Behind Behind the Beautiful Forevers

In my six hour drive from West Virginia to North Carolina earlier today, I had an opportunity to listen to Katherine Boo's author's notes at the end of her Behind the Beautiful Forevers.  Honestly, I was shocked that she began her explanation and reflection with her experience/relationship with a man.  However, I was not surprised to hear her voice in the explanation of her rationale, her methodology, and the obstacles that she faced during this process.  I find it interesting that Boo wanted to find the book that would answer some of her questions, for she did not feel like she was able to write about these people from Airport Road.  She was an outsider.  Since her background is reporting on events and scenarios that most likely do not involve her, readers would expect her to be an outsider.

I did enjoy hearing her reflections on the research process--most significantly how she was "mindful of the risk of overinterpretation."  I respect her recognition that language was an issue in her understanding of individual stories.  She knew that there was more to learn than what she could learn through language and that she needed to overcome language barriers yet continue to make meaning of what she observed.  I think that this would be hard to do, for I think that human nature pushes us to inquire.  I'm not typically satisfied with knowing THAT an event occurs; I want to know the CAUSES and EFFECTS of that occurrence.  Boo makes meaning of the events of Annawadi, and she must interpret without interjecting too much of her own thoughts--she reveals as much truth as possible.

Something else that I found interesting and completely believable is that Boo recognizes that children are more truthful than adults.  As a parent of two children (12 and 8), I agree with her proposition, for my own boys are sometimes brutally honest.  "Mom, what's wrong with your hair."  "Mom, do we have to have something fancy tonight?  Can't we just have spaghetti?  "  However, we adults learn that there is a lot of gray between truths and untruths.  Sometimes we reveal and conceal information based on out level of trust with those whom we communicate.  For example, if my local paper were to ask me what I think about any general district policy, I would reveal or conceal my own thoughts based on what a possible reaction--or backlash--would be.  (Disclaimer--I know not to talk to my local paper about anything concerning my school or school system.)

Now that I have experienced this book, I feel even more confident of my desire to tell stories; however, I now know that I need to be mindful of not only my own biases but also my inherent fallibility with the interpretations of other peoples' events.