Welcome to the Tale of Rebecca

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about the gothic novel "Bluebeard's Castle" by Anna Biller. While the writing was solid, I found the characters to be insufferable. It's an excellent character study on what causes women to fall for and stay with bad men. However, some of those bad choices the main character made could have easily been prevented with a quick Google search.

I am not victim blaming. I am saying she had the technology to fact check her handsome creep and chose not to.

But that's all in the past. I've moved on to other books within the genre - books like "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier. 

"Rebecca" is one of those classic books (and movies) that everyone has (likely) heard of. It's most famous for having a protagonist without a name, a lot of twists and turns, and some queer subtext. Alfred Hitchcock directed the 1940 movie starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. There's also a Netflix adaptation that I am ignoring. 

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

It's a haunting opening line to be sure. Our nameless narrator meets the much older Maximilian "Maxim" de Winter while on holiday with her employer, Mrs. Van Hopper, in Monte Carlo. They have a whirlwind romance (kind of sort of) after Mrs. Van Hopper is taken ill. Then decide to get married when Mrs. Van Hopper gets better and wants to return to America. Mrs. Van Hopper warns the narrator about marrying the mysterious de Winter, but is so unpleasant about it that I don't blame the narrator for running off.

The honeymoon is wonderful - or so we're told; it's not included in the text. Then, they arrive at Manderley and things start to unravel. Everyone expects that the nameless protagonist is about to step into the previous Mrs. de Winter's place, do things as she did, and prefer things as she preferred them. The narrator is so uncertain of herself - she is very young after all - that she goes along with the established routine. However, Maxim seems to be pulling away. Hurt and jealous of a dead woman, the narrator becomes even more timid and falls into more elaborate fantasies - which she is already prone to do. 

Rebecca...

Enforcing the traditions of the previous Mrs. de Winter is Mrs. Danvers, who seems to hate the narrator. There are a few intense scenes between the two women, which culminates in a nasty prank by Mrs. Danvers using the narrator to emotionally hurt Maxim. Mrs. Danvers loved Rebecca de Winter and thoroughly blames Maxim for her death.

For good reason, but that's getting into spoiler territory. 

The first half of "Rebecca" builds up the character, Rebecca, into this mythically perfect person who is wonderful and kind to everyone. Except, perhaps, she wasn't so nice to Ben, the neurodivergent (they didn't have this word in the 1930s when this book was published, but it's clear he is not neurotypical) "beach hermit" who wanders around the grounds of Manderley. He seems afraid of Rebecca and claims that she wants to lock him away.

This is the first clue that Rebecca is not the saint we and the narrator have been led to believe. The next is a reaction from estate manager and family friend, Frank Crawley after the narrator confesses that she's afraid that Maxim doesn't really love her (anymore). Frank seems to be warry of the memory of Rebecca - almost like he had a bad experience or two with the women. Plus there's this creep, Jack Favell, coming into the house when he's been told to stay away.

Spoilers

Maxim hated Rebecca, but couldn't divorce her for a variety of upper class 1930s English reasons. She slept around, did (unspecified) terrible things, and may have been bisexual (it is also not specified). Her death might have freed him from her physically, but not emotionally.

Maxim may be portrayed (and often interpreted) as a classic upholder of traditional upper class patriarchy, but he's also someone who has clearly been emotionally, if not verbally abused for years. I feel a lot of people overlook this fact because "patriarchy" and "he gets away with [spoilers]". I feel that his quick romance with the narrator is a bit of a read flag, but the narrator is so nonthreatening that Maxim might have felt safe for the first time in decades. 

Patriarchy...

Rebecca is often interpreted as the antithesis to Maxim's traditional patriarchy. She's bold, outspoken, sexually liberated, possibly queer (we only have that one declaration from Mrs. Danvers that doesn't verify anything), and knows what she wants out of life. This isn't a bad or wrong interpretation, but I do think it minimizes the horrible things she did (and is implied to have done) to Maxim and some of his friends (like Frank, Beatrice, and Giles).

Daphne du Maurier once admitted that she is bisexual - long after she published "Rebecca" - and that admission seemed to have made Rebecca the character look more sympathetic to the casual reader. 

However, I don't think Rebecca is a feminist character or a foil for the patriarch. She's an interesting character and seems to defy the patriarchy, but also feels comfortable moving within and weaponizing it against other characters - especially Maxim. There's a moment during Maxim's confession where divorce is brought up and Rebecca (according to Maxim) tells him that it would be far too scandalous for him to divorce her after four days of marriage; such a thing would ruin him (but weirdly not her).

