La Mort de un Chat

compared to La Mort de Marat...

Cartoon of the Week

Slave Narrative of Olaudah Equiano

Read a portion of the slave narrative of Olaudah Equiano today - The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African (published in 1789). Equiano states in this best seller of the day that he was born in Africa and was captured when he was about 11 years of age. Abolitionists in England utilized his life story as a tool for reform. The full text is here.

Another slave narrative is The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave, Related by Herself. This autobiography was published in 1831 and was also an important literary tool for the abolitionists. Mary Prince, born about 1788 in Bermuda and into slavery, was likely the first female slave to be the subject of such a narrative.

It took many years, of course, and many such narratives and accountings of human atrocities to finally bring about the end of the slave trade. One of the leaders of the movement was William Wilberforce. These readings for class reminded me of a quote from John Newton to Wilberforce in 1796 upon the defeat of his proposal to end the slave trade in the English colonies. Not knowing it would be another 11 years of sustained effort before success, Wilberforce was expressing to his old friend Newton (pictured below) his willingness to consider retirement from public life.

Here is Newton's reply, which convinced Wilberforce to stay the course.

Daniel, likewise, was a public man, and in critical circumstances; but he trusted in the Lord; was faithful in his department, and therefore though he had enemies, they could not prevail against him.

Indeed the great point for our comfort in life is to have a well-grounded persuasion that we are where, all things considered, we ought to be. Then it is no great matter whether we are in public or in private life, in a city or a village, in a palace or a cottage. The promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee," is necessary to support us in the smoothest scenes, and is equally able to support us in the most difficult. . . .

[Christ] is always near. He knows our wants, our dangers, our feelings, our fears. By looking to him we are enlightened and made strong out of weakness. With his wisdom for our guide, his power for our protection, his fullness for our supply, and proposing his glory as our chief end, and placing our happiness in his favour, in communion with him, and communications from Him, we shall be able to "withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand."

Source of Quote: William Wilberforce: A Hero for Humanity by Kevin Belmonte (Zondervan, 2007, pages 137,138)

John Newton is the author of the hymn Amazing Grace, which also serves as the title to the wonderful film that captures the life of William Wilberforce (see pdf study guide). I recommend you rent the DVD!

Archive of Books Read

Some Books I Read in 2009

• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Brooks
• Devil's Cape by Rob Rogers
• Molly Fyde by Hugh Howey
• POW!erful Tales, ed by Michael Lea
• The Tempest by Shakespeare
• King Lear by Shakespeare
• As You Like It by Shakespeare
• Twelfth Night by Shakespeare
• Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare
• Henry 4, Part 1 by Shakespeare
• Richard II by Shakespeare
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare
• Fantasy & Science Fiction Oct/Nov 2009
• Quofum by Alan Dean Foster
• The Salt Palace by Darren DeFrain
• The Black Dossier by Alan Moore
• Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen
• Offworld by Robin Parrish
• Transforming Realities by R.L. Copple
• The Black Tower by Louis Bayard
• Death Books a Return by Marion Moore Hill
• Hard Country by William W. Johnstone
• A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
• Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
• When The Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
• The Surrounded by D'Arcy McNickle
• Pocho by Jose Antonio Villareal
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
• Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Christ The Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice
• Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
• Future Bristol Edited by Colin Harvey
• Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
• Beowulf and Other Poems Edited by Constance Hieatt
• Triumph Born of Tragedy by Andre Thornton
• The Big Black Mark by A. Bertram Chandler
• Grammar Girl's Quick & Dirty Tips by Mignon Fogarty
• Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer

Some Books I Read in 2008

• The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
• Fearless by Robin Parrish
• Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat
• The Soloist by Steve Lopez
• Conscientious Inconsistencies by Nancy Jane Moore
• Filter House by Nisi Shawl
• Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card
• Harry Potter 5, 6, & 7 by J.K. Rowling
• Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
• Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
• The Shack by William P. Young
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
• The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson
• Infinite Realities by R.L. Copple
• Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
• Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller
• Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam
• When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
• And a bunch of Louis L'Amour books :-)

William Blake's The Tyger

Starting a new semester and am taking a British Writers class. We're beginning our discussion with the Romantics and were assigned some poems by William Blake (1757-1827).

Blake was a poet and illustrator and is probably best known for his singular publications which combined his (increasingly esoteric) poetry and art. Songs of Innocence and of Experience is perhaps his most well-known and accessible collection of works.

In Songs (and other volumes), Blake experimented with a technique called "relief etching" (along with illuminated printing) where he created individual copper plates of art and poetry etched into the surface. He would then print a limited number of copies, hand illustrating each page using mostly water colors. These pages would eventually be hand-bound into small chapbooks which he would sell or distribute to a close circle of friends. Thus, without mass distribution, Blake was relatively unknown during his life time.

In fact, I had never really heard of him (I know, for shame!)...and yet when I started reading his poems, I found familiar quotes. For example, from the final verse of "The Tyger" comes this memorable line: "What immortal hand or eye / Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?" (Yes, it's also an instrumental piece by Inked in Blood on their "Lay Waste the Poets" album, lol.)

So, I have a new Romantic to delve into. And he's worth the delve. Look at the sample illustrations of "The Tyger" - and each one is different which shades the message slightly as the poem and art work together in various ways. Notice that the tiger in one appears to be smiling. Huh! For an indepth look at his artwork, you must visit the William Blake Archive.

For more information, visit:
+ Poets.org
+ WebMuseum

Review of POW!erful Tales - Super Powered Short Stories

My review of editor Michael Lea's collection of super human fiction, POW!erful Tales, is up at TangentOnline.com. Here's my opening take:

I have to admit at the outset that I’m not a super huge fan of superhuman stories, but I do like well told speculative adventures, which is what this anthology boils down to. And for the most part, the stories contained in POW!erful Tales, edited by Michael C. Lea, are fairly well told fictions featuring superheroes and super villains battling it out in and over Beta City, “the hero capital of the world.”

The setting of Beta City (on the shores of a post-cataclysmic Lake Erie) is important as it serves as a unifying thread for a collection of (for the most part) disparate stories written by thirteen different authors. Lea did a fairly good job tying them together with a running narrative that grouped thematically similar adventures into four sections. He even referred back to some of the characters and situations in his climactic story, “Uncreation Myth.” The overall project was maybe a bit ambitious as the groupings were somewhat forced, but I have to admit it was fresh and creative and did serve to set this anthology apart from the various other hero fiction collections out there.

After a fictional introduction by Lea that seeks to offer the reader some rationale for the increased hero activity in and around Beta City, the dossier is opened and we are invited to judge for ourselves the origins of the sensational happenings as well as the “menaces catalogued” there.

Read my reviews on all 15 stories included in this collection. And if this is your type of lit, then I'd give it a recommended thumbs up, a 6.5 out of 10.

