post by Ben Apland
I enjoyed reading this story, though I was confused by it. It started off kind of dull with the Narrator describing Niggle and his ideas about painting. He is also described as a kind hearted man. He goes out of his way from preparing for a journey (which I want to say is to some sort of afterlife but that idea never just popped out at me) to help Parish out with his wife and house since he has a bad leg.
It should be noted that Parish is a decent gardener and comments on the messiness of Niggle’s garden whenever he stops by. Then he finally goes on this journey and it seems like he is in a psych ward (to go along with my previous comment about the journey maybe this is some sort of purgatory where he waits to go to the next place) because he didn’t prepare for the journey at all and looked awful.
On page 113 of the story(247 in course pack) Niggle rides a bike through a gate which on the other side said it had spring sunshine. I think that could be a sort of paradise. He meets up with Parish again here and they end up creating this beautiful place. Niggle would create leaves and flowers and stuff and Parish would place them in the right spot. The story ends with the region they are in being called Niggle’s Parish in the bay.
I know stories don’t always have a definite theme to them but most of the time you can find one and get a feeling that, yep that is a good theme here. I never felt that with this story. I mean I think I got a semblance of one with the journey being an afterlife and the mystery place with the voice’s being some sort of purgatory.
The question I want to pose is what is the theme of this story? Leaf by Niggle seemed hard to find unlike the two stories by Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince and The Selfish Giant where there seemed to be an obvious theme. I think the themes of all three could have something to do with returning to paradise.
Monday, February 20, 2012
J R R Tolkien or 'Ronald'
post by Ben Apland
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. He later returned to England after his father died on February 15,1896. In 1900 his mom, Mabel, was received into the Roman Catholic Church and since then Ronald and his sister Hilary were brought up in the faith and remained devout Catholics the rest of their lives. In 1904 Ronald’s mom died of diabetes, it was pretty fatal in the pre-insulin days. After that Father Francis Morgan, who was a local Parish Priest who regularly visited the family, raised Ronald.
I believe he was a very devout Catholic or at least was good at following orders given to him: He met his wife Edith when he was 16. When he was 18 Father Francis forbade him from seeing her and even communicating with her for 3 years until he was 21. Ronald followed this to the tee and as soon as he was allowed to see her again he made sure he did. Rekindling the relationship did have its difficulties but it ended up working out and Edith even converted to Catholicism.
One of Ronald’s sons named, John Francis Reuel Tolkien, became Father John Tolkien. I think this is interesting because he seems to be named after Father Francis Morgan who was the priest that raised Ronald AND he also became a priest as well.
Ronald was a wiz at languages. He mastered Greek and Latin at a young age and even became competent in many other languages such as old Germanic and Finnish. He has even made up some languages of his own, most notably an elven language. He served for a bit in WW1 but only for 4 months after he got sent home to recover from trench fever. He got a position in the English department at the University of Leeds and while he was there founded a Viking club for undergraduates where they would read Old Norse sagas and drink beer.
He wrote many things, most notably The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. He also wrote many scholarly essays and translated some older Middle English texts such as Sir Gawain. He wrote some shorts stories one being "Leaf by Niggle" which we are reading for class.
Information from-
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html#1
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. He later returned to England after his father died on February 15,1896. In 1900 his mom, Mabel, was received into the Roman Catholic Church and since then Ronald and his sister Hilary were brought up in the faith and remained devout Catholics the rest of their lives. In 1904 Ronald’s mom died of diabetes, it was pretty fatal in the pre-insulin days. After that Father Francis Morgan, who was a local Parish Priest who regularly visited the family, raised Ronald.
I believe he was a very devout Catholic or at least was good at following orders given to him: He met his wife Edith when he was 16. When he was 18 Father Francis forbade him from seeing her and even communicating with her for 3 years until he was 21. Ronald followed this to the tee and as soon as he was allowed to see her again he made sure he did. Rekindling the relationship did have its difficulties but it ended up working out and Edith even converted to Catholicism.
One of Ronald’s sons named, John Francis Reuel Tolkien, became Father John Tolkien. I think this is interesting because he seems to be named after Father Francis Morgan who was the priest that raised Ronald AND he also became a priest as well.
Ronald was a wiz at languages. He mastered Greek and Latin at a young age and even became competent in many other languages such as old Germanic and Finnish. He has even made up some languages of his own, most notably an elven language. He served for a bit in WW1 but only for 4 months after he got sent home to recover from trench fever. He got a position in the English department at the University of Leeds and while he was there founded a Viking club for undergraduates where they would read Old Norse sagas and drink beer.
He wrote many things, most notably The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. He also wrote many scholarly essays and translated some older Middle English texts such as Sir Gawain. He wrote some shorts stories one being "Leaf by Niggle" which we are reading for class.
