In class we've been talking about how the book the Human Comedy has a theme, community, and that each chapter adds something more to the community. I think that Guernsey is also like that, each letter (or at least most of them) adds something more to the community on Guernsey. Each letter adds more to each character and, as I think I mentioned before, you get to view the story through more than one perspective, which I really like.
But why is one practical reason why these people would write letters to each other instead of just discussing it in person. I think that during the occupation you didn't know who might be listening to your conversation. Whereas if you write letters the letters can be destroyed. Read, destroy, read, destroy, read, destroy, making the correspondence both inaudible and invisible. But the book takes place after the occupation, so... I think that the book is sort of meant to echo the occupation. The book is meant to tell the reader about what it was like for the people of Guernsey during the occupation. I mean, Juliet originally comes to Guernsey to write a book about the occupation. It also might be a lasting affect that the occupation had on the residents of Guernsey, they're in the habit of writing letters or they're just still cautious.
Besides being inaudible and invisible letters can enable people to communicate more personal things. Often times in books people say for example, "I'm writing this here because I'm too shy/embarrassed to say it to your face." This is another benefit of a book being written in letters, you get an even more inside look at the characters life.
In reading this book I have realized even more the meaningfulness (is that a word?) of hand written letters versus email. People really take a lot more time on letters than they do on emails, which makes it all the more personal. I know I love to get letters, but unfortunately I mostly receive email.
I haven't read this book, Polly, but your thoughtful comments about it have spurred me to put it on my list for the next time I go to the library (which is usually once a week, if i'm good...). I completely agree with you about the sweetness and uniqueness of handwritten letters versus email. Mrs. Esse and I kept up a handwritten correspondence for many years after she moved away from Chicago (the first time). That correspondence carried me through middle school, high school, college, and beyond. I still have every single one of those hand-written letters, and I'm sure that if I were to pull them out and re-read them (which you can do with handwritten letters!), I'd find that it would mimic the growth of my personality during those years--and the growth of hers. Her handwriting is distinctive and like her--as is everyone's. It's like enclosing a bit of perfume in every correspondence--except the perfume is essence of self, if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. So yes, I agree with you :-) Good insight!