Shakespeare's Complicated Killjoys

Note: This is an essay I wrote this semester on "Shylock and Malvolio as Complicated Killjoys" in the plays The Merchant of Venice (MV) and Twelfth Night (TN), respectively. I received a 95, but can not be held responsible if you plagiarize and receive a failing grade for your efforts. I post this for your enjoyment and intellectual stimulation alone.

~*~

The Complicated Killjoy

In Shakespeare’s plays, the killjoy serves as a foil against which the joy of merry making and festivity can shine. In the playwright’s comedies this negative character must be purged or put down before the celebration of love can be fully enjoyed. This is an interesting device and a necessary one in Shakespeare’s festive comedies. It has its origins in the seasonal preparations and rituals for various religious festivals, including Christmas and Easter. Prior to the celebration of such holidays there is a period of fasting or contemplation so that, one may assume, the holy day can be appreciated that much more. Before Easter, for example, comes Lent. Advent precedes the Twelve Days of Christmas. Humans have within them, it seems, a natural capacity to break from the routine and release themselves in ritual celebrations. Even pagans have May Day (the advent of spring) and Midsummer’s Eve (the summer solstice) among other holidays.

Both The Merchant of Venice (MV) and Twelfth Night (TN) are comedies and feature the killjoys Shylock and Malvolio, respectively. Each serves as a hindrance to celebration and must be removed in order for the festivities to proceed; and their role is readily identifiable. Their names and backgrounds are clear indications to the audience that these characters are going to “get what’s coming to them” in the end. Shylock is a Jew and even his name conjures up the image of a shyster, which is derived from the Old High German term scheisser, meaning “one who defecates” (Dictionary.com). Of course, Jews were on the receiving end of all kinds of prejudicial mistreatment during the Elizabethan age and anti-Semitism was an accepted cultural attitude and practice. Elizabethan England was also anti-Puritan. An uneasy balance existed between the Church of England and Catholicism, but there was very little tolerance for the Puritan cause, represented by Malvolio. His name, too, is meant to bring to mind “ill will” and unsympathetic feelings for his character. These two easily identifiable killjoys serve as dramatic devices that, once purged of their power, give way to the happy endings that Shakespeare’s audiences had come (and paid their money) to expect.

Yet Shylock and Malvolio are a bit more complicated in their characterization than is typical of simple “straw-men” antagonists. While not tragic figures like Hamlet or King Lear (in terms of their sufferings) both characters elicit some sympathy in that their eventual punishment seems excessive. Shylock is publically humiliated by Portia (posing as a lawyer) in a wonderfully executed reversal of technical legalities in the court room scene (MV 4.1). Shylock demands a pound of flesh from Antonio and “the law allows it” (4.1.302), but Portia surprises him: “This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood” (4.1.305). Denied his bond, Shylock bargains for but ends up losing even his initial principle. In the world of “an eye for an eye” this seems a fair punishment, but in anti-Semitic Elizabethan theater Shylock is forcibly converted to the Christian faith to the delight of the audience. This extra dramatic action of “kick ’em when they’re down” prompts me to wonder if Shakespeare is simply echoing popular sentiment or is commenting on the excessive prejudice of his day. Is this the playwright’s attempt to complicate the character of Shylock and so deny the audience of a simple whipping boy? I’m inclined to believe it is. While Shakespeare was obviously a product of his times, his use of the killjoy seems to carry with it a deeper significance than mere entertainment.

So, too, Malvolio’s demise is a bit unwarranted. He is imprisoned (TN 4.2) without proper trial or authority by Toby simply because Toby resents his arrogance and position as household steward. In my opinion, the wonderfully comedic prank that Toby and Maria played on Malvolio was enough to “purge” the Puritan of his position as killjoy. Believing the letter that Maria wrote was written by Olivia and intended for him (2.5) leads to hilarious results. The prim and proper sourpuss is forced to play the harlequin (like a smiling jester with yellow stockings and cross garters) in penance, if you will, for his arrogance and presumption that he might one day be “Count Malvolio” (2.5.35). When Olivia sees him thusly dressed, she thinks him mad. The audience rightly laughs at this humbling reversal and it seems retribution is served. Yet at the end of the play when all is revealed, Malvolio is utterly defeated and declares as he exits, “I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you!” (5.1.380). His attitude is strangely subduing at this point and causes the audience to consider if he was unjustifiably wronged. Again, Shakespeare isn’t simply employing a one dimensional character to poke fun at; Malvolio has a certain depth to him that complicates his role as a killjoy.

In fact, both Shylock and Malvolio display (and represent) certain admirable qualities that the audience should appreciate. Shylock is frugal (in words and in money) and canny; he’s wise in the ways of the world. He also represents the abused and downtrodden. He rightly rebukes Antonio for a recent insult – “You called me dog” (MV 1.3.125) – when Antonio returns and seeks to borrow money from him. Despite these qualities, however, I agree with most readers that Shylock is more villain than innocent. He even describes himself as anti-social and anti-Christian – “I hate him for he is a Christian” (1.3.39) – in a social and decidedly Christian cultural setting. Malvolio, on the other hand, displays more typically respectable qualities that a Christian nation should admire. He’s orderly, sober, composed, proper, competent, and loyal. He embodies the characteristics of the elite and royal class. His fall, then, is as much a commentary on the common person’s relationship with the nobility as it is their resistance to Puritan ideals. Still, the audience can’t help but admire Malvolio’s insistence on clinging to his sanity in the midst of his abuse. He says, somewhat ironically to the clown who is verbally torturing him, “I am as well in my wits, fool, as thou art” (TN 4.2.91). These examples demonstrate again that we have somewhat complicated killjoys and not mere rogues in need of a comeuppance.

These added dimensions to the roles that Shylock and Malvolio play not only complicate their characters, they also affect the comic tone of their respective plays. Instead of light comedic drama written to simply entertain the masses, Shakespeare presents us with festive comedies that explore the nature of ritual, the role of sacrifice, and the importance of celebration. If the killjoy was just a device to mock and forget about, then their role would be a shallow one. Based on the lingering doubt, though, of Shylock’s and Malvolio’s punishment and possible discomfort over the excessive retribution they received, Shakespeare leaves us with thoughtful comedies that, obvious to us now four hundred years later, give audiences timeless explorations of human nature and interactions.

~*~

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Signet Classic Edition. 1987.

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. Signet Classic Edition. 1998.

Some Thoughts on Capitalism & Freedom

Came across a thought-provoking post by Hugh Howey titled, "A Fan of Freedom," in which the author defends some basic tenets of capitalism against those who, in light of the extraordinary incomes received by those in the banking industry in recent weeks, are questioning its value.

Hugh states the problem (emphases his):

All capitalism means is that the people own their own stuff. We can possess our own land, we can start our own business, we can determine the price of goods we create, and we can enter into binding contracts with one another. That’s it. This is a system that creates economic freedoms of potential (if not outcome). How can people be against freedom? Because they don’t like the choices other people make and would really like to have complete control over someone else.

