
Patricia Youngquist is the author of a book series, "Words In Our Beak," in which the stories are told by Cam, the bird pictured above. Click on the 1st image of sidebar (R) for info. Moreover, some of her photo-based art work is available via Fine Art America. Click on the 2nd image sidebar (R) to visit. On another note, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, she has created face-masks. Click on the 3rd image in sidebar (R). Visit her website via the 2nd image in left sidebar.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Thoughts on Arthur Miller
On this sixth anniversary of Arthur Miller's death, I came across this disturbing article about his son, Daniel, whom, apparently Mr. Miller refused to acknowledge, because the son had Down's Syndrome. Having associated Arthur Miller with a reconciliation of sorts that I had with my father (referred to in a previous post), as a result of an audition (where I met Mr. Miller) that I had for a 1980s Broadway production of his play, Death of a Salesman, I was now sorry to hear of Miller's inability to enjoy his son, Daniel, because of his having Down's Syndrome. There was a time when a "well-meaning" aunt would tell me that my father did not want to be around me (he moved out of our family's house when I was a child) because I was a reminder of his failings. She was referring to (among other things) my having very poor eyesight — which he had too — and she "reassured" me that she was telling me this "to make me feel better," to which a friend said "tell your aunt if that is supposed to make you feel better, perhaps she should tell you something to make you feel worse."