Information from-
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html#1
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Rambling Thoughts on "The Secret of Father Brown" and "The Oracle of the Dog"
The Secret of Father
Brown—
I did some digging, and found that the character of Father
Brown was actually inspired by Father John O’Connor, the priest who first
enlightened Chesterton about the sacrament of Confession. “To Father John O’Connor,
whose truth is stranger than fiction, with a gratitude greater than the world,”
is written in the dedication.
The story delves into major issues; the exploration of the
nature of sin, of confession, and of forgiveness. In high school, I read some of
the other collections of Father Brown stories and what sets this particular one
apart is that it includes both a ‘prelude’ and ‘postlude’ if you will, a scene
of Father Brown visiting Flambeau in later years. We know that Flambeau is a
former thief, former detective, and former sidekick of the priest, and we know
that he has married and retired to a mountain estate in Spain. The two of them
are being interviewed by an American reporter, Mr. Chace, who asks the
questions we would like to ask, but doesn’t get the sort of answers we might
expect. It is also interesting that Mr. Chace seems to have given Father Brown
celebrity status. “But Mr. Chace has heard of Father Brown, and his tone
faintly changed, as towards a celebrity.”
The genius of
Chesterton is that the answers are the stories themselves. Full of secrets, and
full of surprises.
We also know that Father Brown has a niece and that he is
her guardian, and that he is very fond of strong Protestants because he knows
they will tell the truth. And not surprisingly, the reader comes to know that
one of his heroes is Pope Leo XIII. “I believe he got it from Pope Leo XIII,
who was always rather a hero of mine.”
And then, Chesterton pulls a fast one. “You see, it was I
who killed all those people.” Father Brown makes his own startling confession
about how he solved the most puzzling murders.
If you aren’t startled…I don’t know.
The Priest’s methods are anything but modern. Father Brown
himself in a bit of a spurt cries out, “But what do these men mean, nine times
out of then, when they use it nowadays? When they say detection is a science?
When they say criminology is a science? They mean getting outside a man and
studying him as if he were a gigantic insect.” So, a criminologist tries to get
outside of the criminal and study him like a giant insect. But Father Brown
does the exact opposite. He tries to get inside
the criminal. “You may think a crime horrible because you could never commit
it. I think it horrible because I could commit it.”
Father Brown gets that understanding the motive for
the crime is more important than understanding the mechanics. To understand the
motive means to understand sin itself. We know that sin destroys, and that it
destroys from within. That’s exactly why it’s so destructive—it does its work
in the dark. What Father Brown is telling us is that the wildest crimes are not
the worst. It is the cold and calculated ones that are most horrifying,
committed by the man who lives only for this world, who believes that his success
and pleasure are the only important things, or even worse, who will do anything
to save his respectability.
See the whole “Prince of Paradox” thing?
It is worth showing just how opposite Father Brown is from
Sherlock Holmes (of whom Chesterton was a fan). Father Brown solves his crimes
through a strict reasoning process but is more wrapped up in spirituality and
philosophy than scientific details. His methods seem to be more intuitive than
deductive. And it may be worth noting that Chesterton wrote this story before
he converted to Catholicism.
The Oracle of the
Dog—
I loved the opening line of this story. “’YES,’ said Father
Brown, ‘I always like a dog, so long as he isn’t spelt backwards’.” I read it
is perhaps a questioning of God, interesting because Father Brown is a Priest,
which presents the reader with an interesting paradox.
One great detail of this story is Chesterton’s inclusion of
a “locked room mystery” within the story. Essentially, a man is stabbed to
death in a summer house to which every access route is guarded, and in which no
weapon is to be found.
“A dog is a devil of a ritualist. He is as particular about the precise
routine of a game as a child is about the precise repetition of a fairy−tale. In this case something had gone wrong
with the game. He came back to complain seriously of the conduct of the
stick. Never had a thing happened before. Never had an eminent and
distinguished dog been so treated by a rotten old walking−stick.”
We
know the circumstances involve the murder of Colonel Druce, in his isolated summerhouse on
the Yorkshire coast. A number of suspects slip in and out of view: the
Colonel’s solicitor, Mr. Aubrey Traill, Dr. Valentine, Janet Druce, the
daughter of the deceased and Valentine’s lover; Donald Druce, her brother;
Herbert and Harry Druce, nephews of the deceased; and Patrick Floyd, the
Colonel’s ingenious and startlingly arrogant American secretary. All of
them had motives and opportunities (given to us in pieces), as well as comments
on what actually happened. There is also one other witness who might know
much more than anyone else. Unfortunately all he can do is bark or howl,
like a dog.
What is
incredible is that in this case, by helping an eyewitness see his own evidence
in a different light, the priest-detective solves the murder of Colonel Druce
without even leaving his desk. I think Chesterton is trying to show that common
sense is not as common as we might like it to be, and if I can take a stab at
what he’d like the reader to take away I would say that the story prompts us to
take a fresh look at the assumptions that can cloud our vision.
