I really respect Bowen's determination. It was surprising to me, though, how emotive she allowed herself to be, groaning, arguing, yelling... Of course, much of her frustration is taken out on her servants, like on page 39 ("In temper... I shouted that unless I was fed something, and quickly too, I would fire them all that very night..."), which can be argued to be quite appropriate, but snapping at Yabo ("I wanted to tell him a great many things, all of which would prove how immensely superior I was and how necessary it was to treat me with respect... 'You and Kako, you are just alike. There is only one difference: you know nothing!" p. 79) and Atakpa's fiancé/husband (p. 110) the way she did made me nervous. It's not that I don't think she had a right to be frustrated; I guess I just expected more self-restraint for some reason. It was almost a relief when she wrote, on page 100, "Above all, I must learn to accept, with what patience and humility I might, the fact that their voice, not mine, was final." Another part of the book that interested me: "I comprehended for the first time that it is morally impossible to refuse help which it is in one's power to give." (p. 35-367) What is the anthropological protocol for medicinal intervention, again? I seem to remember reading or hearing about the difference between help groups (and missionaries) and anthropologists, so I suppose Bowen is bridging the divide a little bit, both by dispensing medicine liberally/regularly and by initially relying on the advice of missionaries, to some extent. This, I suppose, could be taken as another instance in which Bowen is allowing her own opinions and pre-dispositions to factor in her field work (though, she didn't think of it as part of her work: "Then I escaped to my other affairs... for the sick made me forget that I was an anthropologist with a job of work to do"-- p. 37). When you are so submerged in the field, is it really possible to separate your work from any activity? As far as I can tell, any action helps form people's opinions about and inclinations toward another person, especially one at "the center of a curious crowd." (p. 24)
I really respect Bowen's determination. It was surprising to me, though, how emotive she allowed herself to be, groaning, arguing, yelling... Of course, much of her frustration is taken out on her servants, like on page 39 ("In temper... I shouted that unless I was fed something, and quickly too, I would fire them all that very night..."), which can be argued to be quite appropriate, but snapping at Yabo ("I wanted to tell him a great many things, all of which would prove how immensely superior I was and how necessary it was to treat me with respect... 'You and Kako, you are just alike. There is only one difference: you know nothing!" p. 79) and Atakpa's fiancé/husband (p. 110) the way she did made me nervous. It's not that I don't think she had a right to be frustrated; I guess I just expected more self-restraint for some reason. It was almost a relief when she wrote, on page 100, "Above all, I must learn to accept, with what patience and humility I might, the fact that their voice, not mine, was final."
Another part of the book that interested me: "I comprehended for the first time that it is morally impossible to refuse help which it is in one's power to give." (p. 35-367) What is the anthropological protocol for medicinal intervention, again? I seem to remember reading or hearing about the difference between help groups (and missionaries) and anthropologists, so I suppose Bowen is bridging the divide a little bit, both by dispensing medicine liberally/regularly and by initially relying on the advice of missionaries, to some extent. This, I suppose, could be taken as another instance in which Bowen is allowing her own opinions and pre-dispositions to factor in her field work (though, she didn't think of it as part of her work: "Then I escaped to my other affairs... for the sick made me forget that I was an anthropologist with a job of work to do"-- p. 37). When you are so submerged in the field, is it really possible to separate your work from any activity? As far as I can tell, any action helps form people's opinions about and inclinations toward another person, especially one at "the center of a curious crowd." (p. 24)