This makes sense. A lot of people are just plain envious of the wealth others have accumulated and prefer to bring them down to their level rather than do the work required to achieve similar levels of financial success. What capitalism allows is the opportunity for someone to drop out of college, build a business (or work in one), and become a billionaire. This is a good thing. What a country!

Hugh on money:

A side-note on what money is, for those that seem to hate or distrust it. Money is a token used to represent work. It’s the stand-in, the go-between, for a cobbler and a butcher. One man trades shoes for another’s sausage. Even when they don’t need each other’s wares at the exact same time. Hating money is like hating trade between two free peoples, or hating the idea that a person’s work has any intrinsic value. I usually find that people who hate money are misplacing their hatred of greed (or expressing their own envy and materialism).

Exactly. If people have a problem with others earning and accumulating money, they're really commenting on their own unwillingness (or laziness) to do the hard work of building their own fortune. That's the system we live in. If you or Michael Moore don't like it, move some place else.

Otherwise, here's what you're left with. Hugh again:

The current thinking on economic freedom seems to be this: Human liberty occasionally results in abuses of human liberty. Free people often use that freedom to trample the freedom of another free person. In order to make sure the latter has freedom from the former, we need to remove ALL human freedom. That is, in order to make sure nobody murders anyone ever again, we need to all be locked up in our individual cages. This is what’s best for mankind.

Freedom to build wealth means that someone will abuse the system through illegal means. They should be punished, obviously. But don't punish the system that allows all of us the ability (the freedom) to create wealth by legitimate means.

KABUL24 - The Documentary Film

KABUL24 - A documentary film directed by Ben Pearson and narrated by Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) about the captivity of 8 Western aid workers and their 16 Muslim co-workers by the Taliban in 2001.

In the summer of 2001 the Taliban strategically captured 24 Shelter Now International Aid hostages that captured the attention of the world for more than three months. The Taliban took hostage 2 Americans, 2 Australians, 4 Germans, and 16 Muslim co-workers from Afghanistan, and held them as an insurance policy against the impending retaliatory actions of September 11th.

Based on the true story as told by the captives, KABUL24 recounts their frightening 105-day captivity and the cruel treatment of their Muslim co-workers who were accused by the Taliban of converting to Christianity. Revisit their journey from the grueling interrogation to their sham “trial” before the Taliban Supreme Court, to the dangers endured during the bombing of Kabul and a crushing sense that the world had abandoned them. What transpired through this trial is a journey of inspirational faith, grace and endurance.

This film is being shown this weekend at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, KS.

Marriage Is Not A Right

Subtitled: You Can't Legislate Morality!

Got off topic a few weeks ago in an American Lit class. We were discussing slave narratives in conjunction with early feminist writers like Margaret Fuller. The general point had to do with disenfranchisement - the denial of civil rights.

"This is what gays are going through today," one person said. "They're being denied their rights to marry." A general chorus of amens followed.

I raised my hand.

"I don't think gay marriage is analogous to disenfranchisement," I said. "No law is keeping consenting adults from cohabitating." I probably should have left it at that, but I went on to say, "Marriage isn't even a right." I guess that's how we got off topic.

So for the next 20 minutes we all shared our ignorance. The discussion ranged from efforts at defining marriage to personal testimonies of alleged discrimination against some third cousin's step-son's half-brother who couldn't visit his lover in the hospital.

I raised my hand.

First, no law is denying two consenting competent adults from entering into any legally binding or privilege providing contract. The power of attorney addresses health and hospital issues. Co-signing loans and property titles is done all the time. And one's will covers transfer of property after one's death. So what rights are gays being denied?

Second, marriage is a civic institution (albeit one ineluctably molded by religious values) that has inherent limits. It is between two people, for one. (Polygamy, at least the last time I checked, is still illegal, denying the "rights" of its advocates.) It is serial - at least for those who decide to have multiple marriages. (This, too, denies the "rights" of someone who wants to have multiple concurrent spouses - say in different states.) In other words, marriage is not an unrestrained right - it is an already legally defined and self-limiting concept.

So in an attempt to get back on topic, I concluded, "This is why I believe that the issue of gay marriage is not comparable to disenfranchisement of blacks and women in the 1800s."

Someone responded, "But you can't legislate morality."

To me this was a non-sequitur. But that got me thinking. Hmm - I thought - that's exactly what those in favor of gay marriage are trying to do. They are trying to legislate, and thus institute, a particular set of moral values upon/within the broader American culture. Isn't this what all acts of legislation attempt to do? The question is really, whose set of moral values best promote the welfare of society? (And this post is way too short to address that issue!)

Finally, one woman told an emotional story of how a person she knew of was forcibly removed from his home after his partner died because his name wasn't on the lease, etc. The story was a bit convoluted but there seemed to have been some legitimate legal issues that were violated. At the very minimum, human decency was denied this person.

I felt sad for that guy who lost his home. What happened to him was probably not right. Something should be done to change that, and prevent something like that from ever happening again.

But then, I guess you can't legislate morality.

Cultural Relativism Isn't

Interesting discussion in class the other day. My prof mentioned that Gene Roddenberry's Prime Directive was an example of cultural ethnocentrism!

Here's why. Despite the widespread touchy-feely sentiment regarding Star Trek's promotion of multiculturalism, the nefarious premise behind the Prime Directive is that there is a developmental timeline that applies to all cultures. Given enough time - and without interference from their 'superiors' - primitive societies will advance to one day become like us. Smile. Nod. Father knows best.

This is ethnocentrism - measuring other groups in relationship to one's own group. And this is a no-no for cultural relativists, who believe, among other things, that one should not judge a culture by one's own set of standards. One should simply try to understand a culture's values, beliefs, and activities within its own context.

Therefore, cultural relativism is the superior way of viewing all cultures!

Which, of course, is internally contradictory. Judgments are made regardless of who is doing the observing because all observations are inherently subjective - they come from certain perspectives. The real question is what set of standards are most appropriate to judge that culture, for we all have standards by which we judge.

For example, those who say we should not call a culture primitive are invoking a standard that assumes that their belief is more advanced (or civilized or enlightened or etc) than those who hold more traditional views of cultural differentiation. Those who claim that cultural relativism is the axiomatic anthropological principle by which to study other cultures are simply intellectual ethnocentrists.

Now some cultural relativists hold to ethical relativism as well. That is, having no absolute standard by which we should judge, we are disqualified from criticizing any (including our own) society's beliefs or practices. This is ludicrous on the face of it. While this is an extreme position (well, maybe not, I am in a university setting now and they believe some crazy stuff on campuses), it merely proves that those who hold to this view are in fact making judgments based on their own absolute standard.

So it turns out that cultural relativism really isn't.

