Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Henry Darger

Darger was a "man of mystery." As a "man of mystery," I mean that no one really actually knew Henry Darger. There are different opinions on the pronounciation of his name, and exactly what he looked like and if he had a mentle disease or not. He was born in Chicago to a poor tailor, who when Henry was eight years old, was placed in a home to die. Darger was sent to a orphanage and home for kids. He was apparently dissruptive, according to the teachers and students, and was sent to an asylum and was put to work on a farm. In my opinion, this emotionally and intellectualy stunted him as a child. What I mean by "emotionally," is that he has child-like reactions to situations, especially in his story book. I think that it is fascinating, saddening and absolutley charming, that an older man named himself "a protector of children." In his story book, he relates his history of being abused at the asylum and from many different people, because he was different and poor. I think that using the Vivian girls, he can seek some kind of therapy and some kind of resolution to the people that tormented him, by making the girls strong and warriors. I think that he was very aware that he lived in a world that wasn't real. I think that the outside world was too boring for Darger, so he created a world that he could relate to and to satisfy his views about himself. It also raises the questions of ethics and morals. Just because someone is "different," or reclusive or against the "norm," does that mean that they don't belong in our society? Are we so quick to judge someone, because they are not like us? Henry was able to make some kind of living to where he had a roof over his head, and also to create a piece of phenomenal piece of literature and artwork, and not disrupt anyone.

No comments: