How is it that you grew up in Columbus, Ohio and weren't exposed to more James Thurber?
I love James Thurber, horrifying sexism and all, I can't really justify it. I imprinted on his essays on grammar and usage when I was a wee thing just starting to think about the way language works.
He sort of fits into the same category in my mind as Dave Sim, horrifying and unabashed misogynists who are nevertheless a) incredibly good at what they do and b)will occasionally come up with these nuanced, sympathetic, believable female characters and you just have to go, "But if you can see that, how is it that you can't . . .?"
I wouldn't say, in my own experience at least, that James Thurber was ever visited by the sexism fairy, because I don't think I was ever unaware of the sexism in his works, even as a wee thing; he was pretty upfront about it. (He actually has an [in my opinion, funny] essay about why he hates women; he starts off by protesting that he doesn't, but it's only a few sentences before he admits that yes, actually, he does.) I can understand not being willing or able to give that sort of thing a pass; it's a little more mysterious to me why I am.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-04-21 07:44 am (UTC)I love James Thurber, horrifying sexism and all, I can't really justify it. I imprinted on his essays on grammar and usage when I was a wee thing just starting to think about the way language works.
He sort of fits into the same category in my mind as Dave Sim, horrifying and unabashed misogynists who are nevertheless a) incredibly good at what they do and b)will occasionally come up with these nuanced, sympathetic, believable female characters and you just have to go, "But if you can see that, how is it that you can't . . .?"
I wouldn't say, in my own experience at least, that James Thurber was ever visited by the sexism fairy, because I don't think I was ever unaware of the sexism in his works, even as a wee thing; he was pretty upfront about it. (He actually has an [in my opinion, funny] essay about why he hates women; he starts off by protesting that he doesn't, but it's only a few sentences before he admits that yes, actually, he does.) I can understand not being willing or able to give that sort of thing a pass; it's a little more mysterious to me why I am.