Exploring the Symbolism of Blue in Maggie Nelson's Bluets

Essay #3 Exercise 1 Bluets by Maggie Nelson 1. In this excerpt from her book Bluets, Maggie Nelson writes about her love for the color blue and makes profound connections with the color blue to life situations to arrive at philosophical lines of thought. For example, when asked “Why blue?” at a job interview, she gives the following thought-provoking answer: “We don’t get to choose what or whom we love, I want to say. We just don’t get to choose.” This clearly doesn’t just refer to the color blue, it also refers to “the prince of blue,” a former lover who has since left, and it refers to anyone or anything anyone has ever loved. In general, Nelson uses the color blue to write about love, desire, and the various effects they have on us. I find it fascinating that Nelson is able to relate something as trivial as a color to various life situations to view life through a different lens. 2. In this excerpt, a recurring theme is depression and how this theme variously presents itself in the color of blue. Through the use of images such as a damaged vision or general propositions, Nelson arrives at the idea that even if one is going through depression or is low in spirits, it’s important that one finds dignity in this solitude as Nelson herself is trying to do in this portion of the book. 3. In this excerpt, Nelson further elaborates on depression and how it’s the deepest shade of blue that’s always talking, talking, talking to you. She then goes on to mention the prince of blue again, and how it’s the depression that makes the prince a blue one and when the prince keeps talking about the depression, he becomes “a pain devil.” Nelson takes a different turn with things when she mentions the orange walls of the miserable restaurant she used to work at and tells readers how she would always see a shade of blue when recalling the restaurant back at her home. I feel like Nelson writes about all this to tell readers how depression is inevitable, and it’s not something that can so easily be cured or controlled as it can be spread around. By lastly mentioning the Festival of Blue Horses, she gives readers a feeling of hope by writing about “nostalgia for samsara” which may seem like an affliction, but really it helps one become stronger as it teaches one the importance of escaping from this cycle. Similarly, I feel that Nelson is telling readers how important it is to be able to recover from depression and develop into a stronger individual through this accomplishment. 4. In this excerpt, Nelson transitions her ideas about depression by bringing up gender and how women with mental illnesses are regarded differently. By including quotes like "When a woman drinks it's as if an animal were drinking, or a child… it's a slur on the divine in our nature" or “Rather than your face as a young woman, I prefer your face as it is now. Ravaged" Nelson sheds light on this double standard that women have to deal with along with their already existing suffering. 5. In this excerpt, Nelson talks about heartbreak and how love is often like a balloon that swells back up even if one pops it with a pin. With both heartbreak and depression, I think Nelson is telling her readers that all these happenings are inevitable and they’re things beyond our control, like the way blue evokes a different feeling from us every time. 6. In this final excerpt, Nelson ties up all the themes she’s touched upon in a positive manner by leaving hopeful messages to her audience. She says that even though one may endlessly fall into a pit of negativity, “do not be overly troubled by this fact.” I feel like this is a recurring theme throughout her book – to not be bothered by things that are uncontrollable. Eventually things will out for themselves as long as one is able get through the most difficult part.