The White Album

Consider Didion thoughts on feminism in light of the contemporary discourse around women and feminism. What makes Didion’s essay “The Women’s Movement” controversial? Conversely, what might this essay reveal about feminism and social movements?

Choose one essay of particular interest and read it closely. Discuss its themes and literary devices, and explain how it captures Didion’s unique voice.

Compare two essays from different sections of the collection. How do they interact with one another (if at all)? What are their similarities and differences?

Just as in the 1960s, contemporary culture has many social movements and protests. Apply Didion’s weary thoughts on social justice to the present. How can they help people see some of the flaws inherent in activism? Conversely, what are some of the flaws in Didion’s presentation of social activism?

Often, Didion conveys feeling bombarded by media and information. Discuss how her media-saturated environment relates to your media engagement. How might Didion’s perspective on media help or hurt someone trying to navigate social media and its constant flow of information?

Joan Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne, wrote several screenplays together, including The Panic in Needle Park (1971) and Up Close and Personal (1996). Watch one of their movies and connect its themes and style to those in Didion’s book The White Album.

Didion’s essays mention several important figures, like Ezra Pound, Janis Joplin, Robert F. Kennedy, and Mary McCarthy. Research one figure and expand on their story. Comment on how their life fits in with the mood and atmosphere of The White Album.

Imagine yourself on a cross-country book tour, as Didion is in the essay “On the Road.” How would you react to the constant interviews (and being ambushed by the media), first-class flights, and hotels with room service?