Not So Meek Genius
Well, I did some research on Our World, the magazine that "America's Strangest Family" was published in. Its now, if it indeed is he same publication as it was in 1951, a 50+ generation free magazine. Just thought I'd share that...
I also looked up some stuff on Philippa Schuyler, and apparently, she wasn't particularly happy at the time of the article. Philippa's early childhood had shown her to be of exceptional genius, both reading and writing at 2 and composing at 5. Her mother attributed it to both the unusual diet that we read about, with all those raw veggies and meat, and also her genes, resulting from the mixing of her parent's races. The article depicts her childhood as, if not ideal, superior in its intellectual stimulation. Philippa is "pretty, sensitive", depicted in an entirely passive manner as she "fondles her braids". The journalist claims she's so shy that she "wouldn't know how to act" if a boy kissed her.
In truth, Philippa actually became increasingly disenchanted with her parents and lifestyle as she grew older. At early adolescence, Philippa found the scrapbooks her parents kept, chronicling her developement. This discovery prompted her to realize that her conception and entire childhood had been an 'experiment', tainting her earliest fond memories. The disillusionment grew as she aged and eventually, Philippa shunned her parent's values and became increasingly feminist, finally claiming she was of Spanish descent (instead of mulatto). By age 19, she was already beginning her transformation into a more independent being, yet she was still portrayed as a meek genius in "America's Strangest Family". I wonder what caused this depiction of Philippa: was she hiding her true self from her family, is her protrayal a reflection of early '50s sexism/racism, did her parent's influence the article's presentation, etc.? I'm apt to think it was some conjunction of all three. For the entirety of Philippa's story, check out the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippa_Schuyler (sorry I didn't use the link function; it just doesn't seem to be working).
posted by Katie at 4:08 PM
3 Comments:
It is interesting how her childhood had been an "experiment." This term brings me back to Shelley's Frankenstein, and how the monster's creation was an experiment. The monster also felt some of the disillusionment that Philippa seems to feel. Possibly this feeling of "unnatural creation" -- in this case, a creation between two different races (aka skin colors) elicts this feeling of enstrangement and lack of true identity...
I completely understand her transformation. People want to be in control of their own lives. They want to support an idea because they believe in it not because it was forced upon them from an early age. When I first read the article I immediately thought of another child prodigy named "Little Hercules."
He is considered the world's strongest human weighing in at 80 lbs he could bench press more than twice his weight. From his first debut, he became a child celebrity and made thousands of dollars a month in endorsements. However, his story is not happy, but rather a sad tale about an isolated childhood under an abusive father. for more information: Little Hercules
Your post made me think about Philippa in the same way. Even though she was extremely talented, her childhood may not have been that enjoyable. The most prominent example is her diet. Philippa like Little Hercules was on a strict diet, and probably longed for pizza and ice cream that other children were allowed to have. Being forced into life style instead of choosing it, probably caused Philippa to go against everything her parents stood for.
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