Joan Didion
Departing from the standards of traditional journalism, Didion is often the central figure of her works. Experiences are mediated through her interpretations, and she does not attempt to hide this fact. Instead of being purely objective, her works are based upon the way events are interpreted, remembered, and experienced. She often spends time recounting her own story, including her upbringing in California, her time in New York, and the troubles of marriage.
John Wayne
John Wayne is featured as a symbol throughout the collection, most notably in "John Wayne: A Love Story." Didion portrays him as the archetype of the American male, of chivalry and honor. Studying him on the set of a film in Mexico, Didion realizes that Wayne's image has been crafted by the movie industry, and by the makeup artists who tend to him. She uses Wayne as an example of the idol worship which dominates North American culture, and she gestures towards its falsehood.
Joan Baez
Baez is featured as the protagonist of "Where the Kissing Never Stops." Didion portrays her as a very gentle, albeit naïve character, who is engaged with anti-war activism despite not having a grasp of world affairs. In this sense, she embodies the idealism of the 1960's, which Didion views apprehensively. The story follows Baez as she fights to open the Institute for the Study of Nonviolence on her property in Carmel, California. The Institute draws protest from neighbors, who object to the characters the school will bring into the area. Here Didion highlights the divide between traditional American views, and the peaceful activism of the 1960s "hippie" movement. Didion is somewhat skeptical of Baez's involvement as an activist, writing that she "is the pawn of the protest movement." At the same time, Didion also portrays Baez as a beautiful Madonna figure with an angelic voice.
Michael Laski
In "Comrade Laski, C.P.U.S.A. (M.-L.)" Didion profiles Michael Laski, the founder of Communist Party U.S.A. (Marxist-Leninist). He is a militant ideologist, who believes that class warfare is at hand. He is paranoid of the federal government, and believes that they will attempt to infiltrate his organization. Didion does not view him as a serious revolutionary figure, though she respects him for his individuality and dedication to his beliefs. She also criticizes the rigidity with which he views the world, suggesting that the complexity of modern life cannot be broken down into ideology as Laski contends. At the height of the Cold War, affording coverage to a figure engaged with Communism was a bold and controversial choice, though in doing so, Didion gives a face to the perceived enemy of America.
