Art and advertising as equal creative outlets

Lillian's work as a witty advertising writer and a poet is irrevocably intertwined. While some might think that one pursuit would significantly diminish Lillian's capacity for the other, the opposite seems to be true. In fact, as Lillian tells Chester, "the more ideas I let myself have, the more ideas I have" (55). In fact, as is noted by some in her first book of poetry, Lillian's style as a poet and advertiser is very similar; both influence one another.

This interconnection between poetry, which is often "high art," and advertising, which is often viewed as overly capitalistic, is clear in Lillian's mind. She does not hold one form of writing in higher regard than the other. In both her poetry and her advertising copy, she is loath to dumb down her perceptions of the American public and give them what...