Olympia's Look by Susan Vreeland

Portrait of Mme. Manet on a Blue Sofa, 1874, Musée d'Orsay, Paris





Read Olympia’s Look from Susan Vreeland, Life Studies (New York: Viking, 2005), 69-91. I will discuss Édouard Manet and show a PowerPoint presentation on Wednesday February 25 containing many of the images alluded to in the Vreeland short story.
Based on Vreeland’s portrayal and on your interpretation of this short story, how do you understand Suzanne Manet’s personality, her character?
Select and discuss two passages from Olympia’s Look that you found interesting and that relate to your understanding of Suzanne Manet’s character. What do you like or dislike about the two sections you selected, and how do they address an issue of character.
An individual is affected by the cultural environment, by close relationships, and by formative experiences and events. That said, do you believe Vreeland’s Suzanne Manet exerts free will in this story? Or, is she only reacting to the forces and events in her life? Does the author give you a sense of who she was or who she will become?
Some of you had criticisms of Vreeland’s writing when you read The Yellow Jacket. How do you feel about the writing of this story? What strengths and weaknesses do you find in the writing?
What questions or comments do you have about other characters in the short story? What questions or comments do you have about the fact or fiction aspects of the story?