I appreciate hearing that Neko Case based this song on a book. Makes me want to read "In Watermelon Sugar". Just came here to point out one thing about the lyrics:
"One left a sweater sitting on the train
And the other lost three fingers at the cannery"
I love that she doesn't specify which girl was which. It would be easy to assume Margaret lost the fingers and Pauline lost the sweater. But what if it's actually the other way around? Margaret is so jealous of Pauline, and so dramatic, that she might actually envy Pauline's injury. People will pay attention to Pauline now that she's been hurt. She might even not have to work for a while, or get a lighter duty at work because she lost the fingers. Everything's so easy for Pauline. And dramatic Margaret might actually feel that losing the sweater is one more slight life has handed her, not realizing the gravity of her tiny loss compared to Pauline's big one. Just a thought.
@RachWho? I love that you’ve stepped over the assumption most of us probably made. You offer an intelligent, alternative perspective, and I admire you for exploring it and sharing it here.
@RachWho? I love that you’ve stepped over the assumption most of us probably made. You offer an intelligent, alternative perspective, and I admire you for exploring it and sharing it here.
I appreciate hearing that Neko Case based this song on a book. Makes me want to read "In Watermelon Sugar". Just came here to point out one thing about the lyrics:
"One left a sweater sitting on the train And the other lost three fingers at the cannery"
I love that she doesn't specify which girl was which. It would be easy to assume Margaret lost the fingers and Pauline lost the sweater. But what if it's actually the other way around? Margaret is so jealous of Pauline, and so dramatic, that she might actually envy Pauline's injury. People will pay attention to Pauline now that she's been hurt. She might even not have to work for a while, or get a lighter duty at work because she lost the fingers. Everything's so easy for Pauline. And dramatic Margaret might actually feel that losing the sweater is one more slight life has handed her, not realizing the gravity of her tiny loss compared to Pauline's big one. Just a thought.
@RachWho? I love that you’ve stepped over the assumption most of us probably made. You offer an intelligent, alternative perspective, and I admire you for exploring it and sharing it here.
@RachWho? I love that you’ve stepped over the assumption most of us probably made. You offer an intelligent, alternative perspective, and I admire you for exploring it and sharing it here.