Keep the F-word Vulgar

I'm starting a "Save the F-Word" Campaign.

And I'm asking each of you to do your part. Please, keep the f-word vulgar - as in indecent, obscene, lewd. Or at least let it remain something crude, coarse, and unrefined.

How? By not allowing another connotation of vulgarity to dominate its defining characteristic. That is, don't let it become current, popular, common...or even worse, banal. That's right, I'm asking you to refrain from using the f-word in order to save it.

Why? Because the effin f-word is used so effin often as an effin descriptor that it's effin lost its effin significance. Is that effin clear enough for you!? Plus, that kind of writing is boring.

And yes, I'm specifically appealing to writers here, but potty mouths can zip it as well. Either way, f-word saturation has reached critical levels and threatens to undermine its essential value.

Oh yes, the f-word is valuable. It's shocking. It's subversive. It's controversial. Or it used to be. Sadly, it's starting to lose its punch. Witness Catcher in the Rye. It used to be banned from our school libraries, now high schoolers find the book...dull.

Mark my words, that's what will happen to you and your stories. Sure, right now it's trendy. The f-bomb is everywhere! Vive la liberté! People think it cool, hip, expressive to pepper their blogs, creative writing assignments, literary journals, and popular novels with the f-word. It's realist, modern, and postmodern (all three at once!) standing in solidarity against out-of-date conservative puritanical prudish authoritarian values.

I get it. So you have to spread your wings. Fine.

But if after reading this you're still committed to the liberal use of the word, better fly now because that window is closing. One day - soon! - it will simply be a mark of sloppy writing, like, you know, omg, slang gone wild. Then you'll have squandered a perfectly good obscenity. We may even be too late. "F**k you" doesn't even start a bar fight anymore.

Still, there is hope. There is yet time to pull back from the brink. I implore you to save the f-word for those rare and special occasions when its appearance in the text is surprising, effective, and actually says something important. You'll know when to use it. Treat it like painite in your bag of vocabulary gems.

In the mean time, what are some alternatives? Well, of course, frack/frak is a scifi favorite and can be used quite creatively. Friggin' works. Effin, too. Fudge has lost its flavor, imo. But fiddle might be worth bringing back. The point is, give these a try and save the f-word - and vulgarities in general - for really important literary jobs.

Please, before it's too late. Join me in my campaign to keep the f-word vulgar.

Edgar Allan Poe, Detective Fiction, & the Romantic Tradition

And Now For Something Completely Different
A Short Examination of Poe’s Groundbreaking Detective Fiction Within the Context of Romantic Literature

With the creation of Inspector Dupin, Edgar Allan Poe not only debuts the first literary crime investigator but introduces a whole new genre into American literature, detective fiction (Norton 1599). While many consider Poe to be the father of the crime story – and so, in plot and character development, parts ways with his contemporaries – he nevertheless is writing within the Romantic tradition. The three stories that feature C. Auguste Dupin (“The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Mystery of Marie Rôget,” and “The Purloined Letter”), while ground-breaking in regards to genre, contain elements of romanticism that we will briefly examine here. Limiting our discussion to the theme of reform, we will inspect two aspects that reveal Poe’s romantic influences and one that seems to break with the movement and foreshadow a more realistic (perhaps darker?) tradition of literature.

Many writers of this period concerned themselves with issues of societal reform. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, for example, wrote about equality and individual advancement. Both were suspicious, however, of institutional expressions of reformation. They believed in the self’s inherent ability to attain enlightenment and thereby transform society. These two aspects of reform – distrust of governing authority and faith in the individual – are echoed in Poe’s detective fiction. In “The Purloined Letter,” for example, the hero of the story is Dupin who stands outside the law and in fact gently mocks his “old acquaintance, Monsieur G—, the Prefect of the Parisian police” (1599) for being unable to solve the crime, that is, the theft of a certain piece of correspond-ence. When Dupin succeeds, he (and so Poe) reveals the inadequacy of the institution and celebrates the power of the self.

What becomes a standard element of crime stories (the rivalry between traditional law enforcement and the maverick detective) finds its roots in Romanticism’s distrust of traditional authority. So, too, the detective’s keen powers of investigation are lifted up. Dupin is a master of deduction, observation, and the human psyche. Considering that the Prefect failed to discover the letter purloined by Minister D—, Dupin boasts, “the more satisfied I became that, to conceal this letter, the Minister … [did not] conceal it at all” (1609). Dupin then goes on to explain his superior reasoning and daring exploits which lead, of course, to the recovery of the stolen item. He quite enjoys the drama of it all as illustrated by his presentation of the document and acceptance of the monetary reward from the Prefect: “[Y]ou may as well fill me up a check for the amount mentioned. When you have signed it, I will hand you the letter” (1604).

So Dupin appears to be a quintessential romantic hero, standing in sharp relief against an inadequate establishment. Yet the motivation for his daring exploits – that of revenge (1611) – seems to portend a transition from romantic (especially transcendental) literature where the soul is ennobled and, according to Emerson, is “part and particle of God” (1112), to a more realistic or naturalistic style of writing in which the human condition, in all its faults and foibles, is simply observed with very little commentary. Although Poe is supremely interested in the interiority of the mind, he does not judge as right or wrong, or true or false, its motivations and perceptions.

As a Romantic writer, Poe rejects the rationalism (and faith in the institution) of the enlightenment, but does not quite embrace the emotional optimism of his contemporaries toward personal reform. He both stands within and is stepping beyond the literary movement of his day; and with the creation of detective fiction (as well as other genres) may be introducing to the literary world something completely different.

Work Cited:
The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volume B, 1820 – 1856, Seventh Edition. Ed. Robert S. Levine, Arnold Krupat. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2007.

Note: This short essay earned an A in my American Writers class, but I can not be held responsible if you plagiarize and get a B.

Cross Cultural Symbolism in Sunjata

Sunjata is a 14th century epic lay from West Africa that recounts the events and legends surrounding the life of Sunjata, the 13th century king of the Mali empire and of the Mande people. It is an involved and communal tale full of myth and folklore told by a griot, or cultural bard. The role of the griot is not only to relate the happenings of their particular subject (in this case, the Mande king), but to shape the message in such a way as to highlight truths and mores appropriate for a specific occasion. Each telling, then, is a unique rendition of the epic poem performed – with music, verse, and commentary – in concert with a listening audience.

Intended as an oral piece, Sunjata is therefore somewhat difficult for the uninitiated to read and comprehend in written form. In fact, there are a number of different “versions” of Sunjata, often times conflicting in their details, due to the varied settings of the story. The particular source used for this discussion is the version told by the griot Bamba Suso and translated by Gordon Innes in 1974. (Bedford 26 – 47).

