A Frameless World is a House without Walls

“Bridges become frames for looking at the world around us”- Bruce Jackson.  This is probably not what you would think about if I asked what the meaning of ‘frame’ was.  In other words one must think behind a deeper meaning than what the word appears to be.  We all would answer the question probably by saying a frame holds some sort of pictures or paintings; correct but not in this approach.  But what it does portray is how our lives are built from nothing to something.  For example close your eyes and build a house without a ‘frame’, how far can you go until the realization of not succeeding will occur? Believe it or not we are framing our lives day-to-day and if this wasn’t true then tomorrow would be quite vague.

In the novel, A Question of Power, by Bessie Head, ‘frames’ are the foundations that never were poured.  Bessie was a pore child who was born into negligence.  Her mother was insane causing Bessie to be put in foster care as well as never being able to learn the life of her ancestors and where she came from.  She was neglected the right to gain citizenship to South Africa.  Looking at Bessie’s life I see my life as paradise.  I feel as if my frame started before I left my mothers whom.  What more could I ask for than a mother and father still married living in the greatest place on earth and being the predominant race where we were looked upon by others.  I feel as though I was granted a life where frames were hanging on a tree like apples and I could ‘pick’ them if I pleased. 

Now, think about a situation where you sit in a foster home wondering if you’ll ever see your real parents walk threw the front doors yelling for you.  At this point in time you know nothing valuable, you are a mere object in this world useless to oneself.  You pray one day you’ll figure out what, where, when, and why you are where you are and who you actually are.  As confusing as this book is, having no actual timeline, Elizabeth drops out of reality and into depression per say. 

Elizabeth and Bessie face confusion far harder than any of us could cope.  They have no one to ask questions to because no one has the answers other than those that are no where to be found.  I found it quite intense to see that Elizabeth’s principal had to break the news of the physical insaneness of her mother.  Elizabeth becomes quite disturbed and mental and physical issues begin to come upon her.  She starts to have terrible hallucinations that appear to have no real answers yet become more dramatic as they occur.

Frames are looked far beyond when in reality they are so valuable; one forgets how much they make up our lives.  Not having a strong foundation will in turn cause anything above it to fall down and be destroyed so in order to have a ‘frame’ start from point A and make an everlasting foundation.  Frames stage our world and without a level plane there’s always a chance that we can fall off and into the trap of hell and disaster.