Thursday, December 13, 2012

Flyleaf


fly·leaf 
n.
A blank page at the beginning or end of a book.
                                                                                                                 
Audre Lourde’s biomythography describes her life as she recalls and retells it. As most people use a book’s flyleaf to write a personalized message to the reader before getting to the novel, Audre embraces her ability to write her own story in her own manner. Here I've made a playlist by one of my favorite bands Flyleaf that I feel represent aspects of Audre Lourdes’s life followed by the lyrics and my personal connection and representation.

If you don’t have spotify:

Google doc with song's connection and representation:
“I’m so sick”: By Flyleaf
From the childhood environment she was brought up in, I always felt Audre longed to get away. I would definitely say she was “sick” of her living situation. She didn't like how tough her mother was on her and how she felt left out among her siblings. Her classmates mistreated her and society itself didn't seem in her favor. She was sick of people looking down on her and underestimating her potential. I would say Audre was sick of her body image, and how the world looked at her.  As she got older, she describes with disgust how sick she was of her living conditions. Her apartment was very filthy and the overall atmosphere was intoxicating. Her working environment was just as bad and it was even that working environment that lead to her health issues and resulted in her death.
"Dear My Closest Friend": By Flyleaf

This is a song I can imagine Audre dedicate to Gennie. The song describes how much she cared for her and even crosses into what could be a romantic love. I view the entire song as a letter for Gennie with all the things she didn't get an opportunity to say. In this letter, she describes her grief over Gennie’s death and her sense of guilt for not being able to help her. Throughout Audre’s life Gennie’s memory is especially brought in during hard times when it is clear that she wishes she could have her friend by her side. But even without her there, Audre continues to place Gennie in platform showing that their love and friendship continues even in death.

 “ Missing” : By Flyleaf
I think this song suits Audre’s entire life. From childhood she expressed an admiration for her mother that did not compare to anyone else in her life. She desired to be loved and shown more affection from her mother. But as she received little attention from her family, she felt a void that she tried to fill with numerous lovers. With every passing lover, the relationship ultimately failed and they all ended up leaving her. Audre keeps searching for that someone to be able to finally fill that void but at the end of the novel, she finally comes to terms that maybe she should be happy with herself and the journey she has had. The song describes having a realization that you can’t be in the search for someone/something to make you happy to fill any type of void. 


Works Cited
Flyleaf. Dear My Closest Friend. N.d. MP3.
Flyleaf. I'm so Sick. N.d. MP3.
Flyleaf. Missing. N.d. MP3.
Lorde, Audre. Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. Berkeley, CA: Crossing, 1982. Print.


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