Despite the unfamiliarity of the form and the occasional aspect of this piece, an observant reader will quickly find cross cultural points of contact within the text. Many of the myths, characters, and symbols of Sunjata crop up throughout ancient literature. As has been noted by scholars for centuries, there seem to be certain archetypes that are part of the DNA of our psyche, if you will; symbols that cross cultures, language groups, and generations. While griot Bamba Suso may bring forth Africa-specific applications, and touch on certain life lessons that we as western Euro-Americans find a bit tricky to understand or appreciate, he nevertheless is working with a number of universal symbols that most of us can identify and identify with.

Space will not permit a thorough investigation into every archetype within the saga, but a sampling should suffice to demonstrate its cross cultural message. As has been stated, Sunjata concerns the remarkable, even magical, life of the king of Mali, who history tells us defeated a rival king, Sumanguru, and consolidated the Mande tribes to form an empire centered in Timbuktu. (20, 21) The prediction of Sunjata’s birth and his coming of age tales – and eventual deeds of greatness – are the first to echo a common motif from other epics and narratives. The divinely appointed leader, like Moses or David in the Bible, is an archetype many of us will recognize. Indeed, the “great reversal” theme (where the greatest leader arises from the lowest of positions) is found in the opening lines about Sunjata’s father responding to the prediction of a soothsayer: “If you go to Sankarang Madiba Konte and find a wife there, she will give birth to a child who will become king of the black people.”(lines 29 – 32) But after interviewing nine potential wives, the soothsayers still hadn’t discovered the right one. “Now, is there not another Sukulung?” … “There is, but she is ugly. She is my daughter.” … A soothsayer consulted the omens and then told him, “This is the one.” (lines 40 – 45) Like the shepherd boy David who grew into the greatest king of Israel, Sunjata’s humble origins will give way to an appointment with destiny.

Moreover, like King David, Sunjata assembles a group of loyal followers – in this case, griots – who defend his cause as he learns to become a great warrior. In a dramatic show of solidarity with one of his griots, Sunjata cuts off some of the meat in his calf for food so his friend will not starve. (lines 441 – 475) This brings to mind the “body and blood” of Christ eaten in a symbolic way even today by Christ’s followers to demonstrate their unity with their Savior. The idea of having a “blood brother” (a friendship that is as strong or stronger than family ties) is also found in Native American spirituality.

Another biblical allusion is in the details of the defeat of his final foe, Sumanguru. A common story element in the tale of overcoming an enemy is the discovery of some secret strength that is then used to expose the foe’s weakness (or Achilles’ heel, a la Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey). Sumanguru, like the biblical Samson, harbors a secret to his success as a warrior. And like Samson who tells his secret to Delilah, Sunjata’s sister discovers Sumanguru’s source of power. (lines 680 – 682) This information is used in the end to defeat Sumanguru, thus making Sunjata the unrivaled king of the Mande people.

As with many folk tales, there are story elements in Sunjata that are included to explain the origins of various tribal customs or cultural traditions. They don’t seem to have anything in particular to do with the epic itself, but are used by the griot in order to share valuable lessons with those assembled. Because modern readers may be unfamiliar with the oral tradition of African storytelling, the actual reading of the text may be a bit tedious at first. The version told by Bamba Suso is repetitive at times, seems to head off on a few tangents, and includes a number of allusions to tribal myths and historical events that the casual reader would miss or find confusing. But if one reads the text with an eye for broader themes, Sunjata will reveal some cross cultural symbols that most will recognize. This epic lay is an interesting exploration of how different cultures utilize similar themes and archetypes to communicate that which is most important to them.

WORK CITED
The Bedford Anthology of World Literature, Book 3, The Early Modern World, 1450-1650.
Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.

(Note: This short essay was for a college class. If you plagiarize I can not be responsible for your grade. :-)

Spring, Finally - At Every Day Poets

A friend at SFReader - von Darkmoor, in fact - recently posted his reflection on the statue "Death of the Last Centaur." It's funny, because I participated in this same challenge a couple years ago and just had part of my sketch published in Every Day Poets. Here's the visual prompt...



... from which I based the following opening scene. Start by reading the opening scene to this opening scene at Every Day Poets (in prose poem form, titled "Spring, Finally"). Then come back and read the rest, the title for the whole narrative being "The Sorrow of Raetheos."

~*~

All but the Centaur Raetheos — Light of God — who arrives alone and with a quizzical countenance, having traversed the valley in vain search for his paramour and partner Celeste, a superior beauty among the superior creatures. They were to meet at the fountainhead in the mountain pass the day following the Chickadee’s inaugural song; when the spring’s water breaks free of winter’s icy grasp and gushes once more toward the valley floor.

Raetheos had lingered beside the spring an additional sun’s rising and setting, waving on those excited companions who were returning to their seasonal home, inviting him to join them, assuring him that Celeste would surely be waiting, as their friends were, for him below. But the Centaur knew these were but sympathetic words, without thought or knowledge of their covenant to enter gaily together as Lord and Lady of the Vale.

As Raetheos ponders this unforeseen happenstance, a creature who rarely announces its presence and is as rarely acknowledged, creeps its way to the Centaur and coils itself before the mighty beast. “O Light of God,” the Serpent breathes, “your humble servant is ever before you to honor your will and carry out your commands. I am but a willing instrument in your…”

“Yes, yes,” Raetheos responds, pounding his hooves impatiently, inching his powerful and imposing forelegs forward, threatening to crush whatever lay in his path. The Serpent, content in its despised role and accustomed to such maneuvers, confidently certain that no harm will come its way, seems to bow in obeisance and continues.

“My lord, I bring you word from beyond the mountain pass concerning the Daughter of Stars which might interest you, as I am well aware of your...”

“Enough! What of Celeste, what of my bride? Speak quickly or that long-throated, unholy tongue of yours will cease to conjure another spoken word.”

The Serpent nods and speaks, although without urgency and with feigned concern. “It is with great sadness that I must announce to you that your fair and honorable beloved has fallen in a brutal and vicious attack, an ambush of such a nature that no one is left to tell of its details. I happened upon the deathly scene within a day or two of its occurrence, too late to render aid, and the only service I know to provide is that of a herald, albeit one that is reluctant to proffer his message.”

At this the great Centaur cries out in an anguished shout that echoes throughout the valley, interrupting the ignorant levity and bliss of the rest of the animals caught up in spring’s celebration. Raetheos demands that the Serpent disseminate the exact location, time, and any further details concerning the circumstances of Celeste’s demise. Upon extracting everything pertinent from the ill-received messenger, Raetheos gathers a band of trusted advisors and friends and sets out to determine the veracity of his soul mate’s fate.

They arrive upon the scene and it is as was described by the Serpent—the stiff and pale body of the Centaur slashed through and splayed upon a dark and muddy patch of ground; a lifeless mass that, without the privilege of foreknowledge of who lies before him, is unrecognizable to Raetheos. The compatriots silently gather around the body, circling their hearts against the fear and grief they know must come, but shielding, for now, the immediate shock of despair.

