Nelson's Bluets

The form, a series of propositions, allows Nelson to accomplish drama. The space and separate numbers between each proposition induce the reader to pause and recollect his thoughts. Then, the reader prepares himself for the next proposition, which he now can understand better. The author also does not have to waste her time using transition devices. She can freely and more broadly express her thoughts on the color blue without being tied down by the more annoying parts of the English language. Nelson completely breaks the structure of a novel, with their paragraphs and chapters. Instead, she offers a series of brief propositions, which also makes the writing sound more casual in tone. This probably entices the reader to read more. Perhaps this style issue will even help a reader to remember more of the story. Sometimes when people need to read whole pages of text, their mind wanders, thinking that they may have to sift through it to glean what is important. Because she breaks up her work so well, Nelson gives her readers information in easily digestible segments. The style of the work may even reflect the author’s own conflicting feelings about the color blue. It is a very mysterious color, and the concept of talking about a color can be hard to pin down in one work. Jumping around from subject to subject can help readers understand how conflicted the author really is on her color of choice. She goes from talking about her friend, whose pain looks blue, to how blue is precocious (page 42). These are different emotions that reflect distinct feelings – feelings as distinct as the separate propositions.

                I would imagine Nelson lives a very free-spirited existence, not living by any conventional means. Her book contains a lot of sheer passion as well. She talks of love-making numerous times, including a mention of a night where her and a partner do it for six hours (treatise 116). She also seems like she has a great eye for detail, which definitely manifests itself in her writing. For instance, she remembers the pale blue button-down shirt her partner was wearing on the day they went for six hours straight. She brings this attention to detail into her writing in her form, I think. Her “observations,” if you will, are laid out like propositions in a scientific document. Each one of them is packed with much detail and descriptive language. It seems the author not only has an eye for detail but also has a wild imagination. This imagination allows her to relate things in her life to other elements in her imagination. In treatise number 119, she compares a friend’s immobile state to that of an oracle. It seems like she has an ability to look at life from a different angle, perhaps an artist’s angle, as she sees other representations of people very often. She also seems to have a fascination with life in general, which allows her to talk about so many different varied topics in her writing – sex, literature, debilitation, nature and even faith. The form of her writing is both intriguing and perplexing. I like to imagine that the author lives her life in short bursts of emotion, rather than keeping an even keel throughout the day. This lifestyle would certainly justify the form her writing takes. These bursts of emotion are probably when the author is most on the lookout for color and its meaning.