Annette Holba Lecture Tonight on Lizzie Borden

[Stefani]

I just got back from an astonishingly good lecture on Lizzie Borden as a "conscious pariah"---by Annette Holba, sponsored by the Fall River Historical Society.

It was fascinating. She took the two facts: that Lizzie changed her name and that she named her house, as indicative of her recreating herself in her own image. Regardless of whether one believes her guilty or not, her change of self in these two ways were significant examples of her living the life she wanted, and becoming the person she wanted to become---all while throwing it up into the faces of Fall River's citizenry.

I hope you had a chance to see this one. It was packed again!

[mbhenty]

Yes Stefani: I was pleasantly surprised and rewarded by attending Annette's conceptual lecture with a very engaging and interesting talk.

I have read Annette's book and found it very different from anything that has been written in the past 10 years. Though a fascinating treatis, and more of an essay or disquisition on Lizzies psyche, at times I found it intellectually challenging, but all in all a fresh look at an old case from a totally innovative approach.

I don't think I understand anything I just said?

Well, what I am trying to say is that the talk given by Annette was very interesting. She took what was a very engaging subject matter, Lizzie's mode of thinking, and served it to the audience with kid gloves.

I found her a great speaker. She surprised me with her talk and easily held my interest. After reading her book I thought she would be this stiff and dry intellect, but she was very sweet and casual in her approach which held the audience's undivided attention.

Also, after the talk we spoke a tiny bit and I found her to be a sweetheart.

The only negative is more of us here on the forum could not attend. We are the group who appreciate uncommon studies such as the one in Annette's book and lecture.

[patsy]

I like how she referred to Lizzie as a concious pariah. It does seem she reconfigured herself in such a way to not feel the belatedness as one who may be considered a social pariah might feel.

Naming her house has always bugged me until thinking about her in the way you shared that Annette presented her. Now I can think that it may be that she simply enjoyed the freedom to express herself through her acceptance of her position in life -- not having to abide by certain conventions anymore with no regrets.

At one time I had even entertained the idea that "Maplecroft" could have been a message in the form of an acrostic. I do go off the wall at times. Haha

[Kat]

What is an "acrostic" and what is your context, if I might ask?

Also, I don't understand what you mean by feeling the "belatedness." This is an innocent question: I would like to understand.

As for Lizbeth - she did do what she wanted on French Street- according to Gertrude Stevenson's news article of 6 April 1913, in the Boston Sunday Herald, titled "Lizzie Borden Twenty Years After the Tragedy." Fascinating article- it's transcribed in The Hatchet issue "Black & While", Aug/Sept 2005, which was a free download at The Hatchet online site for months and months- did anybody get that when it was offered?

[stuartwsa]

I think what Patsy means is that Maplecroft might be an anagram for something Lizzie was trying to convey.
I've never tried to see how many words or phrases can be made from "Maplecroft."
Has anyone else?
(Sounds like a good way to spend a rainy afternoon...)

[Stefani]

your wish is my command:

From Wordsmith.com, anagrams for Maplecroft:

