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A review by readingwhilemommying
The Semplica-Girl Diaries by George Saunders
5.0
Wow, wow, wow! I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this story before. I read Saunders' Lincoln in the Bardo and enjoyed it, but I liked this story even better.
In the not-too-distant future a man writes down daily diaries of his family’s struggle to try and keep up with their rich friends. Their family doesn’t have much money but after he wins $10,000 on a scratch-off lottery ticket, they go a little wild planning for their daughter’s extravagent party to which they’ll invite their rich neighbors whose affluent life they envy. The one key symbol of status these affluent people possess? Lawn ornaments/decor that are literally poor immigrant girls (Semplica Girls) who are strung up & displayed. The family’s youngest daughter Eva is the “sensitive” one who is very bothered by this.
“At window, Eva quiet. Deep well. So sensitive. Even when tiny, Eva sensitive. Kindest kid. Biggest heart. Once, when little, found dead bird in yard and placed on swing-set slide, so it could 'see him fambly.' Cried when we threw out old rocking chair, claiming it told her it wanted to live out rest of life in basement. But I worry, Pam worries: if kid too sensitive, kid goes out in world, world rips kid’s guts out, i.e., some toughness req’d?"
Her father explains that the immigrant girls sign up for this life in order to make money to send home to their families. There is even a lawn service that comes and feeds them and takes them to the bathroom during the days.
I have to say, my mouth dropped open at the part of the story where it was revealed just what SGs meant. As immigration is a hot topic in today’s society, I found the “justification” for these girls to be actual lawn ornaments similar to the stories we hear today. It’s their fault that they’ve been degraded by this job. At least that’s how the family’s father justifies having them on his property. I was disturbed by just reading about this fictional practice. Saunders' commentary on both the frivoulousness of humans who use living-breathing people as decoration (and the justifications the father makes to his daughter for it) echo the immigration debates we hear today. It’s definitely a shocking way to portray this idea—the warped relationship between a well-off American family and the poor, foreign people they use for home decor.
If you've never read it, read it. It's terrific. One of my favorites of the year so far.
In the not-too-distant future a man writes down daily diaries of his family’s struggle to try and keep up with their rich friends. Their family doesn’t have much money but after he wins $10,000 on a scratch-off lottery ticket, they go a little wild planning for their daughter’s extravagent party to which they’ll invite their rich neighbors whose affluent life they envy. The one key symbol of status these affluent people possess? Lawn ornaments/decor that are literally poor immigrant girls (Semplica Girls) who are strung up & displayed. The family’s youngest daughter Eva is the “sensitive” one who is very bothered by this.
“At window, Eva quiet. Deep well. So sensitive. Even when tiny, Eva sensitive. Kindest kid. Biggest heart. Once, when little, found dead bird in yard and placed on swing-set slide, so it could 'see him fambly.' Cried when we threw out old rocking chair, claiming it told her it wanted to live out rest of life in basement. But I worry, Pam worries: if kid too sensitive, kid goes out in world, world rips kid’s guts out, i.e., some toughness req’d?"
Her father explains that the immigrant girls sign up for this life in order to make money to send home to their families. There is even a lawn service that comes and feeds them and takes them to the bathroom during the days.
I have to say, my mouth dropped open at the part of the story where it was revealed just what SGs meant. As immigration is a hot topic in today’s society, I found the “justification” for these girls to be actual lawn ornaments similar to the stories we hear today. It’s their fault that they’ve been degraded by this job. At least that’s how the family’s father justifies having them on his property. I was disturbed by just reading about this fictional practice. Saunders' commentary on both the frivoulousness of humans who use living-breathing people as decoration (and the justifications the father makes to his daughter for it) echo the immigration debates we hear today. It’s definitely a shocking way to portray this idea—the warped relationship between a well-off American family and the poor, foreign people they use for home decor.
If you've never read it, read it. It's terrific. One of my favorites of the year so far.