I was intrigued by the philosophies of Aristotle, but then found out he was fiercely sexist: I now dislike every word he wrote. I enjoyed Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron,” but after I learned he visited Winona State University years ago and acted pretentiously, my reading was affected. I avoided a writer’s lecture because I had not finished his book. I did not want my reading to be influenced by his demeanor and statements. Perhaps a writer’s reputation and my own perceptions of his or her personality hold too strong a sway for me.
Every time a writer visits WSU, I feel a sense of tension, some form of expectation and nervousness. I ponder, will they be too self-serious, will they speak in a scholarly language I will not follow, or, worst of all, will they ruin the book for me? Ruth Ozeki’s recent visit to WSU marked one such instance. With a hint of apprehension, I attended a viewing of her documentary, Halving the Bones, followed by a short interview.
The film, visually stunning and delicately woven, provided a brief window into Ozeki’s personal life, featuring primarily re-constructed, imagined depictions of her grandparents’ lives. Overall, a fine sense of seriousness permeated from the film, though it did not translate to Ozeki. She arrived after the viewing of the film, gracious, eager, and open for questions and responses. Her warm and relatable personality, combined with her humorous tips and confessions regarding her experience at the Sundance Film Festival, (“bring an entourage”) enhanced my viewing, and my reading of her novel, My Year of Meats. She is able to laugh at herself, and her work, while remaining insightful and compelling. My experience regarding the reading and viewing of Ozeki’s novel and film were certainly altered by her visit, enriched, thank heavens, not ruined.
-Sally Slattery
