fitch symbolizes how the white oleander represents the power of motherhood and the effects it has on Astrid.
In my eyes, Ingrid was crazy. She had a lover named Barry, who she saw a few times. After he told her to leave that he had another date, she went crazy. She broke into his house, showed up everywhere he was and in the end poisoned him to death. Ingrid was convicted of murdering Barry got sent to prison, but she managed to stay strong, just as the oleander would. When Ingrid was sent to prison, Astrid was a little girl at the age of 12. Astrid adored her mother and she was the most important figure in her life. She wished to be just like her, as most little girls do. After the murder, Astrid is forced on a road of self discovery. Astrid grew up shuffled between foster homes and finds herself having to make her own decisions. Throughout the whole novel, no matter what Ingrid put Astrid through, said to her, did to her, she always loved her mother.
As Asrid goes from foster home to foster home, she seems to lash out on the people who care about her most. This reminded me of, “you only hurt the ones you love.” While breaking the rules in each home and rebelling to try and find out who she is, Astrid becomes more independent. She states on page 47; everything could be lost, more easily than anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, she did go through a lot during her time in foster homes, she is shot by her foster mother, Starr in one home as she was in love with Starrs 40 year old boyfriend. I think to myself, why would any little girl do this, but then I realize she never had a father/male figure in her life. She wanted someone to be close to and unfortunatly this was the way it happened. Then she is put in another home where she is treated like a slave and ends up getting beaten as she befriends a black neighbor. She then was put in a nice estate, yet the lady treated them all like slaves and starved them. She then found a nice home with Ron and Claire, and they planned on adopting her. Claire was a depressed woman and ended up killing herself and Ron was unable to adopt Astrid. She ends up once again in a shelter and meets a boy named Adam. Finally she is adopted, but into a bad household, where she begins making bad decisions by doing drugs. Finally she turns 18, gets her life together, and moves to New York with Adam.
In the end of the book, it is clear that all of this made Astrid a stronger woman, yet it’s sad that any of this even had to happen. Throughout the book Astrid and Ingrid share letters back and forth, Astrid tells her mother of tragedies as her mother sends replies in poems, basically stating to stay positive and this will make her stronger in the end. Which ironically she was right. In the end, no matter what Ingrid put Astrid through, said to her, did to her, she always loved her mother. I leave you with a quote;” I hated labels anyway. People didn't fit in slots -- prostitute, housewife, saint -- like sorting the mail. We were so mutable, fluid with fear and desire, ideas and angles, changeable as water.” This quote reminds me of little girls, how easily influenced they are and I have learned in this class how labels can make or break a little girl. We as girls and women should not be put into slots, we are who we are and should be proud each an every day!
The overall message of White Oleander to me was no matter the distance between a mother and daughter, there is always a bind between them. White Oleander is about the weakness, and all of the issues that love brings, with the novel being centered on the power of motherhood. This story reminded me of the type of stories in “Red”; I feel that if it were to be shortened it would fit perfectly in there. Showing Astrid’s struggles, yet overcoming them all and ending on a positive note. The story is of a mother, Ingrid Magnussen, a poet, and her daughter Astrid Magnussen. Janet Fitch uses the White Oleander as a symbol depicting how motherhood can negatively affect a relationship between a mother and daughter. The Oleander itself thrives under intensely hot and dry weather; it is both strong and tough under the worst of situations. By using the flower as a symbol, Fitch symbolizes how the white oleander represents the power of motherhood and the effects it has on Astrid.
In my eyes, Ingrid was crazy. She had a lover named Barry, who she saw a few times. After he told her to leave that he had another date, she went crazy. She broke into his house, showed up everywhere he was and in the end poisoned him to death. Ingrid was convicted of murdering Barry got sent to prison, but she managed to stay strong, just as the oleander would. When Ingrid was sent to prison, Astrid was a little girl at the age of 12. Astrid adored her mother and she was the most important figure in her life. She wished to be just like her, as most little girls do. After the murder, Astrid is forced on a road of self discovery. Astrid grew up shuffled between foster homes and finds herself having to make her own decisions. Throughout the whole novel, no matter what Ingrid put Astrid through, said to her, did to her, she always loved her mother.
As Asrid goes from foster home to foster home, she seems to lash out on the people who care about her most. This reminded me of, “you only hurt the ones you love.” While breaking the rules in each home and rebelling to try and find out who she is, Astrid becomes more independent. She states on page 47; everything could be lost, more easily than anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, she did go through a lot during her time in foster homes, she is shot by her foster mother, Starr in one home as she was in love with Starrs 40 year old boyfriend. I think to myself, why would any little girl do this, but then I realize she never had a father/male figure in her life. She wanted someone to be close to and unfortunatly this was the way it happened. Then she is put in another home where she is treated like a slave and ends up getting beaten as she befriends a black neighbor. She then was put in a nice estate, yet the lady treated them all like slaves and starved them. She then found a nice home with Ron and Claire, and they planned on adopting her. Claire was a depressed woman and ended up killing herself and Ron was unable to adopt Astrid. She ends up once again in a shelter and meets a boy named Adam. Finally she is adopted, but into a bad household, where she begins making bad decisions by doing drugs. Finally she turns 18, gets her life together, and moves to New York with Adam.
In the end of the book, it is clear that all of this made Astrid a stronger woman, yet it’s sad that any of this even had to happen. Throughout the book Astrid and Ingrid share letters back and forth, Astrid tells her mother of tragedies as her mother sends replies in poems, basically stating to stay positive and this will make her stronger in the end. Which ironically she was right. In the end, no matter what Ingrid put Astrid through, said to her, did to her, she always loved her mother. I leave you with a quote;” I hated labels anyway. People didn't fit in slots -- prostitute, housewife, saint -- like sorting the mail. We were so mutable, fluid with fear and desire, ideas and angles, changeable as water.” This quote reminds me of little girls, how easily influenced they are and I have learned in this class how labels can make or break a little girl. We as girls and women should not be put into slots, we are who we are and should be proud each an every day!
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