Article Reflection No. 37 (1/13/2023)

Article: The Many Confrontations of Jean Rhys

Reflection:

In the article “A Prison of One’s Own” from The New Yorker, journalist James Wood describes the life and writings of Jean Rhys, an author whose novels are similar yet contrasting to Virginia Woolf’s. Beginning the article with an excerpt of Rhys’s novel Good Morning, Midnight that lures the reader into her writing style, Wood proceeds by describing how the writer’s personal life has reflected on her literary works while emphasizing on comparisons between the heroines of her multiple books. To elaborate on Rhys, Wood also refers to two biographies on her: one by Seymour and the other by Carole Angier. According to the article, Jean Rhys’s novel Voyage in the Dark reflects on her nostalgia of the Caribbean (her home province). Concerning the biographies, Wood states that Seymour’s is more so based on Rhys’s works while Angier’s “was inclined to examine every motivation” (Wood 18).

How one’s own experiences influences one’s works—whether it may be decision-making or a novel—is a recurring theme throughout general society. This explains why it is crucial to take on challenging paths. Whether one prevails or not, it counts as an experience, and experiences help gain insight on ways one can grow. One must acknowledge, accept, and move on.

(Amazon)