top of page

These four volumes make up a reductive rewrite of Pond by Claire Louise-Bennett. Pond chronicles the domestic life of an unnamed narrator who lives a largely solitary existence, yet addresses an imagined reader/listener throughout, continuously affirming herself to them.

Engaging in close reading, I reduce this text to the self-affirming ticks of the narrator, removing the chronology of the novel while still allowing it to be read as a character study. It is an exercise in seeing a life through the eyes of a third-party observer; my close reading of her text mirrors her own close reading of her life.  

in fact

but in fact

as a matter of fact

if you must know

actually

no, none

that's right

- it's quite clear

so of course

To be honest,

And then of course

indeed

surely

obviously

Oh yes,

setting.jpg

Reductive Pond after Claire-Louise Bennett, 2018, ink on tracing paper, original text, chair, table

books.jpg

Reductive Pond after Claire-Louise Bennett, 2018, ink on tracing paper, original text, chair, table

Reductive Pond after Claire-Louise Bennett, 2018, ink on tracing paper, handbound

bottom of page