vivian girls

do you know about henry darger? i didn’t until i watched the most fascinating documentary this week. he was this recluse janitor who lived in chicago from 1892-1973. no one really knew anything about him until his death when his landlords discovered an over 15,000 page manuscript titled The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion. there were hundreds of drawings and watercolors that illustrated the story. some over 10 feet long.

i’ve been haunted by henry darger for the past few days as i ponder on loneliness and the things we keep hidden from each other. here was the ultimate loner with the ultimate secret and i wonder if he was any more or less happy. or sad. and it’s a hard thing to let someone see the stuff you keep tucked deep inside because once you do there’s no taking it back. people say its worth it. i’m still waiting to be convinced. henry never found out.

so check out in the realms of the unreal. oh and fair warning - dakota fanning is one of the narrators. but if i got past it you can too.