For years, I have been thinking that Ayn Rand and Anais Nin were the same person. I guess any time I heard or read something about the one or the other, I just filed that information in that box: "my, what an interesting woman she was." But I was putting it all in the same box!
It isn't as if the names are so similar. What possible excuse can I have had? I don't know how I was able to reconcile the apparent differences. I guess I just thought she was a more-than-ordinarily complex person. Which is true! She was. She was an emotional being, she had this very striking confessional side, which could also be very erotic. But her more emotional side was tempered by an intellectualism that - while ruled by rationality - was deeply engaged, rather than cooly disinterested.
I'm kind of sad to have to separate all that out, now. She was such a fascinating figure! In literature, in the world of the arts, and in political, intellectual and philosophical circles. She was kind of influential to me personally, in an admittedly vague way (I guess I have to say that now). And I can't help but feel that this revelation makes her just that much less complex. I can't help but feel that she is somehow, diminished.
This does make it a bit more understandable how she was able to put up with Henry Miller, though. I never could figure that one out.
No comments:
Post a Comment