My man, Gilbert Keith (G.K. Chesterton)
Ah, Gilbert Keith Chesterton.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a Chesterton fanatic. As such, my
thoughts on him may be a bit biased—though I’ll try to be objective. To start,
then, a few of my favorite quotes to convince you of his genius:
“You
say grace before meals.
All
right.
But
I say grace before the play and the opera,
And
grace before the concert and pantomime,
And
grace before I open a book,
And
grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming,
fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;
And
grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
“Poets
have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.”
“Let
your religion be less of a theory, and more of a love affair.”
“If
there were no God, there would be no Atheists.”
“I
believe in getting into hot water; it keeps you clean.”
“'My country, right or wrong' is a thing
no patriot would ever think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like
saying 'My mother, drunk or sober.'”
“The word ‘good’ has many meanings. For
example, if a man were to shoot his grandmother at a range of five hundred
yards, I should call him a good shot, but not necessarily a good man.”
Convinced?
A bit of
background: Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born May 29, 1874 in Kensington,
London, England and died at age 62 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.
He was educated at St. Paul’s School and attended the Slade School of Art in
order to become an illustrator and also took literature classes at University
College, London but did not obtain a degree from either institution. Instead,
he took up a job at a publishing company and did journalistic work as a
freelance art and literary critic. (How’d you like to have Chesterton critique
your work?) He married Frances Blogg in 1901, to whom he was married the rest
of his life. In 1902, he was given a weekly opinion column in the Daily News, and then in 1905 began a
weekly column in The Illustrated London
News, where he worked for the following thirty years.
The man
generally wore a cape and a crumpled hat, with a swordstick in hand and a cigar
in mouth. And if you’ve read his autobiography, you would know that he and
George Bernard Shaw played cowboys in a silent movie that was never released.
Furthermore, he has been dubbed “The Prince of Paradox.” He ultimately wrote
something like 80 books, several hundred poems, 200 short stories, 4000 essays,
and several plays. He is known for his work in philosophy, poetry, plays,
journalism, debating skill, literary criticism, Christian apologetics, and as
we know—fantasy/detective fiction. His work in brilliant—he’s the “prince of
paradox,” while simultaneously commenting on the world, matters of government,
philosophy, theology, etc. In addition, much of his work is still in print.
For our
class’ purposes, it may also be important to note that Chesterton referred to
himself as an “orthodox” Christian, and was a member of the Anglican Church.
Later in life, however, he came to identify more and more with Catholicism and
did ultimately convert in 1922.
In
conclusion, he’s great.
Quoted and
Paraphrased from:
http://www.chesterton.org/wordpress/
(you know you’re successful when you have your own society)
Friday, February 10, 2012
Who is "The Rich Brother?"
Since Tobias Wolff was raised under lost and unstable conditions as a child, "The Rich Brother" truly reflects his life journey in the form of both of the characters. This shows how the author is able to tie in his true life experiences with a fictional plot and truly engage the reader page by page in his narrative. While reading this short story, I found myself sitting next to Webster in the back seat watching the two brothers interact. Wolff is able to construct such a story that can weave in his religious views along with secular morals.
The story starts off very simply in a third person omniscient description of the two brothers and their financial states. He then goes along to talk about their jobs and their attitudes towards life, which is when the reader begins to notice the direct contrast between the two. This contrast sets the stage for later development in the story about how Pete is more concerned about the surface and helping with people's surface problems, mainly monetary, where Donald is concerned about people's inner problems with themselves. The contrast in where their compassion is focused directly ties into the last few sentences about when Pete tries to fool himself that he is okay with being alone and that this is what he wanted, while he is instinctually slowing down to turn around and pick up his brother (pg. 267).
I believe that this scene in the short story is paralleled to the Catholic faith because it emphasizes the fact that regardless of what a human being can do wrong, it is almost like God's instinct to turn around and pick us up and make sure we are brought to safety. Pete does not seem to develop an ability to be liked or not liked throughout the story, but he is seen as the good Samaritan character or the God figure because he is always willing to help out, even if it is surface level or physically going to pick up his brother. The God parallel is shown in an earlier seen in Denny's when he also takes in Webster, while he "still had it in mind to brush him off, but he didn't do that. Instead he unlocked the door for him" (pg. 261). This is a sign again that God will always be there welcoming everyone in, which is an important belief in the Catholic faith.
On page 256 when we actually meet Donald, we see his image and his backwards shirt saying "Try God." The idea that he put it on backwards from the church that he was kicked out of is very symbolic because he thinks he finally has found his way by trying religion, but he has just had another kick to the ground with these people, and he is all backwards and spun around again. He tries to start something new with his life and go towards religion, but he does it the wrong way and ends up the same way that he started.
On a more symbolic note, the entire short story can be seen as a journey, either to or away from God, but a journey. Almost the entire story takes place while they are driving down the road, away from the Christian church that had kicked Donald out, and towards the Catholic acceptance. This journey is a developing ride Donald and Pete because Pete realizes he has more to offer than just being "rich," and Donald understands that his compassion and good will can help him if he utilizes them correctly. We are never fully aware of where Donald's journey ends, but we are able to understand that Pete truly transforms into a caring and concerned human being.
