IND AFF - doctormurphy

IND AFF
Or
Out of Love in Sarajevo
By:
Fay Weldon
Analyzed By:
Claire Logan and Caroline Saca
Some Background of the Author…
Fay Weldon was born in England in 1933 but spent
most of her youth in Auckland, New Zealand. When
she was 14, her parents divorced and Weldon
returned to England with her mother, never to see
her father again. She studied psychology and
economics at St. Andrews but returned home after
she had a son. Soon after, she married her first
husband, a headmaster who was 25 years older than
her named Ronald Bateman. Their marriage ended
two years later when she left him (sound familiar?).
To support her and her son, Weldon began working
for in the advertising industry. Later she met and
married her second husband, Ron Weldon.
Together, they had three sons. In the 1960s, she
began writing for television and radio and in 1967,
published her first novel, The Fat Women’s Joke.
She continued to build a successful career in writing
across all categories including novels, short stories,
plays, and radio and television scripts. In 1994,
Weldon and her second husband divorced when he
left her for his astrological therapist who had told
him the couple’s astrological signs were
incompatible. Weldon’s intriguing life has given her
much to write about. She specializes in her
portrayal of women who find themselves trapped in
oppressive situations typically caused by men. IND
AFF is a quintessential example of classic Weldon
piece.
Some Background of Sarajevo…
Sarajevo is the capital
and largest city of
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sarajevo is most
importantly known as
the city in which
World War I began. In
1914, a young man
named Princip
assassinated the
Archduke of Austria that
sparked the war. As
vaguely stated in the
story, what is interesting
is that Princip’s steps
were cemented into the
ground in Sarajevo, and
are still visible in a
museum in the city. Can
you think of any
historical artifacts like
Princip’s footsteps that
remain in America?
Some Themes in The Story…
-Crimes of Passion
-Justified Motives
-Guilt and Selfishness
Some Synopsis…
First of all, the story begins with the quote of “This is a sad story. It has to
be.” “IND AFF” tells the tale of a 25-year-old graduate student on vacation
with her much older professor, Peter Piper while also intertwining elements
of history. The story takes place in Sarajevo, Bosnia, which is the location
in which a man named Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria in 1914, sparking World War I. Princip was put into jail for his
entire life, until he died of tuberculosis. The narrator and her professor are
vacationing in order for the student to develop her classical history thesis.
However, the professor is more than her guide, he is also her married lover.
Another purpose of the story is to recover from the year’s “sexual and moral
torments,” but in all reality, Peter is at a crossroads of whether or not to
leave his wife. While in Sarajevo, the pair has only encountered rain, which
flaws their plans. The girl laments that she loves to be seen with the
professor; he is smart and mature, and also the “Real Thing” (notice the
capitalization). This idea is a clear example of her questionable motives of
the relationship. The narrator and her lover stop at a café, and discuss
numerous historical events together. Peter continues to complain about the
tardiness of their meal, while the narrator contemplates their relationship.
She refers to it as nothing other than “inordinate affection” which then
Peter regards as a “sin.” He proceeds to discuss more history regarding
Princip and the assassination. However, her affection begins to wear off as
she wonders if she is willing to live with herself is she ends a marriage.
While at the café, she notices a handsome waiter, and takes his reciprocated
glance as a sign that she is not meant to be with Peter. Again, she has to look
at herself and wonder if she is willing to be a Princip-like character and ruin
a marriage, just as he started a war. After her exchange with the waiter,
she gets up and walks away, finally making the realization that she has been
selfish. However, would she be willing to risk her morals for a man? She
progresses to think about Mrs. Piper, and how she isn’t even in Sarajevo and
she is haunting her. The narrator’s sister urges her on with comments such
as -“’If you can unhinge a marriage, it’s ripe for unhinging…Go for it!
(164). All throughout the story, the narrator wrestles with the comparison
of Princip to herself, and how she mustn’t follow in his footsteps, if you
catch my drift. “Second chances are rare in life: they must be responded to.”
At the end of the story, the narrator finally comes to the conclusion that she
could never live with the guilt of demolishing a relationship and makes the
gutsy choice to stray away from the relationship.
Some Lit Terms…
-Setting: Physical and social context in
which the action of a story occurs. The
major elements of the setting are the time,
the place, and social environment that
frames the characters. Is Sarajevo a valid
setting for the story’s themes?
-Dynamic Character: The character that
undergoes some kind of change because of
the action in the plot. Who is the dynamic
character in “IND AFF?”
-Allusion: A brief reference to a person,
place, thing, event, or idea in history or
literature. Allusions conjure up historic
figures and locations and wars.
“IND/AFF” is rattled with allusions. What
are some?
-Crisis: A turning point in the action of a
story that has a powerful effect on the
protagonist. What is the crisis for our
narrator?
Some Questions To Consider…
Please Answer Two
1. There are numerous parallels between the narrator
and Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, and their major life decisions. Do you
think both people made reasonable or impulsive
decisions? Why? Give examples from the text!
2. Do you think the narrator’s motives regarding her
relationship with Peter are pure or self-serving?
Give examples from the text!
3. What is the historical significance of Sarajevo? If
the story had taken place in any other city, would it
have been as powerful? Explain your answer.
4. Analyze the relationship between the narrator and
Peter. Do you find it neutral or one-sided? In other
words, is one or the other more energetic about the
relationship?
5. What is the turning point for the narrator? Use
quotes from the text to support your answer!
6.Look at the quotes supplied on the right side of this
page. Select one of the quotes and discuss its
significance to the story. If you had to pick a list of
essential quotes, would you include this one?
Explain your answer.
Some Notable Quotes…
-“’How much I love you,’ I said
automatically, and was finally aware how
much I lied.” (165)
-“Peter might be forty-six, but…I adored
him. I loved to be seen with him.” (163)
-“’Inordinate affection is a sin.” (163)
-“Princip saw the archduke’s car parked
outside, and went for it. Second chances are
rare in life: they must be responded to.”
(165)
-“Poor Princip, too young to die-like so
many other millions. Dying for love of a
country.” (163)
-“Were we really, truly suited? We had to be
sure, you see, that this was more than just
any old professor-student romance; that it
was the Real Thing.” (162)
-“’If you can unhinge a marriage, it’s ripe
for unhinging…Go for it! (164)