In addition to conveying the story of Turn of Mind?through Jennifer?s diary and difficulties in dealing with dementia, LaPlante also places Jennifer in the precarious situation of semi-failing in her relationships: friendly, romantic, and familial.
First up: friendship. Friendship is a queer topic for Jennifer. She seems to only really have one friend?Amanda?with whom she has a mixed relationship.
The friendship between Jennifer and Amanda is recounted intensely. Jennifer insists, ?The end of my marriage is nothing compared to the end of our friendship?if that?s what you want to call it? (114). I am particularly intrigued by how this line seems to indicate that, one, friendship precedes marriage, and, two, that friendship is not really the proper term to apply to this relationship.
Though, that may have to do with the fact that Amanda is also shown to be detrimental to Jennifer?s health: ?The inflictor and healer of my [Jennifer's] pain, both? (133). Whatever the true case of their friendship was, prior to the incident, it?s clearly that it had powerful emotions.
By contrast, Jennifer?s marriage to James is rather bland. The pair?like Carmen and Matt/Rob in?Carry the One?do not seem very passionate about one another, nor to particularly care what the other does.
?The secret of a happy marriage: not honesty, not forgiveness, but acceptance that is a kind of respect for the other?s right to make mistakes.??(132)
Jennifer?s relationship issues seem to stem from her inability to look at situations without being logical. For instance, she calls knowing everything about someone ?tedious. Like most marriages. Once you know everything there is to know about someone, it?s usually time to move on? (212).
Her detachment emerges again when it comes to interacting with her son. Daughter Fiona?though she rebels?is prized and prided by Jennifer. Fiona may have been defiant, but Jennifer seems to love and trust her above all others. Son Mark is constantly shown in a negative light: borrowing money, criticizing Jennifer and Fiona?s actions, and so on?
Based on interpreting Jennifer in friendly, romantic, and familial relationships, I have to say: Doesn?t it seem like Jennifer values female companions above male?
Men in Jennifer?s life seem to be constantly discounted while women?no matter the wrong they may do?are valued for their intelligence and spirit.
Work Cited
LaPlante, Alice.?Turn of Mind. New York, NY: Grove/Atlantic, 2011.
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Source: http://bethbabblesaboutbooks.com/2013/03/08/the-relationship-turns/
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