The story starts off very simply in a third person omniscient description of the two brothers and their financial states. He then goes along to talk about their jobs and their attitudes towards life, which is when the reader begins to notice the direct contrast between the two. This contrast sets the stage for later development in the story about how Pete is more concerned about the surface and helping with people's surface problems, mainly monetary, where Donald is concerned about people's inner problems with themselves. The contrast in where their compassion is focused directly ties into the last few sentences about when Pete tries to fool himself that he is okay with being alone and that this is what he wanted, while he is instinctually slowing down to turn around and pick up his brother (pg. 267).
I believe that this scene in the short story is paralleled to the Catholic faith because it emphasizes the fact that regardless of what a human being can do wrong, it is almost like God's instinct to turn around and pick us up and make sure we are brought to safety. Pete does not seem to develop an ability to be liked or not liked throughout the story, but he is seen as the good Samaritan character or the God figure because he is always willing to help out, even if it is surface level or physically going to pick up his brother. The God parallel is shown in an earlier seen in Denny's when he also takes in Webster, while he "still had it in mind to brush him off, but he didn't do that. Instead he unlocked the door for him" (pg. 261). This is a sign again that God will always be there welcoming everyone in, which is an important belief in the Catholic faith.
On page 256 when we actually meet Donald, we see his image and his backwards shirt saying "Try God." The idea that he put it on backwards from the church that he was kicked out of is very symbolic because he thinks he finally has found his way by trying religion, but he has just had another kick to the ground with these people, and he is all backwards and spun around again. He tries to start something new with his life and go towards religion, but he does it the wrong way and ends up the same way that he started.
On a more symbolic note, the entire short story can be seen as a journey, either to or away from God, but a journey. Almost the entire story takes place while they are driving down the road, away from the Christian church that had kicked Donald out, and towards the Catholic acceptance. This journey is a developing ride Donald and Pete because Pete realizes he has more to offer than just being "rich," and Donald understands that his compassion and good will can help him if he utilizes them correctly. We are never fully aware of where Donald's journey ends, but we are able to understand that Pete truly transforms into a caring and concerned human being.
Tobias Wolff
As Jean W. Ross explains in Contemporary Authors, Wolff's upbringing is often seen in his writing and short stories with an undertone of truth and irony in his themes. This is directly paralleled to the people in his life and the encounters he had with phony family members and unreliable father figures. Wolff himself explains, "all of my stories are in one way or another autobiographical." This aspect of his writing has made him stand apart from different short story authors because not only do some of his characters stand as figures for his thoughts and words, but the events and things of the sort are parallels to his life and childhood. These characters may not depict his exact life, but what he would have done if he had chosen a certain path. He also grew up around adults and family members who were great story tellers, regardless of if that got them in trouble or not, and this lead him to being a great writer since he was six:
Both my father and my mother were great raconteurs, and my brother is also a wonderful story teller. It's always been the most natural kind of thing for me to do.
It is interesting to have the words of Tobias Wolff state, "obviously by the time I come to write the last draft, I know where every word is going to go, and every comma. It's in my mind from the beginning to the end, but there have been lots of surprises along the way that I hope the reader will feel even if I don't feel them when I'm writing the last draft." This is an interesting point to bring up for our class because he directly states that he knows every textual part of his works, but he wants the readers to pick apart every sentence and every idea to get the deeper meaning. This is a very interesting quote from Wolff because he early explains that majority of his characters are some sort of extension from himself, so he is allowing the reader to interpret his life and his journey in his or her own eyes and to pull out themes from his life.
Quoted and Paraphrased from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_Wolff
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2005-Pu-Z/Wolff-Tobias.html
Lyons, B., Oliver , B., & Tobias, W. (1990). An interview with tobias wolff. The University of Wisconsin Press, 31(1), 12-13. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1208633
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Last Year's Jesus & Tomato Watch
Last Year's Jesus
In Last Year's Jesus we follow the journey of a young girl as she watches a Passion Play set in the streets of Hamtramck, a Polish community near Detroit. We are given the events from her perspective which allows for in depth character knowledge. However, the reader may find themselves picking up on information about the girl, Theresa, from her comments that she herself does not realize.
From the very beginning we are presented with details of the Passion Play that indicate it is a poorly done imitation of the Passion of Christ.
Perhaps the most important character in the story is the nun, who is portrayed as a generally rude and obnoxious woman throughout the story. At the very end, this nun facilitates the revelation Theresa experiences. While Theresa is upset about her realization that she was delusional about last year's Jesus, the nun, "patted my shoulder with a touch more genuine than any I'd felt in months." The girl wants to find something real in her life, and it is found in a very unexpected place.
The final lines also reflect this search for a true God amidst all the false actions of people.