Also her implied treatment of Ben (as suggested by Ben) should really put a stop to people's rosy analysis of Rebecca.

Queerness...

Is "Rebecca" a queer novel?

Yes in the sense that at least three characters might be queer. The first two characters are obviously Rebecca and Mrs. Danvers. Though never explicitly stated that the two are queer (Rebecca would be bi and Mrs. Danvers a likely lesbian), Mrs. Danvers at one point does declare that Rebecca never loved a man. This could be interpreted a few ways such as Mrs. Danvers being so in love with Rebecca that she is in denial about her many affairs with men (including her cousin Jack) or that Rebecca was such a narcissist that she only loved herself. Either way, Rebecca is likely bisexual like du Maurier and Mrs. Danvers only has eyes for her.

The third possible queer character is Frank Crawley. I haven't seen Frank come up as much in the queer discourse about the book - some people seem to think he should have paired up with the narrator. However, I'd like to make an argument that Frank is in love with Maxim.

1. Frank is a bachelor and implied to be a similar age to Maxim - being a bachelor isn't a sign of being queer in the early 1900s, but it is a hint. 

2. Frank seems to already know the big bad thing Maxim did and is perfectly happy to help cover it up as best he can - I know his job is on the line, but his actions are a little more over the top than an employee-employer implies.

3. Frank is completely devoted to Maxim in a healthier way than Mrs. Danvers was to Rebecca. He maintains healthy boundaries with Maxim and the narrator. When he is with the narrator, I get nothing less than platonic vibes (such great evidence I know) from him.

4. Frank is completely repulsed by the memory of Rebecca. There's a conversation between the narrator and Frank where he all but confesses that Rebecca made a pass at him and Giles (who is Beatrice's husband and brother-in-law to Maxim). Giles either enjoyed it or was very confused by the encounter (it's not really made clear in the text), but Frank implies he nearly jumped out of his skin. Based on what we're told about Rebecca and her conquests, she wasn't used to being rejected by anyone. This was the moment I started questioning if Frank was gay.

And that is why I think there are actually three queer characters running around the pages of "Rebecca". Rebecca is the "bad" queer representation, while Frank is the "good" queer representation. Mrs. Danvers is the queer representation that should have been "good", but ended up getting beaten down by the powers that be and had a break from reality. 

However in the movie, since Mrs. Danvers is implied to be a lesbian, she has to die in a house fire. Thanks Hayes Code. She is the only character "punished" for their actions during the course of the story.

That's also not the only change made between the 1940s movie and the book that's due to the Hayes Code interfering with the adaptation. There are a couple of other changes - one really big as to change the morality of the text - that happen. There's a great YouTube video about the adaptation if you're interested and are familiar with the book and/or movie.

Gothic Romance...

I love a good gothic aesthetic tale, but gothic romances are a toxic mix of red flags and tragedy. Though I did enjoy "Rebecca", I can't say that I was rooting for any of the characters other than Frank (he's a good guy). It was a bit more to my taste than "Bluebeard's Castle". I wouldn't call "Rebecca" a feminist book, but it is a critique on the patriarchy, class, gender, and social issues. "Rebecca" is a book full of queer subtext that can be overanalyzed to literary scholar's hearts content.

Do I recommend "Rebecca"? Yes, it's a good classic read. 

Wow, I spent like two hours getting all my thoughts out about this book. I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me...

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Cabaret

This weekend has been an exploration of the arts for me. And while I’d love to go into details about all that I was up to, I think this topic deserves its own blog post.

Leave a comment if you’ve seen the movie or play Cabaret. The musical has many influences, but the main one is the book “Goodbye to Berlin” by Christopher Isherwood. The book is semi-autobiographical and takes place during the Weimar Republic in Berlin Germany.

And to add fuel to this fire, here's a controversial statement: I think students should be taught Cabaret. Not in college, but in high school...no younger than 12th grade. It's a tale of tragedy, accommodation, and the sinister way terrible ideas become mainstream that would make for a fascinating study in media literacy. The conservatives may clutch their pearls over the overt sexuality, gender fluidity, queerness, and other touchy subjects that are covered in this story. It's basically the book banner's worst nightmare - which might be why its so important to teach and discuss.

Cabaret is a fantastic glimpse into a very interesting point in history. One that should not be forgotten. And one that isn't discussed enough.

I haven’t read the book or seen the 1972 movie. Though I admit I know a bit about them from YouTube videos discussing queer history.

My first full exposure to the show was Friday at my local community center.

That’s right. I may have been spoiled by Broadway and the shows just off its street when I lived in New Jersey, but that won’t stop me enjoying local community theater productions either. And this production of Cabaret was very good.

