The story of Yellow Woman centers around a lot of assumptions that the reader develops over the coarse of the story. The Yellow Woman is a story that is told by the main characters deceased grandfather. The grandfather uses the story of the Yellow Woman to warn the women of his family about the dangers outside of the home. Much how we tell our children fairy stories about Red Riding Hood to keep them from talking to strangers. The Yellow Woman in this story never gives her name, but the man is Silva. And here is where the assumptions begin. Silva "pulled his pants on." after he wakes up by the river. Woman asks who he is after we know she woke up next to him. Thus we can assume that they had physical relations. Many people who read this tend to think that she had been raped by Silva and that he was kidnapping her and that she suffered from Stockholm Syndrome. I do not feel this to be true. As that sort of disorder takes time and conditioning. Not one night of passion. Silva may have been assertive and described as dark and physically strong, but this does not mean that he forces Woman in any way. She Is actually quite affectionate with him in her thoughts and he does care for her in the way of food and safety. Silko writes "He touched my neck and I moved close to him to feel his breathing and to hear his heart" (1031). This wold not be the only time she wishes for his touch. However, Silva never physically stops her from leaving him- he does pull her by the wrist back to his home (1032). What is note worthy is that she could have left him with a horse before he woke up, so why stay? She had a baby and husband waiting for her. She was excited by the possibility of freedom and a new kind of responsibility. She was seeing a new life of excitement and of passion. The lead takes on the persona of Yellow Woman as a means to escape her reality for a short while. Though this relationship between Woman and Silva was obviously a toxic dynamic, it is important to see the assumptions that the author allows to take place and to see that the lessons of the past and the way those lessons can be twisted for the use of the interpenetrater. Much how I am doing now.
Hey Savannah! Your analysis was really enlightening, I also thought that her love of Silva might be pressured. Not exactly Stockholm Syndrome, but a less extreme version of that. But you're right, it would likely take more than just one night to make someone fall in love. Now I believe that likely she was just excited and impulsive by something new, and was probably unsure of what she truly desired in the long run. Great job, I look forward to reading more of your analyses later!
ReplyDeleteSavannah, Great Job on your analysis on the Yellow Woman. I appreciate how you summarized that the story the grandfather tells is to warn the women of his family of the outside dangers and how you compared it to how we tell our children stories to teach them important lessons. I agree that the story is full of assumptions and I with your assumptions that she was excited about a new life full of freedom and passion.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Savannah,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post analyzing Leslie Marmon Silko's "Yellow Woman". Your choice to briefly explain the overall points of the story and then focusing on the comparison between the Grandfather's tale and tale's we tell children today is well done/an astute observation. I also agree that this tale is full of assumptions. Overall, great job on this post.
hi Savannah
ReplyDeletei like your analysis of yellow women and I agree with you that the author is talking about how she is trying to escape reality by becoming the yellow women. You seem to understand what the author was trying to portray in her story. I think it would be nice if you went in a little more detail about his poem I would like to know what you kind of think about them.