Fictocritically writing about So Much Water So Close to Home

Transcription

1 Creating Modernist Literary Writing Sample Page Fictocritically writing about So Much Water So Close to Home The following is a fictocritical response to So Much Water So Close to Home, which tells the story of the implications of men discovering a girl s dead body while on a fishing trip. The writing draws from the following elements in the story: how the fish seem more tasty for the men after fishing in the river where the girl s dead body is left attached to a rock the symbolism of the fish and the wisdom they represent. Fictocritically writing includes a direct critique of text and context. It is also a form of selfreflexivity because the new piece of writing reflects on the individual and its connection to culture. For example, in the following fictocritical piece of writing a comment is made on Indigenous cultures and how these have been affected by colonisation. To write this piece research was undertaken on the natural landscape in Washington State in America and the effect of colonisation on the Indigneous population of America. The fictocritical piece explores the wisdom of native cultures and how despite the passing of time, their wisdom and values continue to affect us in the present. Theories of dreams, in particular by Carl Jung, and Aboriginal Dreaming also contributed to the fictocritical piece. As you read the fictocritical writing below, take note of how the perspective of the fish is represented to make a comment on the original short story. Take note also of how the modernist writing techniques we have been exploring in this work ebook, such as the everyday, minute details and the transcendental, are represented in the narrative. Since time began, men have been fishing in our waters. In the beginning they came to purify their souls. Now they come to find them. After the invasion by the white man, men kept coming to the river and taking our fish till there were very few left. We began to worry. Until finally one day, a man gave something back. He carried a woman in his arms and stumbled toward the bank of the river. She was naked. He was fully clothed. Her body was limp and she dangled like a rag doll. He stared into the river. He could see the water trickle over the rocks and the sun dancing, but nothing more. He looked away, ashamed, and lifted his shoulder up to his face to wipe his tear. He sat down beside the water s edge. He placed her body over his thighs. She was faced down with her legs in the water. The water lapped at her legs. Beckoning. He combed her hair with his fingers. Down her back. He sobbed sorry. Oily fluid floated out from between her legs. He splashed the water, defusing the mixture like bubbles in a bath. He collapsed his body. His shoulders

2 shook uncontrollably. Tears mixed with his mucus. He rested his ear on her back and looked down her body into the river. He cried, Oh mother, what have I done? I love her. I love her. With his hands he smoothed his fluids into the hollow of her back. She began to slip away from him. I pulled her into the river. He panicked. His palms slapped her flesh. His nails scraped her skin into wood shavings. She slid into the water. Grateful. He held onto the tips of her fingers for a moment and let her go. Her body floated down the river. I asked her to tell me what she saw. I see women in the river plaiting each other s long black hair. They cup water in their hands and pour it like a waterfall onto their daughter s backs. Fish swim past and rub their scales like a cat along the women s thighs. The girls laugh. How they laugh. Up stream the men scoop up the fish in the water with their bare hands. The water flows down their arms into the mouths of their sons. Thank you they say and place the fish in the pouches on their backs. The fish wriggle till they breathe no more. I nibble on her flesh and drink her wine. I feel lighter yet I am growing. Firmer. Softer. Kinder. My last meal. Shelley McNamara, Fish Task 6.9: Fictocritically writing about So Much Water Time: 30 minutes a Choose one thing (living or not) from Carver s short story So Much Water So Close to Home. Whatever or whoever you choose will be your main character. Try to represent this character s perspective through an authentic voice. Below are some possibilities: minor or main characters in the short story such as Claire or Stuart, the man in the truck who approaches Claire on the road to Susan s funeral, Susan Miller (either dead or alive), etc. the fish in the sea that nibble on Susan s dead body or the fish the men eat the river where Susan s body is found the fishing rod the men use the trees along the river Your choice:

3 b Explain what it is about this character s perspective that you are drawn to? What modernist ideas do you think you can explore through this character s voice? c Stream of conscious write about the ideas that come to mind when you think about this character s perspective. Try not to overthink it when you write, but let ideas, concepts, words and phrases come to you. Don t judge them. Let them have a voice. Use your own paper. d Write a fictocritical piece of writing from this character s perspective (about words) using an authentic voice. In your piece of writing explore your understanding of the modernist ideas represented in So Much Water So Close to Home. You might also like to use similar writing techniques to Carver such as minute details of the everyday, dialogue and the transcendental mixed in with description. You can writing in any form you choose poetry, prose poem (like the example above), short story, script, etc. You might like to undertake some research to develop your appreciation and understanding of the short story. Below are some ideas to get your started. Washington State Pacific Northwest region of America, especially in the 1980s American Indians colonisation of the American West symbolism of water, fish, the body, etc. Use your own paper.

4 Task 6.10: Reflecting on your fictocritical writing Time: 30 minutes a Reflect on your fictocritical piece of writing by responding to the following questions: i How did your chosen character s perspective impact on your ability to explore modernist ideas? ii How did your chosen form of writing enhance or detract from your ability to communicate your ideas and represent an authentic voice?

5 iii How does your fictocritical piece of writing contribute to the significance of the original text?