The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society: psychoanalytical, character , Juliet Ashton
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is a letter based novel written jointly by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow. It tells the narrative of Juliet Ashton, a youthful English author and a collection of readers on Guernsey, a Channel Islands inhabited by German forces during war. Various stories are told through the voices in many letters that reveal the extent to which the lives of the characters have been forever changed by recent tragedies. (Shaffer and Barrows 22).
People go through painful experiences once in a while and for others it may happen for an extended phase of time in their lives. The first instinct is to repress these feelings and behave as though these experiences never happened at all. But this technique has not been flourishing as these repressed emotions find their way of expression in the manner that we behave. In order to deal with repressed emotions, people develop defenses and in Juliet's case, they include fear of intimacy and projection.
[...] It is at Guernsey that she finds a life of love and fulfillment as the islanders introduces her to a life of care for one another. This makes her understand the concept of intimacy and personal relationships. Mark Reynolds and Rob Darty are similar in the manner of treatment that Juliet felt she received from them. They were not in any way in touch with her feeling, her ambitions and her work. This is depicted in the manner that she rejected their proposals; the reasons may seem mediocre to the common person but to her, they were valid reasons. [...]
[...] In part two of May's correspondence, we are ushered into a scenario whereby Juliet has arrived on the island and is seeking ways of connecting with the people there (113). Her upstanding character and ability allow her to gain the confidence of others so that they be capable of share with her their experiences from the war. Even though Kit does not open up to her easily from the beginning, Juliet does not give up. She is keen in forming relationships with the girl because in a way she believes their stories are related. [...]
[...] In June's letters, Juliet functions as a dedicated caregiver and present mother, unlike Elizabeth whose parenting skills were considered wild. They explore the island on a daily basis, play silly games and attend functions together. Unconsciously, Juliet is filling the maternal void that Elizabeth left behind and their bond strengthens at a time when news of the death of Elizabeth reaches the island. The bond between a mother and a daughter is important and every child seeks to develop this bond. They seek a female figure to whom they can identify with to receive love and protection. [...]
[...] This means she is ready to form a lasting union with the man and is ready to start her future. This is an ultimate act of bravery because she has been breaking up marriage proposals with the men who have tried. By doing so, she mirrors her satisfaction with life and her willingness to let down her defenses and give intimacy a chance. Works Cited Shaffer, Mary Ann, and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literature and Potato Peel Pie Society. London: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Print. [...]
[...] In fact, July's letters from Sidney to his sister Sophie detailing his visit to Guernsey provides an aerial perspective of the happier and healthy Juliet. It even states that she may never return to London and is complicated by the love interest that Juliet is developing for Dawsey. Sidney goes further to detail why he finds Dawsey suitable for Juliet, passing his character as capable, trustworthy and humorous; qualities that they share with Juliet. In August, Eben's story of his grandson being sent away sparks maternal fears into Juliet. [...]
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