In "The Police Band", I found it very interesting how subtle the drug references were. Barthelme tells the story about a group of individuals whose "efficacy will be demonstrated in due time" under the instruction of the mayor who, "took a little pill from the box". Later on, he writes about how the mayor "had a little drug problem of his own". It is so strange to me that the author insists on the mayor, a man of authority, has a drug problem. In today's society, if we found out that a person in a position like the mayor's had some kind of connection, it would be a huge deal. It would be all over the media and every news source around. Yet here, it is so nonchalantly spoken about. As the mayor sneaks some pills here or there, it is not a focus of the essay. Since I am reading it from a 2009 perspective, it is not so nonchalant to me. It was the first thing that grabbed my attention.
It is very interesting to note how attitudes toward drugs have changed so much since the 1960's and 1970's. Its not to say that mayor's and presidents all over the U.S. today don't do drugs, it is just that they hide it. Also today, people in those authoritative positions focus more on infidelities then they do on thier drug use! Forty years ago, it was all just part of the experience!
No comments:
Post a Comment