The White Album Joan Didion Analysis

Joan Didion is known as one of the greatest writers of the twenty first century. Inspired by life events, her writing reflects her critical view of society. Both of her memoirs, The White Album and The Year of Magical Thinking, differ in her execution of literary techniques such as tone, character, and conflict but remain synonymous in her themes. Didion’s iconic use of tone is celebrated for her uncensored opinions, especially in her assessment of liberal California in the 1960s.The analytical nature of The White Album sets a critical and confident tone throughout her work. In the opening line, Didion writes “we tell ourselves stories in order to live” (11 WHITE ALBUM). She introduces the idea that storytelling is what gives people the incentive to live. She furthers her point by applying this concept of storytelling to confusing life scenarios, “we tell ourselves that it makes some difference whether the naked woman is about to commit a mortal sin or is about to register a political protest...” (11 WHITE ALBUM). EXPLAIN THIS QUOTE MORE. It is important to acknowledge that Didion’s opening line, filled with hope and

Praised for its truthful cultural criticism, The White Album portrays a unique conflict of Didion against the world, more specifically society. When the book begins, Didion shares her relatively optimistic attitude on the world. She notes the positive characteristic of the non-judgemental and carefree attitude of the 1960s, especially in California, but slowly begins to neglect these qualities as the story progresses. Coincidentally, when Didion tries to explain the chaos of the world around her, her tone sinks into a state of unemotive and dullness. It is as if the world that surrounds Didion shapes her mind to emulate its destructive, desperate quality. She struggles between wanting to assimilate into social norms, but also has a secret yearning to resist