In 1973, Joan Didion took her daughter, Quintana, to the Chicago Institute of Art. Quintana, only seven years old, felt a connection to a painting by O’Keeffe called “Sky Above Clouds” and expressed a desire to talk to the artist. Reflecting on this moment years later, Didion explored the idea that a person’s style in their work reflects their character.
Tracy Daugherty’s biography of Joan Didion delves into the concept that “style is character.” Without direct input from Didion herself, Daugherty pieces together her life through interviews with people close to her and her written works. Didion’s writing style has always been deeply personal, reflecting her own experiences and emotions. Daugherty meticulously dissects Didion’s prose to uncover the layers of her self-representation and the persona she has crafted throughout her career.
Daugherty’s exploration of Didion’s life sometimes veers into mimicking her writing style rather than critically analyzing it. By blending details from Didion’s published works with the events of her life, he attempts to demystify her creative process. However, this technique can sometimes border on parody, especially in mimicking Didion’s iconic phrases.
Drawing on Didion’s Western upbringing, Daugherty links her writing style and political beliefs to a “wagon-train morality,” symbolizing a pioneer spirit and the themes of loss and abandonment prevalent in her work. This metaphorical exploration of Didion’s character and influences paints a picture of her as a product of her time and experiences.
As Daugherty traces Didion’s life journey from coast to coast, he contemplates the notion of drift in one’s life path, echoing the sentiment that life is often shaped more by wandering than by a set pattern. Despite analyzing her style and character evolution, there remains a sense of ambiguity surrounding what truly defines Didion’s inner self.
In the end, just like O’Keeffe’s sister with the gun alongside the painter, it is Didion’s written legacy that shines brightly, capturing her essence and leaving a lasting record of her life and work.
