On March 10, 2020, we hosted a Salon at the Cowell Hay Barn. Students, faculty, staff, and local community members came out to discuss the The Testaments. Moderated by Laura Martin of Porter College, we heard a heady cross-section of UC Santa Cruz scholars discuss Atwood and her novel from a wide range of disciplines.
David Draper (Statistics) started the discussion by framing The Testaments and its characters as examples of Bayesian statistical analysis. Andrew Mathews (Anthropology) saw Atwood’s writing as an ecological red flag—a cautionary tale to warn us of what might be waiting just around the corner. And Marcia Ochoa (Feminist Studies) placed the novel within the larger scope of feminist history and intellectual approaches.
These disparate takes on the novel show that there’s no one way, or correct way, to read deeply. Nevertheless, there are many possibilities and ways in. The salon-style conversations were informative, enlightening, and set the perfect tone for the Deep Read.
Scott Rappaport wrote about the Deep Read for UC Santa Cruz, and THI reflected on the event.
Event photos by Crystal Birns:
If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late! Go to our Deep Read page to join the party.
This Salon is part of the broader Deep Read program by The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz. Join other curious minds to think deeply about literature, art, and the most pressing issues of our day.