Relationships: For Better or Worse
analytical Essay
2546 words
Relationships: For Better or Worse
The highly acclaimed novel Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood eventually hit the bestseller lists for its intricately woven tale of a mother-daughter relationship. Siddalee Walker finds herself immersed in discovering her mother’s true identity, the identity that caused her a lifetime of self-doubt and guilt. Callie Khouri directed the story for the big screen in 2002 with little success. The movie version feebly adapts to the particulars of Sidda’s discovery, the plot line that is at the center of this story. Once the resolution has occurred, the audience finds itself wondering what all the fuss was about (Puig). Khouri’s alterations to the movie resulted in a loss of the complexities and depth of not just the mother-daughter relationship, but others as well while the book celebrates the richness of every interaction.
The most obvious difference between the book and the movie is the plot. In the text, the reader is plunged into a mother-daughter feud when Sidda describes her mother, Vivi, as “a tap-dancing child abuser of a mother” (Wells 3). This comment, along with many other reputation-damaging comments, leads Vivi into a pure drama queen tirade. She throws away almost every picture of Sidda and proclaims Sidda is dead to her. Vivi tells her daughter, “You are dead to me. You have killed me. Now I am killing you” (Wells 2). Vivi’s life long friends, known as the Ya-Yas, are usually quick to take her side, but unnaturally disagree with Vivi’s choice to estrange her daughter. Thus far, the motion picture stays true to the book. The movie then veers away from the book’s plot drastically; the Ya-Yas, Fionnula Flanagan, Shirley Knight, and Maggie Smith, surprise Sidda, Sandra Bullock, in h...
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...Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 2002. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Puig, Claudia. “’Ya-Ya’ is so-so except for Burstyn, Bullock.” Rev. of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, dir. Callie Khouri. USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc., 2008. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Schwarzbaum, Lisa. "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." Rev. of Divine
Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells. Entertainment Weekly.
Entertainment Weekly, 2010. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Tatara, Paul. “’Ya-Ya’ a pandering cliché.” Rev. of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, dir. Callie Khouri. CNN. Cable News Network LP, LLLP., 2003. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Vidimos, Robin. “’Ya-Yas’ bloom, blanched of previous color.” Denver Post [Denver] 10 Apr. 2005: F. 11. ProQuest Newspapers. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.
Wells, Rebecca. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. New York: Perennial, 1996. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood hit the bestseller lists for its intricately woven tale of a mother-daughter relationship. callie khouri directed the story for the big screen in 2002 with little success.
- Compares the plot of the book and the movie. sidda is plunged into a mother-daughter feud when she describes her mother, vivi, as 'a tap dancing child abuser'.
- Analyzes how khouri transforms vivi's on-screen persona into something that is nothing short of undesirable.
- Analyzes how khouri failed to make connections to portray the ya-yas, an important link in sidda's upbringing.
- Analyzes how wells' depiction of sidda's marriage in the movie tops khouri’s characterization of the relationship.
- Analyzes how the movie illustrates vivi's contrived love life disastrously.
- Analyzes how khouri uses flashbacks in wells' novel, but alters them in a way that makes the story more compelling.
- Analyzes how the ending of the movie leaves something to be desired. sidda has grasped the meaning of her mother's disorderly life and feels enlightened after the mother and daughter team is reconnected.
- Opines that wells' story is the paramount depiction of self-discovery. she dives into the intricacies of the relationship and those around it.
- Describes the rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood, by rebecca wells.
- Explains rebecca wells' rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood, barnes and noble.
- Opines that hornaday, ann., "vodka and sympathy." rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood, dir. callie khouri.
- Explains rebecca wells' "library journal." rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood, barnes and noble.
- Describes mccarthy, todd, and callie khouri's rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood.
- Describes o'sullivan, michael, and callie khouri's rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood.
- Opines that ya-ya is so-so except for burstyn, bullock.
- Analyzes tatara, paul, and callie khouri's rev. of divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood.
- Opines that vidimos, robin, and proquest newspapers, “ya-yas’ bloom, blanched of previous color.” denver post, 10 apr. 2005.
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