The version I saw has been updated in the years since it first premiered in 1966. The story is also a little different from the 1972 movie. However, the songs are all there. 

I loved it!

The Emcee was great. I loved who they got to play Sally Bowels. The stage was well designed with deep reds and art deco browns. A soft smoke hung sinisterly in the upper rafters of the stage through most of the show. Always ominously looming over the characters.

Because despite the upbeat and happy performances of the member aid the Kit Kat Klub and the assurances that there are no troubles in its halls - evil is slowly pulling them into a death spiral. It’s 1929/1930s Germany guys - things are about to get really bad for a lot of people, particularly these characters.

Something y’all might not know about 1920s Germany - Berlin specifically - was that it was famous for its Cabarets, art, and queer scene. The world's first Transgender clinic with the largest research and resources on the LGBTQIA+ community was the The Institute for Sexual Research and was located in Berlin. I say "was" because like anything labeled "degenerate" by the ruling political party in the 1930s, it was destroyed. 

Nearly all of the art scene from the Weimar Republic's Berlin was destroyed. All that remains of it are written records of their existences and a few photos that survived into modern times. These are poor substitutes for the thriving art community was the cut short far too soon. We'll never know what these artists might have accomplished. 

"Goodbye to Berlin" is a record of the Berlin cabaret culture. This record has been morphed and transformed into the current Cabaret show. A show that is hilarious, sexually charged, queer, and sinister. 

It is at this point in my blog post that I will be writing about a story that was written over 50 years ago. If you are unfamiliar with Cabaret or how it ends and you chose to proceed, don't say I didn't warn you.

At first it's slow. The protagonist, Clifford Bradshaw meets a man named Ernst on the train. At the boarder Ernst hides one of his bags - claiming the contents are perfume and other knick-knacks that go over the legal customs limit. Ernst directs Clifford to a boarding house run by Fräulein Schneider, who tends to let the rules slide if it means that she still gets the rent at the end of the month. She is in love with a fruit seller, Herr Schultz, who is also Jewish. Ernst also tells Clifford to check out The Kit Kat Klub where he meets the flighty, yet lovable Sally Bowles and reconnects with an old flame...named Bobby.

So far, the story is full of people living a carefree life, celebrating the promises of a new year (Clifford arrives on New Year's Eve). The main conflicts are Fräulein Schneider and one of her tenets who brings home sailors every night, Sally breaking up with her boyfriend (who is also the club owner - and gets a fantastic break up song in the form of "Mein Herr"), and Clifford trying to figure out how to pay the rent. 

Ernst seems to be a friendly enough character. Not only does he get Cliff a cheap lodging, but eventually he becomes Cliff's first English student and then starts to recommend Cliff as a teacher to his friends. He knows Sally and frequents he Kit Kat Klub.

And then the end of the first act approaches. 

Everything seems fine. Everyone is having fun. Then Ernst takes off his jacket and we see his armband. 

Yeah - Ernst is a follower of a certain art school reject (and that's the closest I'm going to name that person). 

This is the point of no return for everyone in this story.

As the second act begins, we're treated to a chorus line of girls (plus the Emcee dressed as one of the girls) in a kick line and preforming some acrobatics. Close to the end of the number they start counting in German (makes sense, they are in Berlin). And then they make a very specific gesture that is related to a certain fascist political party.

This isn't the first time in the show that the certain political party was mentioned. Sally, intrigued by the fact that Clifford is a writer, picks up a book he is reading and assumes he wrote it. She then exclaims "Why it's in German!" 

Clifford is reading the certain art school reject's manifesto to "learn about the current politics". Sally is dismissive. After all "it's all just politics. What does that have to do with us?"

At the same time the adorable romance between Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz comes to a screeching halt because of what Ernst did at their engagement party (yeah - I didn't mention that part). Fräulein Schneider is a practical woman - she has a whole song about this personality trait in Act 1 called "So What?" - she's seeing the extent a certain political party has grown and how many of her friends and neighbors have joined. Herr Schultz, however, is optimistic. He believes ("as a German" himself) that everything will be fine. 

But a brick through Herr Schultz's fruit shop window frightens Fräulein Schneider to the point that she calls off their engagement. She knows that it's not just "mischievous school children" doing these things.

The Kit Kat Klub's show cuts in again with what appears to be a comedic performance of the Emcee with a person in a gorilla suit called "If You Could See Her". However, the last line is chilling and suddenly all the humor, all the laughter you've participated in is no longer funny at all. In fact, you might start to feel a bit uncomfortable, maybe even disgusted with yourself. 

