Writing/Essay/Journal
The excerpt Apocalypse Darling, which Barrie Jean Borich reads, is based on The Wasteland by T.S. Elliot. That poem is an elegy for a deceased loved one. This is an attempt at an elegy for a living relationship and a search for the answer to why the Penny’s portrait from the 80’s doesn’t capture the love which she and her partner felt for each other when it was taken. Like Elliot, Borich laments the difficulty of portraying love in a photo or even in words. Write about a person you love. How would you describe your feelings if you had to give a speech about them? Be sure to think about the core of who they are on the inside.

Activity
Borich proposes making a photo montage with their old photo superimposed on a mushroom cloud with a cartoon bubble. Try finding a photo of you and someone else which you think doesn’t capture how you were really feeling at the time. Make a montage that conveys the correct impression of your relationship. Include at least one other image and a cartoon bubble. It might be fun to share it with that person.