Essay Questions

Deconstruct the circumstances in which the fire breaks out. - “In the Village”

Bishop writes, "The men have to go; my grandfather has gone. It's probably somebody's barn full of hay, from heat lightning. It's been such a hot summer there's been a lot of it." Extreme temperatures associated with summer contribute to the fire. Hay burns rapidly because the temperatures are favourable for the rapid spread of fire. Moreover, the dryness of the hay which has been catalyzed by the hot weather is contributory to fire. Accordingly, cases of fire outbreak are more expectable during summer than winter.

Deconstruct Marianne's detestation for red. - “Efforts of Affection”

Bishop recounts, “Marianne once told me a story on herself about her aversion to reds. Her physician in Brooklyn for some years was a Turkish woman, Dr. Laf Loofy, whom she often quoted as a great authority on health. Dr. Loofy had prescribed for Marianne a large bottle of red pills, but before taking one, Marianne would wash it thoroughly until all the shiny red coating had disappeared. Something, perhaps digestive symptoms, made her confess this to Dr. Loofy, who was incredulous, then appalled.” Marianne would have opted to consume the tablets while her eyes were closed so as not to see the red color. However, this would have unnerved her due to her consciousness regarding the color. Washing them before consumption is a guarantee that she will not be unconsciously bothered for swallowing pills with a color she dislikes. Even her doctor’s expertise is not sufficient to convince her about the benefits of the pills regardless the color.

Why and how does Bishop refute critics of Moore’s poetry? - “Efforts of Affection”

Bishop writes, “Lately I have seen several references critical of her poetry by feminist writers, one of whom described her as a “poet who controlled panic by presenting it as whimsy.” Whimsy is sometimes there, of course, and so is humor (a gift these critics sadly seem to lack). Surely there is an element of mortal panic and fear underlying all works of art? Even so, one wonders how much of Marianne’s poetry the feminist critics have read. Have they really read “Marriage,” a poem that says everything they are saying and everything Virginia Woolf has said? It is a poem which transforms a justified sense of injury into a work of art.” Bishop insists that Bishop’s work did not subvert feminism by citing some of the feminist works she composed such as “Marriage.” The citation underscores that the critics do not fully understand Moore’s work. Writing about humorous subjects does not mean that Moore intended to undermine victims of panic. Therefore, the critics are not objective because their criticisms are not based on all Moore’s works. Moreover, comparing Moore’s work to Virginia Woolf’s underlines her status as a noteworthy feminist.