There are quite a number of points in the show like this. The most famous song - also called "Cabaret" - is the second to last in the play. If you hear it on it's own, the song sounds like a fun up beat about enjoying life. However, just before Sally goes on, there's another scene that's a point of no return moment for these characters. 

Clifford, horrified that he's become friends with and working for a certain political party decides to leave and wants Sally to come with him back to Pennsylvania (she's actually from England). She's pregnant and has been living in a fantasy that it's Cliff's (it's not clear whose baby it is, but it's unlikely to be Cliff's). Sally doesn't want to leave Berlin - she loves it - and she's been invited back to preform at The Kit Kat Klub. Cliff doesn't want her to perform, he wants to marry her and start living like responsible adults. 

In many ways, Cliff is just as naïve as the other characters denying what's going on around them. Whereas he is politically knowledgeable, he isn't very good at understanding the people around him. Sally understands the world of performance and doesn't believe that anything else can touch her. It's just as much a fairytale as Cliff's vision of a long term relationship with her. He can't force Sally into a role she neither wants nor can thrive in. She wants to live life to the fullest, but not the longest.

That's the message of the song "Cabaret".

Cliff leaves Berlin alone, but with the barebones start of the novel that will make him famous. As he leaves, he starts to sing for the first time and is eventually overtaken by the Emcee. The Emcee reminds the audience that "Life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful." The Emcee sings a similar song that he sang at the opening of the production, welcoming us in. However, this time the music is off. It more sinister sounding. 

The Emcee in the production I saw had his makeup smeared more and more as the Second Act went on. By the finally, it looks like he's been crying. Everyone came on stage. Three doors were opened. Herr Schultz stood in one. A gay couple in another. In the center was a lesbian couple fearfully holding each other. The background turned brilliantly white as the drumroll melded with a mysterious crackling sound. The smoke that had been hovering in the rafters now wafts on stage. The Emcee takes off his jacket and he's wearing a shirt with a pink triangle and a Star of David. He enters the center door with the lesbians. Three characters, a man dressed in a navy uniform, the owner of The Kit Kat Klub, and Ernst begin closing the doors while the other characters look away. Before his door is closed, the Emcee looks around as though begging someone for help.

The final door slams shut and the lights cut to black.

Cabaret is a tragedy. One that most people should realize going in. It takes place in Germany between two World Wars. Anyone who has taken a modern World History class knows what's about to happen to the majority of these characters. Cliff even asks Herr Schultz why he doesn't go to America with everything is going on - he has family there. But Herr Schultz wants to stay in Germany because it is his home and he is German. He is also Jewish. 

The Kit Kat Klub was lively, counter culture, and perverse, but it also accommodated and catered to people who hated them. In the end, it was destroyed. The fairytale turned into a nightmare.

Fräulein Schneider asks the audience several times during the production "what would you do?" She's asking for the audience to put themselves in her shoes, to empathizes with her.

We live in interesting times and if they don't seem all that interesting, then maybe you're not paying that much attention to what is going on around you. If you've ever asked yourself what you might do during a certain historic event such as the Civil Rights Movement or the Vietnam War protests, what you might have done during the Salem Witch Trials or the aftermath of 9/11 (this one is for the Z generation). 

I've asked myself that many times - mostly when I was still in school. 

Some recent current events have provided me with some answers. I can't say that I'm happy 100% with the ones I've found.

There are so many reasons Cabaret is a fantastic work of art. It's dark and tragic, but also fun and lively. You know what the ending is for these characters, but that doesn't stop you from hoping that this time - this show - they'll get a happy ever after.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Pride Month Book Recommendations

 As we approach the final few days of Pride Month, I wanted to share a few book recommendations that feature LGBTQIA+ writers, topics, and themes. It's been a tough month from many of us this year. Some of these books may be an escape for you, others a hope for a better future, and a few might inspire you to action. These books are different genres - fiction and non-fiction. Some teach us a history that has long been squashed in the name of "propriety". 

Starting out in non-fiction...and what I'm currently reading, I'd like to recommend Real Queer America: LGBT Stories From Red States by Samantha Leigh Allen. Allen is a transgender woman who grew up Mormon, went to BYU, and eventually found her true self in Atlanta Georgia.

Though I haven't yet finished this book, it's been a mood lifter. There's a temptation for coastal liberals and LBGTQIA+ people to write off the the southern and midwestern parts of United States - not that their politics make a good case for them. However, Allen emphasizes that Queer people are all over the United States, they are not afraid to fight for their rights, and they don't want to (or can't) leave their homes. 

The book was written during the early days of the Trump administration and chronical Allen's trip across the United States with her friend who is a transgender man. They learn and recount about the problems and issues faced by the queer people in red states and deeply conservative areas. Though things continue to become more difficult, this book shines a light of hope for places that seem the most aggressive to LGBTQIA+ people.

