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Dorothea Graham Jensen
a book bubble about
A Buss from Lafayette
Teens
Author Insight
Unwelcome Transformation
This chapter, in which Clara's stepmother and aunt dress her up as a "lady", was inspired by a reference I found on the Old Sturbridge Village website. This came from the writings of Lucy Larcom about her own unwelcome sartorial transformation from childhood to womanhood in the early nineteenth century: "I was as tall as a woman at thirteen, and my older sisters insisted upon lengthening my dresses, and putting up my mop of hair in a comb. I felt injured and almost outraged because my protestations against this treatment were unheeded; and when the transformation in my visible appearance was effected, I went away by myself and had a good cry...." I must admit that I had similar feelings myself when I had to start wearing a bra when I was 12ish. Furthermore, I was outraged that I had to wear this rather uncomfortable contraption and my older brother didn't! I thought it was grossly unfair.
Book Excerpt
A Buss from Lafayette
I was not quite so amused a few hours later. I had enjoyed my bath in the tin tub brought into the kitchen well enough. It had also not been too awful to sit still while Aunt P. put curling papers into my hair. Even when later she brushed out my hair, threaded my green birthday ribbon through it, and pinned it all on top of my head, it had not been completely unpleasant. What I was facing now was not pleasant at all.
Aunt P. was holding up a boned cotton garment with menacing-looking strings hanging down from metal grommets. “Stays, my dear. I am sorry, but you must wear these under your gown, else it will not hang correctly.”
“It looks like an instrument of torture to me. The ‘Iron Maiden’ and all that,” I said.
Aunt P. turned to lace her daughter into just such a contraption. “You shall get used to it, dear, just like Henrietta.”
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