Tomato Watch
Tomato Watch was strongly focused on personal relationships. At it's center is a young woman named Lucy and her elderly grandfather, who she cares for throughout the story. Her grandfather is a senile 96 year old Polish immigrant who speaks very little English and has trouble functioning on his own.
The first event which demonstrates the growth of their relationship is the planting of tomatoes together in the front yard. These tomatoes act as a metaphor, for as they grow throughout the summer so does the bond between Lucy and her grandfather. They communicate through actions rather than conversations, and rarely speak to each other because of the language barrier.
During this metaphorical growth, a rather literal growth occurs. Lucy is pregnant and the father is her ex-boss with whom she was having an affair. Lucy does not believe she has the means to care for a child and considers an abortion. However, as the reader we can see that she is a good caregiver. She looks after her grandfather all summer and is capable of great protection and love.
The final scene contains the revelation for Lucy, in which she finally realizes what she wants out of life. Here, the tomato takes on yet another symbolic meaning. At the very end the tomato is ripe and has been picked, just as Lucy has allowed a decision to ripen in her mind.
Connections
In both stories we are faced with a female protagonist who must come to realization about herself. There are references to a Catholic way of living in each. In Last Year's Jesus we are literally taken through the journey of the girl through a Catholic tradition, a Passion Play. In the second story the grandfather is very religious and Lucy takes him to church. Also, Lucy finds her way through a connection with her grandfather, alluding to the sense of community Catholics utilize to become closer to God.
Interestingly, both stories also contrast modern characters with their elderly family members. These elderly characters help show the contrast between old ways of thinking and those that are more modern.
In Last Year's Jesus we follow the journey of a young girl as she watches a Passion Play set in the streets of Hamtramck, a Polish community near Detroit. We are given the events from her perspective which allows for in depth character knowledge. However, the reader may find themselves picking up on information about the girl, Theresa, from her comments that she herself does not realize.
From the very beginning we are presented with details of the Passion Play that indicate it is a poorly done imitation of the Passion of Christ.
Mary should have been weeping at the fate of her son, but instead she scowled, preoccupied with keeping her blue pillowcase veil from blowing off her head. Simon wore thick wool socks inside his sandals. How loyal was that? A dozen other Israelite mourners, men and women hugging their arms in the cold, followed a troop of Roman foot soldiers who cracked whips of frayed rope at Jesus's feet and back, urging him to get a move on.The sham Passion Play is reflective of many other shams occuring in Theresa's life, inclusive of her Grandmother's beliefs about religion, the way she acts around different groups of people, and the relationship she believes she has with last year's Jesus.
Perhaps the most important character in the story is the nun, who is portrayed as a generally rude and obnoxious woman throughout the story. At the very end, this nun facilitates the revelation Theresa experiences. While Theresa is upset about her realization that she was delusional about last year's Jesus, the nun, "patted my shoulder with a touch more genuine than any I'd felt in months." The girl wants to find something real in her life, and it is found in a very unexpected place.
The final lines also reflect this search for a true God amidst all the false actions of people.
Jesus on the cross cried out again, this time as scripted, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." As he finished his lament, a shaft of sunlight broke through the leaded sky, and everyone bowed to its glare.The timing of the sunshine is not something that was within human control and breakse the feeling of the scripted lines, said out of memory rather than feeling.
Tomato Watch
Tomato Watch was strongly focused on personal relationships. At it's center is a young woman named Lucy and her elderly grandfather, who she cares for throughout the story. Her grandfather is a senile 96 year old Polish immigrant who speaks very little English and has trouble functioning on his own.
The first event which demonstrates the growth of their relationship is the planting of tomatoes together in the front yard. These tomatoes act as a metaphor, for as they grow throughout the summer so does the bond between Lucy and her grandfather. They communicate through actions rather than conversations, and rarely speak to each other because of the language barrier.
During this metaphorical growth, a rather literal growth occurs. Lucy is pregnant and the father is her ex-boss with whom she was having an affair. Lucy does not believe she has the means to care for a child and considers an abortion. However, as the reader we can see that she is a good caregiver. She looks after her grandfather all summer and is capable of great protection and love.
The final scene contains the revelation for Lucy, in which she finally realizes what she wants out of life. Here, the tomato takes on yet another symbolic meaning. At the very end the tomato is ripe and has been picked, just as Lucy has allowed a decision to ripen in her mind.
Connections
In both stories we are faced with a female protagonist who must come to realization about herself. There are references to a Catholic way of living in each. In Last Year's Jesus we are literally taken through the journey of the girl through a Catholic tradition, a Passion Play. In the second story the grandfather is very religious and Lucy takes him to church. Also, Lucy finds her way through a connection with her grandfather, alluding to the sense of community Catholics utilize to become closer to God.
Interestingly, both stories also contrast modern characters with their elderly family members. These elderly characters help show the contrast between old ways of thinking and those that are more modern.