Following up with some historical non-fiction is Public Faces, Secret Lives: A Queer History of the Women's Suffrage Movement by Wendy L. Rouse. 

This book is more for the academically inclined readers. That doesn't mean it's not a good book, it's just a bit of a dense read. It's packed full of information around the Queer history of women during the Suffrage Movement - much of which had been suppressed, ignored, or erased. The Suffrage Movements had many distinct periods from its inception up to when the 19th Amendment was passed in the United States. The LGBTQIA+ community was there for all of it.

It also doesn't just cover the middle to upper middle class white queer community, but includes stories and information on the contributions of Black, Indigenous, Asian, and other minority communities. 

My final non-fiction recommendation is a little different from the above works. The graphic novel Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing starts as a small project to define what it means to be a woman and turns into a self reflective, soul search piece that leads Ewing to realize they are non-binary. 

The graphic novel isn't told in a linear fashion, instead recounting interviews Ewing had with many different people as it applies to their own journey to discovering their identity. The drawings are fantastic with Ewing depicting their interviewees' stories with beautiful detail. 

Like Real Queer America, Fine focuses on gender identity in the midwestern United States. This is primarily because this is where Ewing is from. The interviews start in 2012 and go to 2019 with flashbacks to interviewees and Ewing's own pasts. 

Moving to fiction, but continuing with journey of self discovery, I'd like to recommend the poetic YA novel The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom by Nikita Gill. 

I've made it no secret that Nikita Gill is my favorite poet (as of writing this). I've been collecting her work for a few years now. What makes The Girl and the Goddess different from her typical work, is that there is an overarching narrative that links each poem and story. There's a lot of magical realism mixed with Gill's Indian background. If you love poetry, Hindu goddesses, and Queer main characters, definitely check out The Girl and the Goddess.

Another YA Novel that's perfect for the upcoming spooky season (I know Halloween and fall are a few months off, but go with me here) is Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. Thomas is a non-binary Latinx author and Cemetery Boys is their debut novel.

I loved this book. It's perfect for someone looking for a spooky paranormal mystery with a splash of romance. The main character, Yadriel, is a Mexican American transgender boy trying to prove to his family of brujos that he too is a brujo...not a bruja. 

Yadriel thankfully does have a fairly good support system, despite not being fully understood by his family. However, this novel does have some violence, mentions child abuse, and features homeless children - some of whom lost their family to deportation or jail. It doesn't shy away from the realities of being Latinx, Black, Queer, and/or transgender in the United States (the book takes place in Los Angeles). 

My next recommendation is a straight up horror novel. Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester is unapologetically feminist.

Taking place in the American south, with most of the action set in the great city of New Orleans, Such a Pretty Smile radiates the heat and humidity that accompanies the novel's uncomfortable atmosphere. One of the main characters is a young girl coming of age and dealing with her crush on her not so nice best friend. The other main character is the girl's mother, still haunted a past she can't fully remember.

I did find the message and themes of the book to be a little on the nose at times, but that doesn't take away from the horrific imagery or monstrous actions happening with little explanation. Make no mistake, this isn't a creature feature in the traditional sense. This book won't chill you to the bone, but sit in your gut like a stomach bug.

And my final recommendation is: 

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod and Jess Taylor as the illustrator. I had the opportunity to meet Axelrod a few years ago as she was one of my Writer's Group's presenters. I've been following her on Twitter for years and was so excited when she announced her superhero comic Galaxy: The Pretties Star. 

I was even more excited when DC Comics picked it up to part of it's superhero universe. 

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star doesn't start out with it's main character, Taylor fighting any supervillains. She's just your average high schooler playing basketball and hiding out as a human boy in her small town. You see, Taylor is actually a princess from another planet. Her Earth family are comprised of the survivors of a an attack on their home world. Taylor is forced to assume the identity of a human boy as an added layer of protection, but she's not a boy.

Unfortunately, their an accident with the device that keeps Taylor's identity a secret and her real form is revealed - much to the annoyance, hate, and hostility of her community. All Taylor wants to do is live her most authentic life and go to the homecoming dance with her girlfriend, Kat. But the school administration don't want her anywhere near the school. 

The art is fantastic and so colorful. The story is great and you're rooting for Taylor the whole way through. Also there's a corgi sidekick named Argus who is just the best!

So there are my recommendations for Pride Month reading. The list may be coming out at the end of the month, but the books here will keep you occupied throughout the whole year.

Let me know if you've read any of these books and if you have any to recommend for me.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.