Challenging the Status Quo
Issue 9: What Reads Like "Poor Things" by Alasdair Gray Can Show Us
Welcome to Spark Siren, where stories inspire impact ✨
Now that Autumn is in full effect, the air is crisper and the book shelves are calling! In my opinion, these are the perfect conditions to get fully immersed in stories and the book for this week is no less so. The story captivates readers and also gives them reasons to think and consider the way in which we approach life.
Poor Things by Alasdair Gray was initially introduced to me as a film that released last year, featuring Emma Stone. The inner artist in me had to go see Emma Stone’s new movie, and went in blind to what the film was about. Although there was an initial shock value that I experienced when watching the first time, it soon dissipated and Emma Stone’s artistry shone through!
I was so impressed by her performance that I went on to doing a bit more research, and as a result have now also read the book. It has become one of my favorite books read this year, and I enjoy how the thought-provoking elements that are so seamlessly integrated in this read. It is almost as though we need stories to be edgy and different enough, so that we can more easily accept the truths that are presented to us. This story integrates artistry and poignancy with ease, once the shock value wears off.
In this email we’ll cover:
The Book of The Week
Quotes and Questions to Reflect On
Insights and Inspiration
Closing Remarks
“You think you are about to possess what men have hopelessly yearned for throughout the ages: the soul of an innocent, trusting, dependent child inside the opulent body of a radiantly lovely woman.”
What’s New?
Book of the Week:
“Poor Things” by Alasdair Gray
Genre:
Literary Fiction
Synopsis:
Poor Things by Alasdair Gray follows our protagonist Bella Baxter on her journey of self-discovery and growth, whilst filled with a richness of themes and concepts. Godwin Baxter, a scientist with a flair for the experimental, discovers and rescues a pregnant woman’s body by implementing the brain of the infant in the woman’s body.
As a result, Bella Baxter is born. With the brain of an infant, but the body of a woman, Bella experiences life as a balancing act between what it means to be emotionally and intellectually behind, while her body has already matured and developed.
Overtime, Bella’s mind and emotional capacity catches up with her, however her condition has allowed for her to experience and learn from the world in a completely different way from the rest of society. She goes off on several experiences throughout the book that all contribute to the richness of her life and experiences, and overtime creates a woman that is free from the restrictions of society.
Why We Love It:
Bella Baxter is a woman that engages with the world in a way that she sees fit. Although her conditions contribute to her lack of willingness to comply (she has the brain of an infant), she also shows us as readers that sometimes in order to grow, we need to step outside of the norm to accomplish it.
This book incorporates many absurd elements that somehow allow for the more poignant points to not only shine, but be received with much more accepting way. Bella sees the world through fresh eyes, and without the influence of what’s considered to be socially acceptable, and so like a child, she expresses her view points freely.
The book in that regard holds so much space for societal commentary, as we’re seeing the world through her eyes. Not only are her points refreshing, but they also strike as truthful and thought-provoking. It’s a read that might bring our own subconscious thoughts to the foreground, where they are present for every reader to acknowledge and address.
Key Message:
Bella Baxter’s character, allows readers the opportunity to see the levels of ferocity that women can embody. Although she’s not necessarily physically aligned with how a human should develop, her capacity for emotional and intellectual growth is far-reaching.
What I love about her character is that she approaches the world such as an infant does, full of wonder and total commitment to what she is about to discover. It’s only with that inability to yet comprehend the consequences of her actions that lead her to constantly having to face challenges. Furthermore, it’s the commitment to seeing those challenges through that allow for Bella to experience growth.
The book in many ways emphasizes the contrasts between what men expect of women versus how they actually approach the world, however, Bella does this with no inhibitions. She’s not yet conditioned to feel ashamed of her mistakes, so she is free to fully embrace her experiences and take the lessons that come with them. Regardless of how the people around her, particularly the men, feel about this.
Perhaps it’s also a comment on how we, ourselves, can embrace our experiences fully. Mistakes are part of the journey, and essential to discovering our opportunities for growth. In many ways Bella Baxter can show us how to not only embrace where we are, but to embrace the journey along the way too. Sometimes we have to step outside of the norm, or outside of our comfort zones, in order to see what life has to offer.
Quotes and Questions To Reflect On
Quote of the Week:
“You think you are about to possess what men have hopelessly yearned for throughout the ages: the soul of an innocent, trusting, dependent child inside the opulent body of a radiantly lovely woman.”
Reflection Questions:
Think about a time when you felt a shift in your personal agency or self-awareness. How did you assert control over your identity, and in what ways did this experience reflect personal empowerment?
Have you ever felt tension between societal expectations and your desire for personal freedom?
How did you navigate these pressures, and what did your choices reveal about your sense of power and autonomy?
Consider your own experiences with memory, change, or personal reinvention. How has reclaiming or redefining your story played a role in shaping your self-determination and sense of empowerment?
Film Trailor
Insights and Inspiration
Author Spotlight:
Alasdair Gray
Background:
Alasdair Gray was a Scottish artist and author with an impressive collection of works. He wrote novels, plays, short stories, and poetry in a postmodern style that often accompanied his own drawings. In addition to his fictional work, he also wrote on politics and history. Alasdair Gray’s works are impressive, which is not only reflected in the work itself but also in the awards that he has received as a result.
Other Works:
Lanark
A History Maker
Unlikely Stories, Mostly
Beyond the Book:
Closing Remarks
Although we will probably never experience life the way in which Bella Baxter has, we could still apply the same message to our own lives which is to deconstruct the expectations that we have on women. This all begins with questioning our beliefs, our perspectives, and developing as much awareness about ourselves and the world as we can.
Only when we start to critically think about our circumstances and thought-processes, can we start to determine whether or not our choices are really our own. The subconscious mind is incredibly powerful, so the messaging that we’re absorbing from our world every day will in some way affect the way we perceive life. However by consciously looking into our perspectives from an honest and non-judgemental place, and asking the right questions, can we start to reconsider how we want to experience our lives.
Challenging the status quo is not only about being different, but it’s about inciting change with intention. An intention that’s born from critical thinking and the consideration of one another. Change, however, can require us to be brave because much of the time it’ll require us to grow through discomfort. But the more familiar we become with overcoming discomfort, the more we can move through challenges with ease.
It’s in facing those challenges that we not only grow, but we can become more confident to embrace the life that we want to live with intentionality. We can, just as Bella did, discover our true direction by embracing opportunities and experiences without limiting beliefs.
Until Next Time!
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Keep living life on your terms!
Warm regards,
June Tara
Founder of Spark Siren