The Argonauts essays are academic essays for citation. At this point, the author’s interest in family relationships climaxes, in that the narrative of the birth is intercut with narrative of Harry’s mother’s death. During this time, her partner, the sculptor Harry Dodge, was undergoing gender-reassignment treatment. The information about The Argonauts shown above was first featured "—Michele Campbell. The Argonauts Summary & Study Guide Maggie Nelson This Study Guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Argonauts. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Genre: Biography/Memoir Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. In the first third of the book, Nelson details how various friends and family reacted to her relationship with Dodge, sharing their well … "What a dazzlingly generous, gloriously unpredictable book! In The Argonauts, for example, the author concentrates on the period in her life when she was pregnant. Another aspect of the author’s considerations and writings is the way in which individual identity develops. This is one of the book’s main considerations, as the author moves back and forth in time from her experience of pregnancy to her experience of her son’s illness shortly after his birth and finally, as the book concludes, to the moment of his birth. Throughout the book, the author draws both explicit and implied comparisons between the perception of life as a journey, and the perception of life as a process of becoming. "And Now She's Gone should be at the top of your must-read list. The Argonauts Pages 77-100 Summary & Analysis Pages 77-100 Summary Nelson criticizes philosophers like Baudrillard for portraying IVF as “the suicide of our species, insofar as [it] detach [es] reproduction from sex, thus turning us from ‘mortal, sexed beings’ into clone-like messengers of an impossible immortality” (78). resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. Nelson describes The Argonauts as a work of "autotheory," bending traditional genres through the combination of autobiography and commentary on sexuality, gender, and popular conceptions of family. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Search String: Summary | Article A new novel from the NY Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. The former appears in frequent references to circumstances implied by the title, “The Argonauts” being a reference to a mythic group of sailors on a heroic search. More Information | will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. "Maggie Nelson's honesty, intelligence, humor and great writing transform what society might deem a radical, non-traditional lifestyle into the new desirable." - Kirkus "The Argonauts Background". Her narrative is an honest, joyous affirmation of one happily unconventional family finding itself." At this time, Harry underwent a double mastectomy and injected himself with hormones, changing the scope of his partnership with Nelson and prompting her to incorporate these life changes into The Argonauts. A book that will challenge readers as much as the author has challenged herself." There are frequent interjections of quotes from, and/or references to, other writers. To order a copy for £23, go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. She is the recipient of many grants and awards, including a 2016 Macarthur Fellowship "Genius Grant" and a 2012 Creative Capital Leadership Fellowship. Nelson's insistence on radical individual freedom and the value of caretaking becomes the rallying cry of this thoughtful, unabashed, uncompromising book. The Argonauts study guide contains a biography of Maggie Nelson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Writing in the spirit of public intellectuals such as Susan Sontag and Roland Barthes, Nelson binds her personal experience to a rigorous exploration of what iconic theorists have said about sexuality, gender, and the vexed institutions of marriage and child-rearing. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel Just $12 for 3 months or There are two primary examples of how the author explores this theme. The Argonauts is a genre-bending memoir, a work of "autotheory" offering fresh, fierce, and timely thinking about desire, identity, and the limitations and possibilities of love and language. Queer Parents: Family Structures in Moving Forward Sideways Like a Crab and The Argonauts, Jason and the Argonauts and the Role of the Anti-Hero. She teaches in the School of Critical Studies at CalArts and lives in Los Angeles, California. The author then begins her examination of, and commentary on, her various areas of interest. - Ben Lerner Reader Reviews, In this haunting parable of the American West, a young woman faces the violent past of her remote Montana valley. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. - Kim Gordon We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson. A gorgeous book, inventive, fearless, and full of heart." Maggie Nelson is an American writer born in 1973 and the author of the book The Argonauts.