Lady Oracle: the final chapters (25~37)

Jessica Yang 497200762

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OutlineBrief summaries (chapters 25~37)General AnalysisInteresting QuotesQuestions?

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Chapter 25Joan begins affair with the Royal PorcupineJoan meets Fraser Buchanan (black notebook

from chapter 4)Peace Bridge and the dynamite

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Chapter 26The Royal Porcupine and the dynamiteJoan’s infatuation with the Royal Porcupine

dwindledJoan breaks up with Chuck

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Chapter 27Joan tries unsuccessfully to communicate

with ArthurThe Fat Lady illusion once againSinister calls, mail, and corpsesPaul finds Joan“John” (Zerdo)

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Chapter 28What is love?Fraser Buchanan attempts to blackmail JoanShe steals his black notebook insteadIs Arthur responsible for the dead animals

and such?—Joan’s perspective on men

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Chapter 29Joan turns to Sam for help—planning her

deathCarrying out Joan’s “death” during a sailing

trip with Sam and Marlene

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Chapter 30Back in Terremoto, Joan reflects on her life

againMirrored scene with chapter two: the sugar

water and the antsA well-planned death?

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Chapter 31Joan again tries to writeTransformation: from identifying with

Charlotte to identifying with Felicia?Reappearance of the Fat Lady – this time not

as glamorous as she had been in previous illusions?

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Chapter 32Felicia becomes the fat ladyMr. Vitroni expresses the townsfolk’s concern

Joan as a witch?Someone has followed Joan to Terremoto

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Chapters 33~34Joan sees her mother’s astral body once

againIn the morning she begins to pack her

belongings to hide elsewhereThe writing of the ending for Stalked by Love

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Chapters 35~36The allusions to The Red Shoes and The Little

Mermaid—walkingThings fall apart at homeMr. Vitroni seen shaking hands with “the

man”Rewriting of the ending to Joan’s story

Who is the real Lady Redmond?

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Chapter 37Hitting the reporterJoan’s resolutions

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Lady Oracle – a getaway journey for Joan to find out who she is, what she wants in her life, and how to deal with issues recurring throughout different stages of her life (i.e. complications with her mother) and ones leading up to her “death” (such as the complications with her disintegrating marriage and “secret” love affair, etc. )

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Who is the Fat Lady?Glorious Illusions Grotesque RealityThe Fat Lady walking

the wire (chapter 9)

The Fat Lady skating, free, unbound, spectacular

The Fat Lady in the Freak Show, sitting in her oversized chair, knitting

Fat ladies are isolated, ridiculed, a blur to others

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The Element of FantasyFantasizing empowered Joan

“knowledge isn’t necessarily power.” (chapter 5)

Romance novels as a means of escape, but also as a means for powerless women to feel somewhat in control of their lives?

“Why did every one of my fantasies turn into a trap?” (chapter 34)

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Question.

How does fantasy serve to empower? How might it be dangerous?

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Romance Fantasies versus RealityMy view on love, romance, and fantasies

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Joan’s view on her lifeBeginning of the novel: confused, trapped,

aimlessIn the process of revisiting her past and writing

her romance novel, Joan slowly begins to resolve issues with her self-image and coming to terms that who she is need not be severed from who she used to be in order to move on with her life

End: resolute, free, no longer afraid of her past

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Reflected in Stalked by LoveCharacters

Redmond: ArthurCharlotte: the old Joan/the virtuous woman

Joan has tried to beFelicia: the new Joan/the real JoanTom: Fraser BuchananOtterly: Chuck

Ending

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Analysis of Chapter 37Overall tone seems much more carefree

Usage of “well,” “though,” “nice,” “good,” etc.Freely admitting her life is a mess

Moving away from Costume Gothics for good

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It ain’t over until the Fat Lady singsWhy I thought of this colloquialism when I

came across “Fat Lady” repeatedly

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From chapter 28“At that moment it seemed to me impossible

that anyone could ever really love anyone, or if they could, that anything lasting or fine ould come of it. Love was the pursuit of shadows…I was not the same as my phantom.”

Is it? Can true love exist? Or is Joan merely fixated on the wrong form of love all along?

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From chapter 30“you could sing and dance or you could be

happy, but not both.”

Why not?

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From chapter 30“I pretended to die so I could live, so I could

have another life.”

Would doing so be simpler than trying to fix what went wrong instead?

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From chapter 36“Back? We have all tried to go back. That was

our mistake.“The only way out, is through that door.”

Symbolic – Joan has walked out of her own maze, with her answer ahead of her

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