The land is deserted except for patches of snow and the lingering of winter’s shade that slowly reaches out to blanket the forlorn assembly in one last act of cruelty. The funeral drizzle returns in brief defiance of the changing seasons, but for Raetheos, it could well be forever.

The End. For Now.

Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen

A Short Essay on the Role of Food in...
Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen
(part of my final exam for a multicultural literature class)

Food is an important metaphor for American culture in Bich Minh Nguyen’s memoir, Stealing Buddha’s Dinner. Growing up in Michigan in the 1980s, young Bich adores, even obsesses over, the cultural icons of that decade – from pop music to fast food and candy. She wants to consume it all. In her memoir, the role of the food she sees in commercials (“Hey, Kool-Aid!”) represents the essence of what is truly American.

Her particular family situation is insightful as to why she was so drawn to such convenience foods. While born in Vietnam, her step-mother is Hispanic, and their family lives among neighbors of Dutch descent with their blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. To fit in with her friends at school, Bich saw food as the great equalizer. Ethnic food proclaims one’s differences, but fast food means they are all part of one culture.

As a child the author, perhaps passively, disassociates herself from her Vietnamese heritage. While trying to blend in with her surroundings, she slowly loses her connection to her cultural community as she stops attending parties, fails to contact childhood friends, and eventually lets her native language go.

It seems young Bich is looking to the adults in the household for help in finding a middle path of incorporating into her life the variety of these cultures. Sadly, the father can’t be trusted to provide a consistent and stable presence; and her mother is too busy to teach her basic social graces. In addition, there are strong family secrets and taboos that cripple everyone’s ability to relate in healthy ways toward one another.

Her one anchor – both to the past and present – through this difficult acculturation process is her grandmother, Noi. Noi grounds Bich in her Vietnamese heritage via delicious hand-prepared food, her Buddhist faith, and nonjudgmental spirit. Still, it is not enough to overcome the yearning that Bich has for cultural acceptance. Even today, the author, through this memoir, recalls the ache of growing up different in America.

(Note: If you enjoy memoirs, this is a recommended read. I'd rate it 7 of 10.)

American Writers

List of stories read, Fall 2009.

William Apess (1798-1839)
+ "An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man" (1833)

Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932)
+ "The Wife of His Youth" (1898, Atlantic)

James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851)
+ Selection from The Last of the Mohicans (1826)

Edith Maude Eaton, wrote as Sui Sin Far (1865-1914)
+ "Mrs. Spring Fragrance" (1912)

Edith Wharton (1862-1937)
+ "Souls Belated"

Review of Transforming Realities by R. L. Copple

R. L. Copple's first novel, Transforming Realities, picks up the theme and expands the storyline of his earlier novella sized collection of short fiction, Infinite Realities. In many ways, this sequel reads like an anthology of adventure stories with the chapters (37 of them over 215 pages) serving as bite-sized scenes – most of them ending in a “cliff-hanger” that sets the stage for the next scenario.

One of Copple's strengths is his ability to develop drama, create tension, and reach a climax in just a few pages. This approach works well for short fiction but a novel requires a longer view. While Transforming Realities does have an overarching plot that is advanced scene by scene, the drama-tension-climax-repeat formula made the journey a bit tiresome, in my opinion. Having followed the characters through storm and peril, ambush and imprisonment, evil wizard and demon encounters, as well as numerous fights, flights, and escapes, there just wasn't much “punch” left by the end of the story.

That being said... (read the rest of this review at SFReader.com)

Review of Offworld by Robin Parrish

Something is wrong with the world.

It's July 4, 2033 and Commander Christopher Burke and his crew have just returned to Earth from the first manned mission to Mars - only to find humanity missing. They've been away for more than two years and now it appears everyone, everywhere, is offworld.

Months prior to their return strange happenings occur around the globe - a T-Rex stomps out of a cave in France and vanishes, Flamingos turn from pink to blue and back again in a Denver zoo, a lake in New Zealand appears then disappears.

Then, humanity vanishes. Burke and his three crew mates are thrust into a new mission: to discover who or what is behind the disappearance of ten billion people.

~*~

This is the premise behind the latest novel by Robin Parrish, also the author of the Dominion Trilogy. Parrish is a competent author - a solid story teller, character developer, and vivid "imagineer." He blends elements of science fiction, superhero action, and fantasy into a contemporary fiction typical of what's currently on the shelves at your local B&N. (Think M. Night Shyamalan meets The X-Files meets The Avengers.) Offworld competes nicely with other titles by name brand authors and I'm betting that with his next novel he will make the jump from the Religious Fiction section (where I found him at my local big box) to the regular shelves (where, btw, Jeffrey Overstreet and Donita K. Paul recently moved).

However, Parrish has a few plotting dangers to watch out for, in my opinion. The first one has to do with the theme itself. People disappearing? Yawn. The idea didn't grab me. I'd read On the Beach (a classic), I avoided Left Out or Get Behind or whatever (not a classic), and I hate dream stories ("and then I woke up"). So I was a bit skeptical going in. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. I'm happy to report (non-spoiler alert) that the plot has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, the rapture, or cannabis. And although not terribly original nor completely satisfying, the mystery revealed in the somewhat longish denouement at least tied the story together.

Another weakness (again, imo, as I'm sure some readers love this part) is the action sequences. Some parts read like a beat-em-up-smash-em-up car chase that might translate well on film but had me skimming during what was supposed to drive the final climax of the story. When I find myself flipping to the explanation (give me the reveal already!) then that's a sure sign I've lost interest. I'm usually a word by word reader and I measure the quality of the story on how many times I start skimming. Offworld lost me on only two or three occasions, so that translates to pretty good overall.

The author's strength is character driven stories - good people with angst set in compelling situations with enough reality based conflict to give the fantastical elements of the story their appeal. I like spec fic but I like good characters and story telling best. And Parrish delivers. This is a clean, non-religious but spiritually themed novel by a writer who happens to be a Christian rather than a writer trying to spin a 'Christian' novel.

Recommended read if you like this style.
Rated 7 of 10.

OFFWORLD Book Tour Day 2 of 3

Watch the book trailer:

By the way...
I have two copies of Robin Parrish's new book, Offworld to give away. It's a science fiction novel (Bethany House, 2009) that I've agreed to blog about, and so they sent me a couple copies. One may be yours!

Here's how to win your free book...
1. Leave a comment HERE with your name and blog.
2. Link to that post in your blog, announcing this contest.
3. Watch for Friday's announcement here to see if you're a winner.

Giveaway: OFFWORLD by Robin Parrish

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing
Offworld by Robin Parrish (Bethany House July 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Robin Parrish had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist. In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract with Bethany House Publishers. They contracted him for the rights to not only that first book, Relentless -- but two sequels including Fearless and Merciless. A trilogy that unfolded in the consecutive summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Robin Parrish is a journalist who's written about pop culture for more than a decade. Currently he serves as Senior Editor at XZOOSIA.com, a community portal that fuses social networking with magazine-style features about entertainment and culture. He and his wife, Karen and son live in North Carolina.



