Send a Letter, Plant a Seed | Main | Letter Writing Themes: Summer Edition
July 30, 2007
Hillary Clinton: Precocious Letter-Writer
Today the NY Times featured excerpts from letters between presidential hopefully Hillary Clinton and high-school friend John Peavoy during the mid-to-late 1960's. A picture of Clinton's youthful self (read: embarrassing college photo) is displayed alongside excerpts from college letters during a time author Mark Leibovich notes are from when she was going through a "period of profound political transformation." The letters reflect a transformative time where Clinton transitions from being a Young Republican to a Democrat, as well as touching on daily ruminations and missives about peers in her dorm, the news, college life (a little talk of drugs and boys), the state of American politics -- both critical and analytical of her surroundings with a precocious air.
Leibovich makes note of the aesthetics of the letters, saved by Peavoy after all these years despite 38 years since he last received one:
Ms. Rodham’s letters are written in a tight, flowing script with near-impeccable spelling and punctuation. Ever the pleaser, she frequently begins them with an apology that it had taken her so long to respond. She praises Mr. Peavoy’s missives while disparaging her own (“my usual drivel”) and signs off with a simple “Hillary,” except for the occasional “H” or “Me.”
We at Modern Letter Project must admit we are pretty impressed with Hillary's circa 1960's letter-writing. She reveals herself to an acquaintance by being analytical, self-critical, and whimsical enough to convey everyday drama with an air of self-importance.
COMMENTS
Handwriting analysis has been my avocation for 40 years and Hillary's college letter indicates that she was a sensitive, friendly young woman who was probably a reserved Extrovertive Feeling type (Jungian psychology). While her script indicated that she wanted to live life fully, there was still a degree of holding back. She had a modest ego, which can be seen in her personal pronoun “I” that is not as elaborated as other capitals and even some of her lower case letters. It would be interesting to see more samples over time.
Her script was more mature than mine was at that age.
Posted by The Modern Letter
