Because I’ve had quite a number of new subscribers these past couple of weeks, I wanted to repost my earlier writing on Women Talking on Mary Gaitskill’s Substack, “Women Talking: A Mennonite Woman Speaks Out” in response to her earlier writing: “Women Talking: the unspeakable indeed.”
This week’s short article in the Los Angeles Times by Bonnie Johnson, oddly and somewhat awkwardly titled, “In its author’s tiny hometown, Mennonites can’t get enough of Oscar nominee “Women Talking” highlights some of the differences between the film and book versions of Women Talking which Mary and I also discuss, directing questions to the author of the 2018 book, Miriam Toews. The article highlights, of course, the 95th Academy Awards ceremony tonight. The film is nominated for Best Picture and Sarah Polley’s script is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.
In the article Toews discusses her surprise when she realized the change from her more melancholy choice, the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreaming” to the Monkees “Daydream Believer.” She also discusses the use of the young narrator Autje in the film versus August in the book, which indeed is more hopeful as the implication is the women make it out, though like the butterfly image throughout the book, true transformation may take generations.
Of the adaption, which she was consulted on throughout the process, Toews says:
“There’s a certain comfort in that which I think really brings the conversations into sharp focus and keeps us tightly tethered to the hayloft,” Toews observed. “Sarah has made us not only understand, but feel how vital it is for the women to define their beliefs and their desires before coming to a decision.”
Toews’ graciousness toward Polley’s narrative choices is understandable. The film is so well written and crafted, deserving of both awards to my mind. But I still find Toews’ book more harrowing and daring, told as it is by a man, August, who is caught up the same vicious and brutal cycle of the colony and is therefore more able to show with clarity a deeper understanding the strength these women must find through their commitment to their families and to each other. The film’s narrator, the young girl Autje, could not have the depth of understanding due to her age and different experience. (And of course I prefer the melancholy “California Dreaming.”)
However, the book and the film both contribute to the powerful image that will remain in mind of that train of women leaving their colony, leaving the entire world as they know it to step into the unknown.
Mary’s writing on her Substack Out of It: Women Talking: The unspeakable indeed
My writing posted on Out of It: A Mennonite Woman Speaks Out
I hope the movie does well and manages to bring even more awareness and insight to the brutal difficulties not just these women but many women continue to face in our world.
Do you know about the seemingly overlooked foundation for the book? Here’s a link. We did see the movie. Under the presented circumstances, flight seemed the only sane option to me, and the later facts about the continued rapes after the initial convictions and imprisonments demonstrate that. Nature vs. nurture? Look forward to more fully understanding your thoughts. https://time.com/6250526/women-talking-mennonite-bolivia-real-story/
Hello, Mennonite friend!
I have been to the Manitoba Colony area in Bolivia twice and shot many pictures and videos. I am from the same lineage as the people in these colonies and I have a decent grasp of the Low German language.
I am writing a multi-part series on Women Talking on my SStack based on my personal history, experience, and direct connections to these Bolivian colonies. I hope it’s ok to post a link here. https://michaelkrahn.substack.com/p/women-talking-a-missed-opportunity
You note that “the culture portrayed is so specific. By specific I mean: discussions of pacifism and other tenets of Mennonite faith; foot washing;… the hymns the women sing or that are heard in the soundtrack…” These are all examples of cultural specifics, yes, but not of the culture of Old Colony Mennonites. What is portrayed in the movie/book is visually Old Colony Mennonite, but the dialogue and many of the cultural specifics are decidedly modern liberal Mennonite.
I’ll be exploring all of this in my series.