ABOUT THE BOOK

"Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared."

Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity's greatest explorers. They've finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth.

Everyone...everywhere...is gone.

It's not a dream. It's not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission:find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Offworld, go here.

I'll review Offworld tomorrow, but if you want to win a free copy of the book, go here!

Need Help With A Giveaway

You're Attention Please...

I have two copies of Robin Parrish's new book, Offworld - one to review and one to give away. It's a science fiction novel (Bethany House, 2009) that I've agreed to blog about, and so they sent me an extra copy. Maybe I have yours!

My dilemma is that I'm not sure what type of contest I should run in order to...

1. Generate more traffic! (yes, it's ultimately about that, lol)
2. Encourage readers to check out the book. (it's called marketing)
and 3. Mail this book to you.

Any ideas?

While you wait for inspiration...
+ Here's a review from The Christian Manifesto.
+ And an interview with Robin from Profess.
+ Oh, and here is my 1, 2, 3-part Q&A with the author about his novel Fearless.

Narrative Fiction - Day 1

Started a new class, Narrative Fiction.

First day we were assigned Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness. This was my first exposure to Conrad (author of Lord Jim, which we were supposed to have read in high school, but I doubt I did, lol).

The story takes the reader to "darkest Africa" (of the late 1800s) and exposes for examination the heart and soul of both Marlow, the story teller, and Kurtz, an ivory merchant. The novella is a commentary on the mercenary nature of colonialism and how society then (and today) is not that far removed from the "savage" ways of primeval man.

Here's what I mean regarding this mindset. Marlow states:

"They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force - nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got. It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as is very proper for those who tackle darkness. The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only. An idea at the back of it; not a sentimental pretense but an idea; and an unselfish belief in the idea - something you can set up, and bow down before, and offer a sacrifice to...."

Kurtz embraced this idea fully, but in the end (after a detailed but sometimes plodding narrative - Conrad is a sloooow read, imo), looking into the abyss of death, could only cry out, "The horror! The horror!" Which gave rise to the equally famous line, "Mistah Kurtz - he dead" (used as an epigraph by T.S. Eliot in his poem, "The Hollow Men").

Another interesting tidbit is that this story gave inspiration to the film Apocalypse Now. At any rate, Heart of Darkness is a good, if somewhat laborious, read. Thumbs up if you find yourself with an open weekend.

The Black Tower by Louis Bayard

Finished The Black Tower by Louis Bayard, a historical mystery set in 1818 Paris and involving the lost Dauphin of France, Louis-Charles (who would have been Louis XVII if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette hadn't lost their heads in the revolution). The novel also features the historical François Vidocq, a former criminal who became France's first Director of Security and one of the first detectives of the modern era.

The writing is good - 1st person present, which is difficult to pull off but Bayard does quite well with snappy (and often humorously vulgar) dialog, flashbacks, a diary, correspondence, and fast-paced narrative. Got a little long in the middle, as modern novels often do, but the denouement was satisfying. Bit of an anti-religious bias (Bayard writes for Salon after all), but again, it's something many modern novels stumble over. Too bad, decreases their shelf life.

New Book to Review - Transforming Realities

UPDATE Aug 10: Read my review here.

Just received my review copy of R.L. Copple's new book, Transforming Realities (cover art by E.J. Mickels). This novel is a followup to his collection of 5 short stories in novella form, Infinite Realities (published by Double-Edged Publishing).

I'll be commenting on it soon, but until then, check out this review:
+ Splashdown Reviews
+ Plus, here's my take of Infinite Realities at SFReader.com.

But wait, there's more...
Want a taste of R.L. Copple's style? Some of his short stories appear in the pages of ResAliens here:
+ The Battle (super flash fiction)
+ Space Talk (sci-fi flash fiction)
+ For nonfiction, read Copple's essay on Fantasy and Christianity.

BTW, R.L. Copple produces Ray Gun Radio, a podcast production of Ray Gun Revival.

The Surrounded by D'Arcy McNickle

The Surrounded by D'Arcy McNickle.

Written in 1936 this novel tells the story of Archilde, a young Native American man caught in the clash of cultures typical of early reservation life. Although I read it in a college literature course, the reading level and content are appropriate for any high school language arts class.

Quick impression: Recommended read.

Here's a portion of my essay that I wrote for class:

In D’Arcy McNickle’s novel The Surrounded the protagonist Archilde Leon is a conflicted character. Through a series of events – some predictable in their consequences, and some a result of unforeseen circumstances – Archilde finds himself in a terrible place by novel’s end.

His problems throughout the story stem largely from his reactions to the real and perceived expectations of his family and friends, cultural norms, and the authority figures he interacts with and how Archilde attempts to deny or fulfill them. What I think we’ll discover as we examine a few of these expectations is that our protagonist, like the reader of McNickle’s insightful novel, is at times both hero and victim; he both rises above his circumstances as well as succumbs to them.

Archilde Leon is the son of a Spanish rancher and an American Indian mother who reside on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. This sets the stage for plenty of family conflict since the father, Max Leon, is a hard man and impatient with his Indian wife and children whom he perceives to be lazy and ungrateful. So from his birth Archilde is a product of a conflicted heritage.

Set (and written) in the 1930s, the location and era also evokes a time of prejudice and paternalism against Native Americans by the ruling ‘white man,’ represented by the Bureau of Indian Affairs which oversees reservation life. Archilde is a product of this conflict of cultures as well. After his education at a federal Indian boarding school, he leaves the reservation and his family, presumably to find himself and develop his own identity.

The story opens as Archilde returns from Portland, Oregon, where he made a passable living playing his fiddle in a show house. While he admits some success out there in the real world, something is evidently missing in his soul and he returns home to get a taste of his former life.

He looked toward the mountains in the east, and then upward to the fleckless sky. Nowhere in the world, he imagined, was there a sky of such depth and freshness. He wanted never to forget it, wherever he might be in times to come. Yes, wherever he might be! (McNickle 5)

But he realizes immediately that his life had changed. The narrator reminds us, “When you came home to your Indian mother you had to remember that it was a different world.” (McNickle 3) It seems, like many of us who have been away from home yet long for a connection with our past, Archilde wanted to renew his familial and cultural ties. Ultimately, however, he desired to leave the reservation for bigger things.

Yet upon his return, his mother, Catharine, expected him to remain at home. For, “An Indian boy, she thought, belonged with his people.” (McNickle 2) So Archilde decides to extend his stay a few weeks – which turns into months – since Catharine seems to be of ill health and lonely. At first this is a laudable decision but he slowly loses sight of a driving vision for his life.

