Fantasies, something we all have,
allow us to indulge our greatest desires and live in our perfect world. Writer
Joan Didion shares with her us her rather peculiar at times fantasy of what she
thought her life as an eight year twenty-four year old would be like in the
piece “In Sable and Dark Glasses”. Didion’s use of imagery, details and diction
effectively portrays her desire to become worldly, independent, and
sophisticated adult.
Didion’s desire to be older and sophisticated
is addressed right off the bat which the author carries out through her use of
imagery. Wishing to be “followed by paparazzi” or standing on the steps of an
Argentinean Court house disguised in dark sunglasses paints the picture of life
that is worldly and glamourous, something that’s extremely hard to do as an
eight year old. She further adds to his by recounting the memory of her family
traveling on a cross continental train to see her father perhaps where her desire
to travel began. Added descriptions of her domineering ways show her desire to
be independent and not be controlled but the other sex, hence why her fondest
fantasy is on the steps of a court house after getting a divorce. The use of
diction further adds to the point, with references to things such as “sable,
moor, and schubert alley,” all of which are very sophisticated and not known to
many eight year olds gives another indication of her desire to be an adult. These
words also show her desire to live in luxury being that sable coat being made
out of fur is extremely expensive. These together firmly communicate to the
reader that she wishes to be worldly and independent.
Explanation to how she even came to
know about such things is shown through the use of details, language, . Didion
came to know these things by observing and listening to her mother. She
frequently references her mother by recounting how she “gave teas” and most
importantly shared with her that her favorite age was 24, which is the reason why
didion herself fantasizes herself at this age. She highly respects her mother
and wants a more glamourous version of her life and a more independent one. Her
respect for her mother is seen in the way she explains her habits like “giving
teas” or “ tucking away her poncho.” The language used shows at her mother was
meticulous and completed each task with care, something Didion herself wished
to be able to do herself. We see
evidence of why she wants to be independent in the action of her grandmother; a
woman who took great care to teach her grandchildren not to depend on anyone else
to provide for luxuries in their life. This is communicated by Didion telling
us about when her grandmother would by her flowers and trinkets, something
usually done by a significant other.
Joan Didion’s uses diction, imagery,
and details to show us her fantasies as a child specifically her desire to be
independent and unbounded by others. The teachings of her mother and
grandmother along with childhood experiences all influenced her fantasy and in
the end, the woman she became.
