Good Night, They Said,

1996

<p><em>Student Essay for CWR 209 / ART 223 / COM 240 / GSS 277 Along the Edge: Leonora Carrington</em></p><p> Unlike many of Carrington’s other works, which seem to be set in expansive, undefined spaces that trap their subjects into the confines of the space, <em>Good Night, They Said</em> is unique in the sense of movement it evokes among the inhabitants of the scene. The creatures in this piece interact with intentionality with the spiral contours of their outdoor environment. This movement and interaction with the physical environment gives the impression of a ritualistic descent into a world below—a physical katabasis that mirrors the metaphorical and spiritual katabasis that is so important to Carrington’s personal and literary worlds. For both Carrington and her characters, katabasis serves a tool to unlock realization and fulfillment for oneself. </p> <p>Carrington’s memoir <u>Down Below</u> details her own harrowing descent into madness that leaves her traumatized, but also having gained a deeper understanding of her relation to the universe. The women of the “Hearing Trumpet” gain self-realization by confronting alternate versions of themselves after a physical descent into a magical cellar. Visually, this work is also notable in its lack of a clear power dynamic among its subjects. The creatures are shown using their own kind as transportation and exist in a non-hierarchical arrangement that makes it difficult to identify any dominant or subservient group. This reorganization of traditional power dynamics between nature and man is also important to Carrington’s short stories, where nature and animal life are often depicted as more civilized and praiseworthy than human life. </p><p>The ritualistic procession depicted in this scene also contributes to the perceived order and civilization of animal life. Rituals are notable because they are intentional, thoughtful ceremonies performed in a prescribed manner and directed at achieving some kind of end. By placing animals in such a practice, Carrington imbues animal life with a sense of intelligence and purpose that we do not typically associate with non-human creatures. This objective is furthered by the suspicious, almost annoyed gazes that the creatures in the foreground appear to cast. These glares interact with the viewer and appear to identify us, the human, as the intruder in this civilized world. </p><p><em>Sonia Murthy, Princeton Class of 2020</em></p>