Which is the complaint of his father. Max Leon is bitter that none of his sons – “Seven sons, they might have been seven dogs!” (McNickle 26) – made anything of themselves. Or more accurately, they didn’t join him in running the ranch. Instead, they all left to go “back to the blanket” (McNickle 25) - a derisive racial slur. In Max’s mind it’s either the lazy reservation Indian or the hardworking ranching Spaniard. And while Archilde is neither lazy nor ungrateful, he does not want to take up the yoke of running the ranch. He responds to his father’s dual expectations in anger and frustration.

Eventually Max is sensitized to Archilde’s conflicted emotions by his old friend Father Grepilloux. So Max encourages his son to talk to the priest about using his musical talent within the context of reservation life. After meeting with Archilde, Father Grepilloux is ecstatic. He believes he has found an Indian of sufficient talent and motivation to serve as a kind of saving representative of the Indian people. Here at last is a shining product of the religious and cultural assimilative process (that had failed when applied to previous generations, but never mind that)!

One can imagine the pressure that Archilde felt to fulfill such a role, even though much of Father Grepilloux’s hopes remained unspoken. So for the sort term, since he is interested in music Archilde does accept the priest’s offer to continue his training. This seems to be a worthy response, but again, Archilde soon loses steam as it’s not a decision that flows out of a life purpose but is rather a reaction to someone else’s expectations.

And so the story proceeds. It's a well written narrative, moves fairly quickly, and has a number of intriguing and fascinating characters, customs, and history to it, but it doesn't seem to get bogged down or lost in its central purpose of showing the internal conflict of the characters being worked out on the external stage.

From these limited examples we’ve seen in Archilde a person much like ourselves. We have interests, hopes, goals, and aspirations. And we often gravitate toward experiences that foster our dreams, as did Archilde. When responding to these various expectations, Archilde considered his life interests, responded in a way that seemed to move that direction, but then ultimately let the circumstances of life dictate his destiny. This is often our story as well.

But in this novel, Archilde’s pattern of timidity and uncertainty eventually result in a desperate situation. I won't spoil the plot, but there is murder involved. And, although innocent of the crime he is accused of, Archilde has so often let others’ expectations decide his fate that unless he takes control of his destiny when the novel ends, he will pay for those expectations with his life.

Am Multicultural Lit - Day 3

Image via Wikipedia

American Multicultural Literature - Day 3
We read the following selections for class yesterday:

1. "The Indian Removal Act" (see page 411 & 412)
From the Twenty-First Congress, Session 1, Chapter 148 (CXLVIII), Approved May 28, 1830.

An Act to provide for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for their removal west of the river Mississippi.

Comment: The law reads pretty one-sided: The Indians gotta go. Seems President Andrew Jackson wanted to make sure the South got settled by Whites who might support him in his presidency. Here's more on the Indian Removal Act which led to the infamous "Trail of Tears."

Image via Wikipedia

2. An excerpt from An Indian's View of Indian Affairs by Chief Joseph (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, or Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain), published in 1879:

"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. . . . Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself - and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

"Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike - brothers of one father and one mother, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land, and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands from the face of the earth. For this time the Indian race are waiting and praying. I hope that no more groans of wounded men and women will ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief above, and that all people may be one people."

Comment: Wow!

3. Lullaby by Leslie Marmon Silko.

4. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie.

Blog Touring Some Chic Lit Book

I am not into Chic Lit, so I haven't read this book, but...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducingBreaking Up Is Hard To Do by Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt(Published by FaithWords, April 16, 2009

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

ANNE DAYTON graduated from Princeton University and is earning her master's degree in English literature at New York University. She works for a New York publishing company and lives in Brooklyn.

MAY VANDERBILT graduated from Baylor University and went on to earn a master's degree in fiction from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in San Francisco, where she writes about food, fashion, and nightlife in the Bay Area.

Together, the two women are the authors of Miracle Girls

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ana, Christine, Riley, and Zoe have grown closer than ever over the past few months, but summer is over and it's time to put their friendship to the test.

It's been a little over a year since Christine Lee's mom passed away in a tragic car accident. Now her dad is engaged to Candace--"The Bimbo"--and Christine couldn't be less thrilled. When her attitude starts to take a toll on her schoolwork, the administration forces her to attend counseling sessions. At least she gets to skip gym class!

But with her father's wedding inching closer, Christine is growing even more bitter. To make matters worse, the Miracle Girls are beginning to drift apart. Christine's anger and the pressures of high school threaten to break the girls up when they need each other the most. Will they find a way to join together to help Christine come to terms with her mother's death . . . and her father's remarriage?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, go here.

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Bride In The Bargain by Deeanne Gist(Published by Bethany House, June 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Wedding Is All Planned...Someone Just Needs to Tell the Bride

In 1860s Seattle, redwoods were plentiful but women scarce. Yet a man with a wife could secure 640 acres of timberland for free.

Joe Denton doesn't have a wife, though. His died before she could follow him to Seattle and now the local judge is threatening to take away his claim. In desperation, he buys himself a Mercer bride--one of the eastern widows and orphans brought to the Territory by entrepreneur Asa Mercer.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Mercer is an escape from the aftermath of the Civil War. She signed on to become a cook--not a bride. When she's handed over to Denton, her stubborn refusal to wed jeopardizes his land. With only a few months before he loses all he holds dear, can he convince this provoking, but beguiling, easterner to become his lawfully wedded wife?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Deeanne Gist, the bestselling author of A Bride Most Begrudging and The Measure of a Lady, has a background in education and journalism. Her credits include People magazine, Parents, and Parenting. With a line of parenting products called "I Did It!® Productions" and a degree from Texas A&M, she continues her writing and speaking. She and her family live in Houston, Texas.

Since the debut of those novels, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, two RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.

Note: I have not read this book, I'm participating in a weekly blog tour. If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride In The Bargain, go here.

Introducing the Phrase American Dream

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James Truslow Adams (1878-1949) wrote The Epic of America in 1931, in it introducing the phrase "the American dream" for probably the first time in print. His writing is a product of the times and he is not without his biases (referring to the indigenous population as savages and 'naked Indians') but his commentary against consumerism and corporate greed could have appeared in last week's Time Magazine. Adams calls for an evaluation of our values as a nation and a commitment to those social standards that fulfill human potential and not just progress for the sake of progress:

If, as I have said, the things already listed were all we had had to contribute, America would have made no distinctive and unique gift to mankind. But there has been also the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.

Moving words and a worthy dream indeed. This reading was part of an assignment in my American Multicultural Literature class in which we also read, discussed, and compared The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus and Ellis Island by Joseph Bruchac.

The New Colosssus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightening, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries shee
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

(Note: I'm using the Firefox plug-in Zemanta for the first time on this blog. Based on what I wrote, it suggested the graphic and a couple links and tags. Cool.)