312 found. Displaying all:
Fecal Tromp
Caplet From
Caplet Form
Camper Loft
Clamp Forte
Camp Floret
Falter Comp
After Clomp
Frat Compel
Raft Compel
Fart Compel
A Clef Tromp
A Cleft Prom
A Cleft Romp
A Clomp Fret
Calf Em Port
Calf Me Port
Calf Perm To
Calf Temp Or
Calf Rem Top
Calf Rem Pot
Calf Rem Opt
Calf Term Op
Calf Met Pro
Calf Rep Mot
Calf Rep Tom
Calf Per Mot
Calf Per Tom
Calf Pert Om
Craft Elm Op
Craft Em Pol
Craft Em Lop
Craft Me Pol
Craft Me Lop
Fact Elm Pro
Fact Perm Lo
Fact Rem Pol
Fact Rem Lop
Lac Fret Mop
Lac Perm Oft
Lac Temp Fro
Lac Temp For
Lac Term Fop
Lac Met Prof
Lac Pet From
Lac Pet Form
Clam Ref Top
Clam Ref Pot
Clam Ref Opt
Clam Fret Op
Clam Rep Oft
Clam Per Oft
Clam Pert Of
Clam Pet Fro
Clam Pet For
Calm Ref Top
Calm Ref Pot
Calm Ref Opt
Calm Fret Op
Calm Rep Oft
Calm Per Oft
Calm Pert Of
Calm Pet Fro
Calm Pet For
Clamp Ref To
Clamp Re Oft
Clap Ref Mot
Clap Ref Tom
Clap Fret Om
Clap Em Fort
Clap Me Fort
Clap Rem Oft
Clap Term Of
Clap Met Fro
Clap Met For
Talc Ref Mop
Talc Em Prof
Talc Me Prof
Talc Perm Of
Talc Rem Fop
Cam Elf Port
Cam Pelf Rot
Cam Pelf Ort
Cam Pelf Tor
Cam Felt Pro
Cam Left Pro
Cam Ref Plot
Cam Fret Pol
Cam Fret Lop
Cam Pelt Fro
Cam Pelt For
Cam Lept Fro
Cam Lept For
Cam Let Prof
Cam Rep Loft
Cam Per Loft
Mac Elf Port
Mac Pelf Rot
Mac Pelf Ort
Mac Pelf Tor
Mac Felt Pro
Mac Left Pro
Mac Ref Plot
Mac Fret Pol
Mac Fret Lop
Mac Pelt Fro
Mac Pelt For
Mac Lept Fro
Mac Lept For
Mac Let Prof
Mac Rep Loft
Mac Per Loft
Camp Elf Rot
Camp Elf Ort
Camp Elf Tor
Camp Felt Or
Camp Left Or
Camp Ref Lot
Camp Fret Lo
Camp Let Fro
Camp Let For
Camp Re Loft
Cramp Elf To
Cramp Let Of
Cram Elf Top
Cram Elf Pot
Cram Elf Opt
Cram Pelf To
Cram Felt Op
Cram Left Op
Cram Pelt Of
Cram Lept Of
Cram Let Fop
Cap Ref Molt
Cap Elm Fort
Cap Melt Fro
Cap Melt For
Cap Let From
Cap Let Form
Cap Rem Loft
Carp Elf Mot
Carp Elf Tom
Carp Felt Om
Carp Left Om
Carp Elm Oft
Carp Melt Of
Carp Em Loft
Carp Me Loft
Crap Elf Mot
Crap Elf Tom
Crap Felt Om
Crap Left Om
Crap Elm Oft
Crap Melt Of
Crap Em Loft
Crap Me Loft
Pact Elm Fro
Pact Elm For
Arc Pelf Mot
Arc Pelf Tom
Arc Felt Mop
Arc Left Mop
Arc Melt Fop
Arc Met Flop
Car Pelf Mot
Car Pelf Tom
Car Felt Mop
Car Left Mop
Car Melt Fop
Car Met Flop
Cart Elf Mop
Cart Pelf Om
Cart Elm Fop
Cart Em Flop
Cart Me Flop
Cat Elf Prom
Cat Elf Romp
Cat Elm Prof
Cat Rem Flop
Act Elf Prom
Act Elf Romp
Act Elm Prof
Act Rem Flop
Fa Clop Term
Fa Clot Perm
Fa Colt Perm
Fa Corm Pelt
Fa Corm Lept
Fa Crop Melt
Flap Rec Mot
Flap Rec Tom
Flap Cot Rem
Flat Rec Mop
Flat Comp Re
Flat Cop Rem
Flat Crop Em
Flat Crop Me
Farm Cop Let
Far Clop Met
Far Comp Let
Far Cop Melt
Frat Clop Em
Frat Clop Me
Frat Cop Elm
Raft Clop Em
Raft Clop Me
Raft Cop Elm
Fart Clop Em
Fart Clop Me
Fart Cop Elm
Aft Clomp Re
Aft Clop Rem
Aft Crop Elm
Fat Clomp Re
Fat Clop Rem
Fat Crop Elm
La Comp Fret
Lam Crept Of
Lam Cop Fret
Lamp Rec Oft
Lamp Cot Ref
Palm Rec Oft
Palm Cot Ref
Malt Rec Fop
Malt Cop Ref
Am Clef Port
Am Cleft Pro
Am Clop Fret
Am Crop Felt
Am Crop Left
Ma Clef Port
Ma Cleft Pro
Ma Clop Fret
Ma Crop Felt
Ma Crop Left
Amp Clef Rot
Amp Clef Ort
Amp Clef Tor
Amp Cleft Or
Amp Rec Loft
Amp Clot Ref
Amp Colt Ref
Map Clef Rot
Map Clef Ort
Map Clef Tor
Map Cleft Or
Map Rec Loft
Map Clot Ref
Map Colt Ref
Ramp Clef To
Ramp Cot Elf
Pram Clef To
Pram Cot Elf
Tamp Clef Or
Arm Clef Top
Arm Clef Pot
Arm Clef Opt
Arm Cleft Op
Arm Cop Felt
Arm Cop Left
Arm Cot Pelf
Ram Clef Top
Ram Clef Pot
Ram Clef Opt
Ram Cleft Op
Ram Cop Felt
Ram Cop Left
Ram Cot Pelf
Mar Clef Top
Mar Clef Pot
Mar Clef Opt
Mar Cleft Op
Mar Cop Felt
Mar Cop Left
Mar Cot Pelf
Mart Clef Op
Mart Cop Elf
Tram Clef Op
Tram Cop Elf
Mat Clef Pro
Mat Rec Flop
Mat Clop Ref
Mat Crop Elf
Tam Clef Pro
Tam Rec Flop
Tam Clop Ref
Tam Crop Elf
Pa Corm Felt
Pa Corm Left
Rap Clef Mot
Rap Clef Tom
Rap Cleft Om
Par Clef Mot
Par Clef Tom
Par Cleft Om
Part Clef Om
Tarp Clef Om
Trap Clef Om
Rapt Clef Om
Tap Corm Elf
Apt Corm Elf
Pat Corm Elf
Art Clef Mop
Art Comp Elf
Tar Clef Mop
Tar Comp Elf
Rat Clef Mop
Rat Comp Elf
At Clef Prom
At Clef Romp
At Clomp Ref
At Corm Pelf