Ellen Slezak
Ellen Slezak grew up in the Detroit area, the middle child in a family of five daughters. She has strong Polish ancestry and many of her protagonists are also of Polish decent. She utilizes her knowledge of Polish culture to add authenticity to her character's cultural backgrounds. Slezak also includes places familiar to anyone who is familiar with Detroit and it's suburbs. This adds an element of reality to her fiction.
In her self reflective essay, Kissing Wayne Newton, Slezak discusses the closeness of her family. Interestingly, she comments of her mother, "She’s the one who taught me never to leave the house without a book..." Slezak views her mother as a positive influence and looked up to her as a girl. However, one of the major themes in Slezak's work is the absence of a mother figure for her characters.
Slezak appears to be preoccupied with the concept of an absent or silent mother since in her short story collection, Last Year 's Jesus, in seven out of ten texts, a child, most often a daughter, has to come to terms with a mother absent either physically due to death or abandonment or absent emotionally because of total involvement with another child who is sick or dying.Absent mothers seem to be a major concern of Slezak.
Also mentioned in Kissing Wayne Newton is Slezak's identity as a Catholic.
When I was a kid I had deeply ambivalent feelings about the Catholic Holy Week... I haven’t called myself a Catholic in more than thirty years, but my tall sister remains devout. I’d often challenged her about her Catholic faith, asking how she could identify as a member of a church that had doctrines against gay people, birth control, abortion, and women priests, when she herself supported gay rights, had used birth control, was pro-choice, and believed that a woman could turn water and wine into body and blood as well as any man.Despite these views on the religion she was raised in, the Catholic faith appears in many of Slezak's works. Many of her protagonists are Catholic or were raised in the Catholic religion. One review of her book states, Sadness and how the different characters deal with it form the basis for most of the plots in Last Year's Jesus. Many also deal in some way with the characters' religion, specifically Roman Catholicism." Despite her break with the Catholicism, it still greatly influences her writing.
Other than her collection of short stories, Last Year's Jesus, Slezak has also published a novel, All These Girls, as well as reviews in many publications.
If you want to check out Ellen Slezak's essay Kissing Wayne Newton, click here.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Luke Ripley: a Loving Father and a Religious Man
Andre Dubus is known for bringing his life into his stories. This is extremely noticeable in his story, "They Now Live in Texas." The story begins with a drunken drive home from a party. Although there was no car accident, I have to believe Dubus writing this scene comes from the night he lost his legs from an accident. Dubus has the uncanny ability to develop his characters, including his female characters. He is much better at developing characters of the opposite sex than other writers, including Flannery O'Connor. "They Now Live in Texas" does not give many concrete examples of Catholicism, but there are many Catholic undertones.
However, "A Father's Story" is very different in that Catholicism, and Luke Ripley's struggle with it, take center stage. Thomas E. Kennedy, in his research, states that, " Luke defines the parental function as a reflection of God’s fatherhood of mankind." Unfortunately, the problem with this argument is that Luke protects his daughter after she commits an incredible crime, far more complicated than this argument offers. Luke Ripley goes through many hardships in his life, including losing his entire family and living alone in his huge house. Dubus does a phenomenal job of emphasizing Luke's love and compassion for his family, even though they left him. He does this especially for his daughter, Jennifer, after she has committed a crime. He still protects her, loves her, and shows compassion for her.
Luke, however, has his fair share of problems with the Catholic Church. He disagrees with the Church's paternalistic overlooking of women. In opposition to his disagreement of this though, he extends the authority he finds at fault in the Church. "As Jesus forgives the prostitute her sins as she weeps at his feet, Luke forgives his tearful daughter her crime" (Luke 7.36‑50). "In the end, once more like Jesus, Luke allows Jennifer to go in peace" (Luke 7.50).
These biblical comparisons show how Luke perpetuates what he finds problematic with the Catholic Church.
When God accuses Luke of loving his daughter "more than you love Me", Luke responds sharply by saying "I love her more than I love truth." In associating truth with God in his response, he ratifies God’s moral position in his life at the same time as he qualifies it. By Luke equating God with a small "t" version of truth, an incidental version, rather than to the unequivocal capital "T" version, the absolute Truth. According to Luke’s reasoning it matters greatly that God never had a daughter. But just as important, following Luke’s implied reasoning, is the supposition that God never had a wife. And because Luke intimately understands the human circumstance of being able to have and lose a wife and daughter, he will continue to argue with a God and Church that seem unable to understand such a circumstance. While he may never function perfectly in either role, Luke will continue to be a very active, and troubled, Catholic and father, totally interwoven as the two roles have become for him.
However, "A Father's Story" is very different in that Catholicism, and Luke Ripley's struggle with it, take center stage. Thomas E. Kennedy, in his research, states that, " Luke defines the parental function as a reflection of God’s fatherhood of mankind." Unfortunately, the problem with this argument is that Luke protects his daughter after she commits an incredible crime, far more complicated than this argument offers. Luke Ripley goes through many hardships in his life, including losing his entire family and living alone in his huge house. Dubus does a phenomenal job of emphasizing Luke's love and compassion for his family, even though they left him. He does this especially for his daughter, Jennifer, after she has committed a crime. He still protects her, loves her, and shows compassion for her.
