“She’s Come Undone” by Wally Lamb essay

Traditionally, art plays an important role in the life of each individual as well as entire society. No wonder art is extremely important in the literary work “She’s Come Undone” by Wally Lamb. It should be said that practically all the characters of the novel directly or indirectly express themselves through some sort of art. At the same time, art produce a profound impact on their personalities and their life. For instance, the mother of the main character is focused on her flying leg painting. This art is very significant to her and, in a way, it makes the sense of her life. At any rate, it contributes considerably to the improvement of her life since this art makes her life more purposeful.

In fact, it is possible to estimate that even the main character of the novel is also affected by a sort of art. What is meant here is the fact that Dolores has found consolation in watching TV which may be also viewed as a form of art.

At the same time, TV as a form of art serves as a sort of therapy since it helps the main character to recover or, to put it more precisely, to distance from her serious psychological problems.

5. The significance of Dolores’ mother’s flying leg painting

As it has been already mentioned above the flying leg painting of the mother of the main character has a great significance to her. In fact, the flying leg painting is a kind of psychological help to the character because it helps her to realize herself in this illusionary world. This is really important since she cannot fully realize herself in her real life. Unfortunately, her artistic works remain unfinished but her daughter, Dolores, inherits her creative works and, unlike the mother, the main character of the novel manages to acquire the wings and fly though it should be pointed out that she has got this opportunity only at the moment of the narration when she is at her late 30-s ”“ early 40-s. It is only at this age she acquires essential life experience after the leaving of mental institution that provides her with an opportunity to better understand her own personality, her needs, interests and inclinations that contributes to larger opportunities to self-realization as she can find her own way in this life.

6. A male writer’s ability to write authentically in the voice of female character

The novel is written in the voice of female character and it is really hard to believe that the author of the book is a male. It should be said that the author sounds quite convincing while writing in the voice of the female character as he reveals the internal world of Dolores, her perception of the surrounding reality, her emotions and feelings as well as her behavior. It should be pointed that there are really few successful examples when a writer has managed to write in the voice of the opposite gender. In this respect, it is worthy of mention female writers who basically wrote in a male-author’s style and in the voice of male characters. Among such writers may be named George Sand and Marry Shelly. Their works are also characterized by the high credibility and authenticity of male writing though they were actually female writers.

7. TV and good literature

TV plays an important role in the life of the main character of the novel. At the same time, throughout the book TV may be viewed as an opposition to the ”˜good literature’. It is obvious that, despite certain therapeutic effect of television on Dolores, it does not really contributes to her recovery from her profound psychological problems. In stark contrast, the ”˜good literature’, as Wally Lamb defines it, seems to be able to make readers to have a more profound look at the world and their own life, it can evoke true emotions and make readers change their life philosophy since literature really contributes to serious reflections on important problems readers face in their life as well as those problems they are totally ignorant of but which are not less important.



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