Tuesday, October 3, 2023

History Is Written By The Victors

     In Hernan Diaz’s Trust, the old adage that history is written by the victors rings true. Those in power have the means to make their version of a story known, manipulating reality in the process. Others are left to the mercy of the writer, powerless to change this new history’s depiction of them. Andrew Bevel and Mildred Bevel are two such characters; the former ensuring that a proper history of himself has been recorded, and the latter left vulnerable to her husband’s ideas about “proper history.”

    Ida Partenza’s work with Mr. Bevel shines light on the financier’s need to control his image. He makes clear to her that he will not tolerate slander and has the means to clear his name from accusation. Disgusted with his portrayal in Harold Vanner’s Bonds, Andrew used his resources to remove the book from public access completely. He says, “‘I will buy every single copy of every print run. And pulp them all’” (287). Many could threaten such action, but Bevel has the power and money to execute his plans for censorship. He hires lawyers, amasses a stake in a publishing house, and buys all of Vanner’s books in circulation simply to ensure that his reputation is not sullied. Diaz makes clear that history is shaped by those with the means to bend it to their will, and this is exactly what Bevel did. 

    While planning his own memoir, Andrew is also careful to mold exactly the version of his wife that he sees fit for public consumption. He desires for her to be seen as the perfect housewife, content and charming but never particularly curious or influential. When Ida writes about Mildred’s interest in modern artists, Bevel immediately crosses out the information, saying “‘Keep it simple. Make her love of the arts approachable for the common reader’” (286). He of course takes away her individuality in making this choice so that she is seen only as a surface-level admirer of music. Because Mildred had long passed and lacked the power that her husband so forcefully wielded, she had no say in Bevel’s portrayal of her and could not verbally attest to its veracity. However, Andrew’s desire “to convey Mildred’s lovely softness with a bit more emphasis” causes Ida to question the wife’s true depth of character, leading her on a document search many years later (286). Within Mildred’s engagement books, Ida finds documentation of meetings and recitals with many renowned musicians that indicate a much higher degree of social influence than Andrew alluded to. Not only this, but Partenza finds news clippings of current events, suggesting an interest in politics and hunger for knowledge completely absent in Bevel’s account of his wife. Andrew was well aware that his memoir’s version of Mildred was submissive and thoroughly complimented his view of himself as a savior of the American economy. Had Mildred been alive and available for interviews during Ida’s writing process, perhaps history would have been portrayed differently. 


5 comments:

  1. Andrew Bevel certainly had the power to influence the way history was recorded around him. But, despite his massive influence he still couldn't change the facts of what really happened. The reveal in the fourth part of the book that Mildred was the one secretly behind all of Andrew's success with stocks was shocking. This reality was covered up by Bevel for decades but eventually the truth did reveal itself. Although history is written by the winners, it seems Diaz might be trying to say it's impossible to completely eliminate the voices of those who "lost". Perhaps he's implying that the truth will always reveal itself with the way he decided to end his book.

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  2. The novel is described as "a quest for the truth while confronting the deceptions that often live at the heart of personal relationships, the reality-warping force of capital, and the ease with which power can manipulate facts." Your commentary on the novel hits each of these points, and you do a great job of elaborating on them. Andrew Bevel truly was a character that deceived those close to him, changed reality with his wealth, and manipulated the truth with his power. The story, although fictional, serves as a great reminder to not make assumptions without sufficient information to do so. On the other hand, Ida most definitely represented a character who sought the truth. The truth she finds serves as a lesson that deception is ever present and you must be discerning if you wish to avoid falling prey to it.
    I also like how you point out that history would've been perceived differently had it been told by Mildred. It serves as a great reminder to look at past and present situations from all sides and to openly acknowledge the fact that we don't have all the information. It also is a great incentive to let more people speak out about their own experiences and stories rather than letting the powerful speak for everyone.

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  3. Your blog post strengthened my opinion that the victors may write much of history, but it often gets corrected in the long run. For much of the novel, it seemed that a significant theme was going to be that people in power can manipulate reality to how they please. We see this especially throughout Vanner’s, Bevel’s, and Ida’s portions of the book. They each describe Bevel’s manipulation of the story of his life in different ways, but all actively display to readers the bending of reality taking place. However, with the plot twist in the fourth section of the book, it seems as though the theme of the novel isn’t what it originally seemed to be. When it is revealed that Mildred was the one behind Bevel’s immense success, it completely changes the perspective with which readers are able to look at the novel. This missing puzzle piece shows that while the victors have some control of history, they cannot truly change it and the truth will reveal itself eventually. Instead of commenting on the control that powerful figures have over history and what we know, Diaz is likely trying to convey that no matter how much effort you put into erasing history it will never be gone.

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  4. This blog post offers an intriguing take on the theme of perception and control in Diaz’s novel. It underscores the idea that those in positions of power often shape history, and it resonates with me because it delves into how Andrew Bevel manipulates the narrative to serve his interests.

    I agree with the notion that history tends to be crafted by those who emerge as winners, and the post's analysis of Andrew Bevel's actions powerfully illustrates this dynamic. His unwavering determination to manage his image, even to the extent of censoring books, is a striking example of how individuals with resources can mold their own legacies. This reminded me of how the Civil War was renamed the “War Between the States” in the southern US, where information and perspective are powerful and influential.

    The post's discussion of Mildred Bevel's portrayal adds depth to the narrative, emphasizing how Andrew actively shapes her image to align with his ideal of a wife. This raises important questions about gender roles and the influence of those in power on the narratives that shape history.

    The notion of what might have been different if Mildred had been available for interviews during Ida's writing process is a thought-provoking aspect. It underscores that history isn't solely molded by those in power but also by individuals who have the opportunity to share their stories.

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  5. Part 4 does a great job at further supporting this blog post, that does truly go to great lengths and reflect how history is truly written by the victors- or at least in this case, how the victor has tried to rewrite history. Similar to how he was unhappy with Bonds being published and wanted to "buy ever single copy", he did want to "pulp" the truth that Ida sought out to write his story. It is clear as we progress through the book that Bevel is a misogynist and egotistical maniac who looked to rewrite history.

    However, through Ida's perseverance and journey to find the truth, it also becomes clear that Bevel's opinion of women made him underestimate her ability to uncover who Mildred really was. This entire time, Bevel sought to create a portrait of Mildred that other men would respect and appreciate for their submissive, polite, and intelligent nature. While Mildred was alive, Bevel took full credit for her accomplishments and in her death, he used the opportunity to further create a narrative that made him a savant with a subservient and intelligent wife.

    This blog post does an excellent job of describing the gender role expectations of the time, and how although the victors will seek to write history in a positive light, the truth does always come out.

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