Book Secret 15

This is the final note I am posting as inside-the-book information for the reader. This other "Secret" about Trauma and the Golden Lady is the name itself, "Golden Lady." What does it mean? Why did I select this title? It means many things, a compilation of what relates to Plath and my work. The very first time I saw her was in a picture in the book, "Letters Home." This was way back in 1976, in the book stacks of the Clark University library. She was lying on the beach on a sunny summer day. Her hair looked golden. This was the first image of her in my mind-a golden haired girl. As I looked to Sylvia's writing in my subsequent research, I came to see her genius and her precious gifts for life. She was golden, a very talented young woman, a lady. As I got "to know her," I found myself unable to see her as a girl. She seemed (and sounded like, if one listens to her voice) older than she was, more mature, refined, proper, lady-like. She seemed to always wish to present herself as a lady, a person to be respected, as in the joyous image on the cover of my book. In her works, she epitomized someone who, like the professional athlete, sought the gold ring or gold medal. Her brilliant talents bore fruit in her work, even though she often was doubtful of it. Golden Lady was a title that came to me in inspiration when the first draft of my book was finished. It just seemed to fit Sylvia, like a hand in a glove. Furthermore, the title reflected my intent to show respect for all that was Sylvia and seek to avoid criticism, judgment or even clinical diagnosing and analysis. Too much had already been written about Sylvia in ways that took her apart or subtracted from who she was, made her feel less-than. Yes, I believe Golden Lady is a fitting title for Sylvia Plath.