Luke, however, has his fair share of problems with the Catholic Church. He disagrees with the Church's paternalistic overlooking of women. In opposition to his disagreement of this though, he extends the authority he finds at fault in the Church. "As Jesus forgives the prostitute her sins as she weeps at his feet, Luke forgives his tearful daughter her crime" (Luke 7.36‑50). "In the end, once more like Jesus, Luke allows Jennifer to go in peace" (Luke 7.50).
These biblical comparisons show how Luke perpetuates what he finds problematic with the Catholic Church.
When God accuses Luke of loving his daughter "more than you love Me", Luke responds sharply by saying "I love her more than I love truth." In associating truth with God in his response, he ratifies God’s moral position in his life at the same time as he qualifies it. By Luke equating God with a small "t" version of truth, an incidental version, rather than to the unequivocal capital "T" version, the absolute Truth. According to Luke’s reasoning it matters greatly that God never had a daughter. But just as important, following Luke’s implied reasoning, is the supposition that God never had a wife. And because Luke intimately understands the human circumstance of being able to have and lose a wife and daughter, he will continue to argue with a God and Church that seem unable to understand such a circumstance. While he may never function perfectly in either role, Luke will continue to be a very active, and troubled, Catholic and father, totally interwoven as the two roles have become for him.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Andre Dubus
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| Andre Dubus |
In later years, Dubus went through many personal problems. To begin, his daughter was raped as a young adult causing him paranoia for him and his loved ones. He carried a gun wit him at all times, until he almost shot a man during a drunken argument outside a bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Following these problems, Dubus was critically injured in a car accident in 1986. He stopped to help a stranded brother and sister who had been in an accident. As he was moving the sister to the side of the road, a car swerved and hit them. The brother died instantly, and the sister had only survived because Dubus had pushed her out of the way. Dubus, however, suffered serious injuries to both of his legs. After many unsuccessful surgeries and infections, his left leg was amputated just above the knee. Eventually, he lost the use of his right leg as well. He was confined to a wheelchair, and battled clinical depression for the rest of his life. His third wife left him in the midst of all this, and took their two young daughters with her.
In leu of all these personal problems, Dubus still managed to remain extremely faithful to God. He possessed a deeply incarnational and sacramental Catholic spirituality. This spirituality strengthened him through all of his pain and loss. Through all of his problems, his writings actually gained more eloquence and passion. The accident changed his life tremendously, and he made sure to note that in his writings. Even writing,
“I said through my weeping: I’m not a man among men anymore and I’m not a man among women either…Then [the therapist] looked up at me. Her voice has much peace whose resonance is her own pain she has moved through and beyond. It’s in Jeremiah, she said. The potter is making a pot and it cracks. So he smashes it, and makes a new vessel. You can’t make a new vessel out of a broken one. It’s time to find the real you.”This quote shows how passionate he was about his Catholicism, his personal problems, and his writings. He was not ashamed to mention the fact that he was crying in front of his female physical therapist. He was not ashamed of this because her message was so strong, and he took it to heart. Dubus' faith was always extremely noticeable in his writings. It is said that, "Readers will find some of the most impassioned, powerful words concerning the sacramental life, particularly Eucharist, to be found in contemporary spiritual writing" (Amy Welborn).
Dubus' writing was full of Catholic beliefs, faiths, and sacremental comparisons. He loved his life, he loved his faith, and he loved to write about both. His understanding of and compassion for his own characters, despite their flaws and limitations, is expressive of a spirituality rooted in God’s passionate and unrelenting love for His creatures, offering the touch of grace no matter what place they have come to rest.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Thoughts on “Good for the Soul”
I think Good for the Soul and
Bugman shared the several common
messages. One, things that seem
insignificant and meaningless may actually be very important and significant. Good can come out of terrible situations if
we let it. We briefly discussed this idea in class. It’s something J.R.R. Tolkien called the eucatastrophe,
“the good catastrophe.” Both stories describe
eucastrophes, bad situations that good later came out of. In Good
for the Soul, the irresponsible Father Ledet causes an accident driving under
the influence on his way to administer Annointing of the Sick for the dying
Clyde Arceneaux(100). Father Clyde is clearly a human priest. He embodies the fact that good and grace can
come through even flawed persons who sometimes give into temptation. Some other themes found in Good for the Soul include temptation and
forgiveness.
When Father Ledet finally
arrives from the crash site, Clyde asks for the Sacrament of confession
instead. In a humorous scene, Clyde begins
by confessing missing mass “damn near seven hundred and fifty times.” Clyde then interrupts his confession by asking
questions about the purpose of hell. After
discussing hell and punishment, he goes on to admit he has withheld on sin. Father Ledet responds “Well, it’s now or
never,” something he immediately regrets.
Clyde eventually confesses stealing Nelson’s car to prevent him from waking
him and everyone up in the neighborhood.
