Mary Erle's Commonplace Book

I saw this cartoon in the Daily Gazette, and it struck a deep chord with me. It painfully mirrors my pitiful situation. The woman pictured looks fine during the day, but her demeanor changes drastically at night. I can tell the toil of trying to support herself is weighing on her conscience and physical health. I know that working nights can be long and lonely. This reminds me of my struggles with writing blocks during the day. I sit in front of the paper and stare for hours, and then when night falls, my ideas start to flow. This cycle leaves me exhausted during the day, and my physical…

I wait and wait for letters from Vincent, but even when they come it brings me little satisfaction. I am glad his health has improved and that his voyage is going well, but my whole being wishes he had never set out on this voyage in the first place. It concerns me that he had to emphasize that we have a possible future together, rather than just a future. This makes me question his intentions. Does he truly care about me the way I care for him? I am glad he made it clear that his desire to work in Government comes first. He attempted to soften this blow by calling his devotion to me…

 In times of heartbreak, I rather enjoy James Thompson’s work and the way he captures the faults within the human condition. Life is simply left to chance, and women do not hold any of the cards. It is up to men to pursue women, success, and self-fulfillment. It has been this way since the dawn of humanity. Women have been expected to stay put and mind the home. I am left to wait. I must wait to be pursued; however, when I pursue anything for myself, I am scoffed at. My supposed friends tell me I am working myself to death, but they have never tried to support themselves. They do not…