[stuartwsa]

...or, a rainy five seconds as you click the mouse!
Thanks, Stefani! I'll get busy combing for hiddem meanings!

[patsy]

What is an "acrostic" and what is your context, if I might ask?

Also, I don't understand what you mean by feeling the "belatedness." This is an innocent question: I would like to understand.

As for Lizbeth - she did do what she wanted on French Street- according to Gertrude Stevenson's news article of 6 April 1913, in the Boston Sunday Herald, titled "Lizzie Borden Twenty Years After the Tragedy." Fascinating article- it's transcribed in The Hatchet issue "Black & While", Aug/Sept 2005, which was a free download at The Hatchet online site for months and months- did anybody get that when it was offered?

Oops, so sorry I had not answered you, Kat. Somehow forgot where I posted this. I'm sorry it's just that I get so lost in reading.
I can see how you would question what I posted, and since I feel so emotional sometimes I blurt things out that only seem to make sense to me. I was thinking she had always expected some form of prominence and recognition but of course not necessarily in this way. What came although too late was what she had to live with, and she was prepared for it in her own way. As a conscious pariah according to Annette -- I love it.

Thanks, Stuartwsa, an anagram is most likely a better way to offer a clue to a hidden message than an acrostic in this case. I was thinking there was a whole story behind each letter in the acrostic, so that if we came across some of her writing elsewhere it may show the first letter of the first word in each sentence would spell Maplecroft. Just sort of playin' ya know.

[Kat]

Thanks! I did not quite understand "belatedness" in your context- but I appreciate the explanation. And the playful reason you give for the acrostic/anagram of *Maplecroft* is creative!