He is most ashamed of this (102). Father Ledet leaves giving Clyde a light
penance and suggesting that if he’d like he could tell Nelson his crime if he’d
like.
Father Ledet is ticketed for driving under the influence and loses
his license (103). He struggles to stay
away from alcohol (105). Clyde’s wife
later confronts Father Ledet, bemoaning the fact that Clyde wants to return the
stolen car to Nelson and revealing to everyone before he’s dead that he’s a
thief. Later in the confessional, she
proposes to Fr. Ledet that he return the car late at night. He is later guilt tripped by Mrs. Barrilleaux
who he had hurt in the car crash to go through with the plan. He decides to drink before he returned the
car in order to build his “courage.” As
he tries to return the car, he is found out in a very public way, but he doesn’t
reveal who had originally stolen the car.
In the end, the rejection and shame Fr. Ledet endures is made
worth it, when he sees Clyde in Mass for the first time in fifteen years.
In Good for the Soul the eucatastrophe is presented in a more humorous way. The eucatastrophe in Bugman is much more serious. Mrs. Malone is impregnated and abandoned by McCall. She schedules an abortion (117). Later, we find out she decides to keep the child (119). The heartbreaking and stressful experience with McCall results in a son whom she loves and cares for. Felix the Bugman acts as a means of grace although he is also flawed. Though Felix is usually gently and easy going he has the capacity for evil and violence as can seen in his attack against the Scalsons (118). If it had not been for Felix, Mrs. Malone would not have experienced her eucatastrophe. Felix seems to recognize this in the end.
In Good for the Soul the eucatastrophe is presented in a more humorous way. The eucatastrophe in Bugman is much more serious. Mrs. Malone is impregnated and abandoned by McCall. She schedules an abortion (117). Later, we find out she decides to keep the child (119). The heartbreaking and stressful experience with McCall results in a son whom she loves and cares for. Felix the Bugman acts as a means of grace although he is also flawed. Though Felix is usually gently and easy going he has the capacity for evil and violence as can seen in his attack against the Scalsons (118). If it had not been for Felix, Mrs. Malone would not have experienced her eucatastrophe. Felix seems to recognize this in the end.
Timothy Gatreaux – A Catholic Who Happens to Write
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| Tim Gautreaux 2008 Image by Randy Bergeron |
I prefer to think of myself as “A writer who happens to live in
the South,” so by extention I prefer to be “A Catholic who happens to write.” -Timothy Gautreaux
Timothy Gautreaux was born in 1947, in Morgan City, Louisiana, a
son of a tugboat captain and the grandson of a steamboat chief engineer1. In an interview with Christopher Scanlan, he
recounts how, as a youth, he had enjoyed using a typewriter someone had given
him and penning tall tales about hunting alligators to his pen pals. Gautreaux did not begin to take writing
seriously until he took a writing course under Walker Percy. He later became a creative writing teacher at
Southeastern Louisiana University where
he was eventually named writer in residence2. Today Gautreaux is retired, married and the
father of grown children, he lives north of Lake Pontchartrain in Hammond, Loisianna3.
Relationship
to Catholicism
I've always been a Roman
Catholic, since baptism, since birth1.
-Timothy Gautreaux
Timothy Gautreaux grew up in a very Catholic town in a Louisiana. He describes it as “a place where a local
waitress…might habitually remind customers who had ordered a dish containing
meet that it was Friday.2” He speaks highly of the nuns that taught
him during the twelve years he attended Catholic Parochial school. During his childhood, Gautreaux’s mother made
sure that he observed all the precepts Church and many of the devotions. Today, Gautreaux prefers to describes himself
as “Catholic who happens to write” as opposed to a Catholic writer2.
Writing
Every little neighborhood contains all the universal themes any writer needs.
-Timothy Gautreaux
Gautreax’s
writing often takes place in Louisiana where he spent most of his life. He often depicts life in small towns and rural area.
He tends to focus on less educated towns and rural areas because the
people there are “infinitely more creative” in the way they express themselves2. Gautreaux’s writing is often humorous, but he
is also competent in writing darker and more serious works as is evident from
his novel The Clearing.
Works Cited
1. Bauer, Margaret D. "An Interview with Tim
Gautreaux: "Cartographer of Louisiana Back Roads"" Southernspaces.org. Southern Spaces, 28 May 2009. Web. 01 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.southernspaces.org/2009/interview-tim-gautreaux-cartographer-louisiana-back-roads>.
2. Nisly, L. Lamar. "A Catholic Who
Happens to Write: An Interview with Tim Gautreaux." Interdisciplinary
Literary Studies 8.2 (2007): 92-99.
3. Scanlan, Christopher. "Tim
Gautreaux." Http://clatl.com. Creative Loafing
Atlanta, 17 June 2004. Web. 01 Feb. 2012.
<http://clatl.com/atlanta/tim-gautreaux/Content?oid=1248256>.
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