that’s certainly a positive spin on it! but if you read plath’s actually analogy she talks about being paralyzed by her options and unable to embrace any of them. she says:
“i saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”
“I could tell you how I’ve learned to trust God, how I’ve practiced surrendering my desires to His will. Or I could tell you how my once-scattered longings somehow narrowed into a single, clear path. I could even write to you about learning, in the words of Mary Oliver, to let the soft animal of my body love what it loves while the world goes on. All of these are true, and all of them are not”
Homie your wisdom is actually…what the…it’s INSANE….HUH??? This is WISDOM. WHAT??? You know it’s crazy, I actually just got out of that battle…like literally a couple months ago. That, that’s…wow. Loss of words what the-
Yes. Kudos for letting go of what Plath was saying re: figs and dreams. I hadn’t read that. Her take is poetic and she was legit genius so I’m sure she chose that tree on purpose. Still depressing af. Good on you for reading it and not letting someone’s intellect sway your own belief.
loved every second omg
🥹❤️❤️❤️
love this so much
thanks for reading my love!!
I thought the idea was to make you want to grab the fruit before it rots? Meaning you embrace your future before it is too late because of indecision.
that’s certainly a positive spin on it! but if you read plath’s actually analogy she talks about being paralyzed by her options and unable to embrace any of them. she says:
“i saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”
Yeah, exactly, because she was so preoccupied with the possibility of great futures instead of embracing one, they all rotted.
They didn't rot because they weren't available. They rotted because she couldn't choose.
So what happens if she chooses one?
well that’s for each person to figure out! this piece is just my journey with it
Ok, looks like you got plenty of positive comments so it definitely landed.
“I could tell you how I’ve learned to trust God, how I’ve practiced surrendering my desires to His will. Or I could tell you how my once-scattered longings somehow narrowed into a single, clear path. I could even write to you about learning, in the words of Mary Oliver, to let the soft animal of my body love what it loves while the world goes on. All of these are true, and all of them are not”
Some applause for this contextual anecdote 👏
THIS IS SO WELL WRITTEN!!
THANK YOU
i trust your rules of sophistry more than anything on this earth
and i LOVE your take on this it's absolutely incredible!!
thanks so much celeste!! you’re so kind 🤍
Holy frick Soph what the-
Homie your wisdom is actually…what the…it’s INSANE….HUH??? This is WISDOM. WHAT??? You know it’s crazy, I actually just got out of that battle…like literally a couple months ago. That, that’s…wow. Loss of words what the-
Chat I’m soph’s number 1 fan
Yes. Kudos for letting go of what Plath was saying re: figs and dreams. I hadn’t read that. Her take is poetic and she was legit genius so I’m sure she chose that tree on purpose. Still depressing af. Good on you for reading it and not letting someone’s intellect sway your own belief.
Loved it :)
You blessed me once again!!! Thank you
thank for reading papa! love you mucho!!
So gorgeous. Lowkey needed to read this today, matter of fact. Very serendipitous. Love your diction too :)
this is such a beautiful take on the fig tree! thinking about it used to scare me too, but I think I’m starting to grow out of that fear. 🤍
i'm glad i'm not alone in that! thank you for reading :)