thur$d3y, march 20, 1080
daily nebraskan
page 8
Female writers cope with time, style frustrations
By Patti Wiescr
Editor's Note: This is the first of a
three-part series on local women authors.
Dealing with lack of time, changing
writing style from column-writing to
book-writing and overcoming the frustrat
ing process of writing are obstacles which
face Nebraska women writers.
Chairwoman of the Women's. Studies
Program at UNL, Moira Ferguson, said,
"The level of the work is more than I have
time for." She later added, "Sometimes I
have to decline invitations for reviews and
occasional articles because I have so many
leaching and other professional responsi
bilities, nationally and locally."
She writes in the library, in the -study
at home and for a few weekend hours in
the office, often polishing drafts over
morning coffee at assorted restaurants, she
said.
Ferguson's writing mainly centers on
author Mary Wollstonecraft, women's liter
ature, the birth-of feminist writings by
women and the birth of feminism, sh said.
Ferguson, Midwest delegate to the
National Coordinating Council on the
National Women's Studies Program, said
she is putting together an anthology.
Entitled First Feminists, it is to be pub-
Movie gallops in grandeur
By Peg Sheldrick
If ever there was a movie with a
potential to be schlocky treacle, The
Black Stallion is it. Not only is it billed
as 'a film the whole family can enjoy'
it involves a child and an animal. A
horse, no less. Shades of My Friend
Flicka. Hollywood almost always uses
this sort of premise as an excuse for
trotting out the most maudlin and hack
neyed of cliches.
But The Black Stallion fails to live
down ; to these expectations. Like the
glorious beast of the title, The Black
Stallion breaks away from the common
herd and gallops off to genuinely
exhilarating adventure,
1 ' . ' , '
. A-'i' . i,"-: -; ' ' -
Based on the novel by Walter Farley,
the film tells the story of a boy , Eric,
and the Arabian stallion he befriends,
The two are the sole survivors of a ship
wreck that leaves them stranded on a
strange shore. The relationship that bur .
geons there continues even after civili
zation has reclaimed them.
Words used wisely
Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg
and William Wittliff- owe thanks to
director Carroll Ballard .for his deft
handling of their eloquent, intelligent
screenplay, ;- ,
The tale is told with: a minimum of
dialogue, with none of the chatty, inane
narration that one might be tempted to
use. The film's reliance on visual exposi
tion is a major factor in lifting it above
the average boy -and-his-pet film.
Director of photography Caleb
Deschanel and his crew have done such
beautiful work that dialogue would be
more of an intrusion than an enhance
ment. From the first moments aboard
the ship to the climactic horse race that
ends the film, the cinematography is
superlative, telling the story with tower
ing grandeur as well as the simplest of
silhouettes.
Kelly Reno is engaging and credible
as Eric, a boy of remarkable resource
fulness. The supporting cast contains
many familiar faces and fine perform
ances. Teri Garr appears in yet another
mother role, fine as usual (for all that
she is a primary talent in perennially
secondary roles). Mickey Rooney does a
nice job as Henry, the old trainer who
helps Eric and the Black enter the world
of racing. Singer Iloyt Axton did a good
job in a brief appearance as the boy's
father, " '
. Horseplay .
However Cass-Ole , as . the Black
Stallion. runs away with the show, and
more than a few hearts. Whether canter
ing gracefully through the surf or res
ponding shyly to the boy's friendly
overtures, he is a beautiful creature to
watch, ,,.
Die-hard romantics may find it a
little saddening that the boy and the
horse wind up back in civilization,
where the boy decides to turn this al
most mystical animal into a racehorse.
But then, you can't keep a legend in a
suburban backyard,
Carmine Coppola's music is exotic
and evocative, without being intrusive.
In a movie wheres dialogue is so infre
quent the score Is especially important,
and Coppola has risen to the occasion,
Another Coppola, Ffancjs Ford, is
the film's executive -producer, and his
association with it may attract older
viewers skittish of anything labeled
family fare. They will not be disappoint
ed. The Black Stallion is simple without
being simple-minded, It may even stir
memories of The Red Balloon, another
"children's" film with appeal for all
ages. Tuesday's preview night audience
was more than once moved to applaud,
and it contained at least as many adults
as children.
The Black Stallion will ppen soon at
the Stuart Tlieatre.
lished jointly by Indiana University Press
and Feminist Press, she said.
Women's rights
The anthology centers on women
writing about women's subjugation and
women's rights in general, usually focus
ing on education, the role of marriage
and later on the overall limitations on
women's rights, she said.
The anthology contains an excerpt,
dated 1739, by a washer-woman who com
plained of the oppressed situation of work
ing women at a time when most women
were illiterate.
A distinction between the exploitation
of working class women and the exploita
tion of bourgeois women was seen by
Wollstonecraft, said Ferguson, explain
ing that working class women were under a
double oppression -economics and sex.
Ferguson said she has been researching
the history and development of women's
studies in the United States and its
relationship to the civil rights and antiwar
movements.
Political feminist
She said her writing interests resulted
from being a political feminist and her
interest in the history of progressive
thought.
"I view writing as a conscious political
act, of particular importance in women's
studies where the patriarchy has dominated
a set of guidelines for all literature for so
long," Ferguson said. "The history of
women of all classes, races and of different
sexual orientation recorded honestly,
analyzed, and understood can help provide
solutions for women's future political,
social and sexual emancipation.
