Entry 4: Title Significance

The memoir’s title: The Winter of our Disconnect has literal and figurative meanings that author Susan Maushart has put in place to enhance the book as a whole. Literally, the experiment did begin in the end of December, in the winter season and carried on into the end of July. Approximately six months, from winter to summer, of no technological help besides the basic electricity in the Maushart family home. Of course, the children most likely got a good amount of it at friends’ houses or at school, but for the most part, they had nothing. Then there’s the second part of the title: the disconnect itself. This portion of the title literally explains what the Maushart family will be doing during that long winter, spring and portion of summer: disconnecting themselves. Specifically, they will be disconnecting themselves from power altogether and gradually come back to basic power. However, throughout the entire experiment, there was no such thing as a Facebook account or texting someone from a cell phone. The title explains that the Maushart family will be completely disconnecting themselves from social media and technology in that long dreadful winter.

Figuratively, however, the title The Winter of our Disconnect seems to be a reflection of the novel by John Steinbeck, entitled The Winter of our Discontent, and many people seem to get the two titles mixed up. The Winter of our Disconnect is so similar in name to Steinbeck’s novel most likely on purpose; Maushart wanted to convey that her winter of disconnect with her three teenage children is equal to that of a winter of discontent. This is because of the levels of boredom that all four of them will undergo, the rebellion the children will most likely pose at some time or another, and rebellion Maushart herself poses on her own operation. Additionally, the loss of something like technology which has become so vital to most families in today’s day and age including the Maushart family, suddenly losing it when most of our daily routines involve it has to be quite an uncomfortable experience.

            “’Muuum, I’m bored.’ It was Bill, a towel slung over his shoulders, demanding to be taken to the water-polo pool.” (64). The boredom certainly is an aspect of discontent in the beginning of the book, not to the bored child but to Maushart, the motherly figure who her kids all go to for help or guidance as to what to do to satisfy their need to be entertained. But, the disconnect cannot take all of the ‘credit’ in the figurative language; Maushart associated a cold, bitter, and harsh season such as winter to the experience as well as discontent. Maushart clearly had a negative outlook on the experiment and feared it would not be pleasant.