From: Dr. Ruth Gordon <druthgo>
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 18:48:47 -0700

K.T. and others have a far deeper notion than is necessary. Mia's parents were basically feckless and selfish (U.S. parents, need one say?). They sailed off somewhere with a deep ignorance of sea"person"ship and navigation--even in such a sometimes-mild sea as the Mediterranean. Unlike the ancients, they probably did not follow coastlines. Does it matter, actually, if they were just stupid sailors or if they defected? The purpose of Mia being parentless was to free her to go to the U.S.--a place she knew from the media--even as Jean Fritz did when she was a child.
(Remember: our early heroes were parentless: Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Mary in "Secret Garden".)

When I lived in Europe I was probably one of the "best" Amuricans [sic] in Europe because I tended to romanticize the U.S.--on rare occasions. And, like Mia, in one sense I knew better what was happening in the U.S. because of listening to the radio and reading newspapers which presented many viewpoints--unlike the U.S. sponosored radio stations, newspapers, and magazines which presented a strictly "We're the best, we're the U.S." view. Actually, one's feeling for one's native country can be romanticized--and that's what Mia did.

Now, how's about a little discussion about Sinclair? She's fascinating with the kind of intelligence that drives adults nuts. My kind of person--you can bet.

 Grandma
Received on Mon 09 Sep 1996 08:48:47 PM CDT