This rewriting of history to correct
racist, sexist and classist bias seems to me
a pre-condition for the liberation of
oppressed and exploited people in this
country and throughout the world. I mean
of course, and the categories obviously
overlap, women, all people of color, les
bians, homosexuals and working class
people."
Scottish writer
A native of Glasgow, Scotland,
Ferguson said this is her fifth year in
Nebraska.
She said, "I find the conditions relative
ly peaceful (in Nebraska) and this is con
ducive to my style of writing ... I like to
write in silence."
Ferguson has done reviews for a number
of journals. An article about Rebecca West
for the Minnesota Review Journal is
expected to be published in the fall, she
Ferguson is a Wollstonecraft contributor
and a contributor at large in the 18th-and
19th-century for the annual bibliography
of English Language Notes, an English
language periodical.
She has done reviews for Prairie
Schooner and is on the advisory board of
the Feminist Press, Ferguson is now work
ing on a review for Women and Literature,
a women's studies periodical.
In 1978, she wrote an article on the
Female Reader for Signs, an interdiscip
linary women's journal at the University
of Chicago.
Professor wins two awards
A rare honor for an author has come to
UNL History Professor William L. Sher
man, who has had the second of his two
recently published books selected as an
"Outstanding Academic Book for the
1979-80 Year."
Co-written by Sherman and Michael C.
Meyer of the University of Arizona, "The
Course of Mexican History" received the
distinction from "Choice," a publication
of the Association of College and Kesearch
Libraries which is used in virtually all aca
demic libraries in the United States and
Canada.
Only days earlier, Sherman had been
notified that his book, "Forced Labor in
Sixteenth Century Central America " a
full-length study of New World Indian
slavery, had been awarded the same honor
by "Choice,"
"The Course of Mexican History" was
cited by "Choice" as "A comprehensive
history of Mexico (which) belongs on the
shelves of all public, high school, and
graduate libraries."
The book has already been adopted at
150 Universities within a year.
"We hope the award will mean accep
tance for the book at more institutions,"
Sherman said.
Andy Pasto's atmosphere
reflected in pasta, wines
By Lyle George
I hopped into my car, with no place in
particular that I wanted tP review, I decid
ed to just drive around until I encountered
something which caught my eye. As my car
crossed the West 0 viaduct an Andy Pasto's
sign caught my eye. I responded to their
advertising plea and very soon I was on
their doorstep at 701 P St,
Women in media course set
Images of women that are created by
the mass media will be studied and dis
cussed in a new class to be offered next
semester, "Construction of the Self:
Images of Women in the Mass Media."
The class will be taught by Sociology
Assistant Professor Mary Jo Deegan and
Terry Nygren of the Centennial Eduction
Program,
Deegan said sexism in television, films,
ads, music and other media forms will be
critiqued In a sociology and film studies
perspective. Deegan said she will teach
theories of society to 'look into the whole
system of things that try to reinforce each
other" in the media, including who has the
money and power for productions.
She said Nygren will teach the class
from a Freudian analysis point of view.
Most of the mass media show women
in very traditional roles," Deegan said, be
cause people grow accustomed to a certain
style of program and most production
companies are run by men.
The portrayal of women in the media
in both positive and negative ways will be
studied in the class, Deegan said.
Some films are more suppftrtive of
women's rights," she said ,
Deegan said she hopes the class will
create the atmosphere of a feminist forum
where both men and women who are
feminists can meet and discuss the things
that they are concerned about.
"Construction of the Self is offered
through the Centennial program. Ihe class
will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
II ajn.to 12:15 pjn.next fall.
The neighborhood is a refurbished run
down area of town. It's right next to the
railroad yard, I always count my hubcaps.
Andy Pasto's is on the second floor of
the Emporium, The building has a lot of
empty halls and gives one the impression of
being partially abandoned.
The interior is very pleasant-the walls
?are covered with wood and the ceiling and
light fixtures look like they are right out of
a pre-1940 grocery store.
The lighting is a little dim. Hanging
plants brighten up the atmosphere. The
view put the north windows is a rather in
triguing parking area in front of the Bur
lington Northern depot.
Novel decorations
There are a lot of novel things about the
decoration. The cashier is located behind a
teller's window that looked like it came
from a bank or some sort of ticket office.
Next to the cashier is an antique washing
machine, but I don't really know what it
has to do with atmosphere in a restaurant.
There is much room for exploration of
the Italian food scene at Andy Pasto's. For
appetizers, you can order zucchini fingers
for $2 .35, broiled mushrooms or the Andy
pasto, a selection of assorted meats and rel
ishes. They have a large choice of pizzas, Ita
ian breads and veal dishes. If you're feeling
hungry and well-to-do, the house special,
at $14.9$, would be a good, four-course
meal if there are two or more people who
want it. On Fridays and Saturdays, they
also feature prime ribs.
Nice wine
Andy Pasto's also has a nice wine list,
with nearly 20 wines, Their wine rack is en
closed in an old phone booth.
I had their Italian Sampler for $8.50.
Included was ravioli cannelloni, manicotto
meatball and Italian sausage, as well as
bread and the soup and salad bar.
The meal was generous enough to more
than satiate my hunger. I happened to find
the salad bar particularly enticing-there
weren't as many toppings available as I
have seen at other places but the toppings
and relishes they did have were very good
and allowed me to put together a great
changeof-pace salad.
The pasta and meat dishes I had were
good. The only problem might depend on
your own personal taste. The tomato sauce
that was on all of these dishes gave them a
degree of sameness that I didn't particular
ly care for. Other people might find it very
acceptable.