Bluets

The series of propositions allows Nelson to introduce slightly unrelated topics in a sequence to the reader. For example, on page nine, Nelson goes from talking about her friend who suffered from a horrible accident to talking about Goethe’s Theory of Colors on page ten. This form also breaks the text into smaller sections making it easier for the audience to read. Rather than having chapters of long text, Nelson compartmentalizes thoughts into small paragraphs or “propositions” giving the reader time to process each snippet individually. Nelson does not only use the style of short propositions to introduce different topics but also to expand on a topic by adding further details. For example on page ten and eleven, Nelson continues on the topic of the writer Goethe. She explains what critics thought of him, his interests, and finally relates it back to her friend’s accident. Furthermore, the use of one-sentence propositions makes that thought extremely impactful. For example proposition number 27 and proposition number 46 become extremely powerful because they are separated from the rest of the text as a single sentence. Nelson is able to transition from a funny or quirky paragraph to a somber or serious one more naturally than a normal style book through her use of short propositions. For instance, propositions numbers 34 and 35 have a humorous tinge while proposition number 36 has a more thoughtful tone. Additionally, the use of short paragraphs enables Nelson to switch from self-reflection to action and to presenting information.

Nelson seems to go through life with a sad and hopeless outlook.

Throughout much of Nelson’s writing it is evident that she experiences pervasive melancholy and feels as though she is alone in a crowd. She writes in a style and form comparable to that of writing a letter. Proposition number 108 conveys this sentiment succinctly; Nelson writes, “… but I have always loved its final line-“Sincerely, L. Cohen”- as it makes me feel less alone in composing almost everything I write as a letter. I would even go so far as to say that I do not know how to compose otherwise, which makes writing in a prism of solitude, as I am here, a somewhat novel and painful experiment”. Nelson parallels her writing style to that of Leonard Cohen because they both recount their stories to a specific audience in a letter format. I believe this writing style gives Nelson purpose in narrating her story because she does not have to tell her intimate story to a large unknown audience, but rather to her past lover. She attempts to appease her fervent desire for human connection through a series of propositions directed mainly toward her ex.

The content of Nelson’s narrative is also reflective of her solitude and depression. She quotes Thoreau as he says, “When our companion fails us we transfer our love instantaneously to a worthy object”. It is significant that she chose this quote because she is trying to rationalize her obsession with the color blue. She is, in essence, attempting to vindicate her mania for the color through a seemingly rational explanation for human solidarity in times of heartache. Thus her desire for camaraderie and her despair in solitude, emotions of her day-to-day life, are manifested in the object of this entire narrative, the color blue.