patriarchy
Little Women
Happy New Year! We’re back with a classic in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, a book that many would call a quintessential American girl’s tale. Do we agree with this assessment? You’ll find out if you listen to this episode. You’ll also discover what we think about feminism in historical context, question certain self-improvements, agree with the narrator’s opinion on spinsters, and discuss the lack of passion in this story. We also talk about ladies who don’t like ladies, the creation of shipping, obnoxious children, and (perhaps oddly) lobsters.
The music bump is Chopin’s Mazurka in A minor, op. 17 due to period appropriateness. Feel free to imagine Beth playing it in heaven if that makes you feel better about it.
109 – Little Women – Marmee is the Worst
Our recommendation: Short version is that it doesn’t really hold up that well.
Ben: 5/10. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I liked that there were a lot of things to discuss, as there usually are with classics.
Gabs: 5/10. 6/10 for part 1, 4/10 for part 2.
Quick administrative note: We’re hoping to post more often this year, though of course we guarantee nothing. As part of this “do more stuff” plan, we would like to be a little more responsive to our listeners. Please leave some requests/recommendations/suggestions for books for future episodes either in the comments for this episode or on our suggestions page.
This entry was posted in Admin, Episodes and tagged adventure stories=moral decay, Amy's potential, anti-climactic death, automatic male competence, be nice to spinsters, class issues, communication, context, cotagonist, creation of shipping, Daria, dogs fighting, family, feminism, feminism again, fixing your faults, good Christian morals, independent women, intersectionality, Jotagonist, lack of passion, ladies who don't like ladies, Little Women, lobster shame, Louisa May Alcott, meta-narration, modern retelling, morality tale, needs an editor, obnoxious children, patriarchy, picaresque, Professor Bear, protagonist, racism, rational rejection, rich in spirit, semi-autobiographical, Serial, ship wars, sibling interactions, slavery?, suggestions, trolling, white people, Yankee pride.
Angels in America
Our drama push continues this week on Novel Ideas with Angels in America by Tony Kushner, a very long two part play about… AIDS, maybe? This is a massive work, resulting in a longer than average episode where we mostly thrash about and try to figure out what various fantastical occurrences actually mean. In this episode, we discuss change, reluctant prophets, conservatism, and homosexuality. We also talk about why Tony Kushner won’t be appearing on the podcast, stupid alternate titles, chewing down a tree, and try to figure out what’s up with Joe. In the angelic realm alone, we examine the sexual habits of angels (always banging), the genitalia of angels (many and varied), and how angels maintain creation (mostly via jizz, as it turns out).
The music bump is “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” not merely as yet another one of Ben’s terrible attempts at humor, but also because it actually appears in the play, though perhaps not in a traditional context.
Angels in America – Angels Be Crazy
Recommendations:
A very lengthy play (actually two plays) that is rather confusing to read at times because it’s supposed to be staged. Still has some power and effect though.
Gabs: 7/8 angelic vaginas.
Ben: 8/10 bouquets of phalli.
This entry was posted in Episodes and tagged 50 Shades of Gay, abandonment, AIDS, alliteration, angel spooj, angels are always banging, angels be crazy, Angels in America, blurred reality, buddy, censorship, change, chewing down a tree, clarity, conservatism, contradictory characters, demographics, dramagical realism, effect, feminism, Fun Home, genre?, Hollywood comedy gay man, homosexuality, it's all about the penis, Jews, love, McCarthyism, more Mormons, Mormon reputation, Mormons, not appearing on the podcast, patriarchy, politics, race, reluctant prophet, repression, Tony Kushner, what's up with Joe?, windbags.
Novel Ideas 