week 13: Fever Dream
I found this to be a rather odd and perplexing read, but I also find the book fascinating at the same time, and furthermore what a unique read to end the course on that speaks to current global implications.
I actually found my notes mainly revolving around the details of the characters and the plot just to keep it all straight. The two perspectives of the unfolding story are being told. The character named Amanda, who is dying in a hospital, is constantly communicating and seemingly is ‘guided’ by David, who is prompting her story. Another storyline is Amanda interacting with other characters, primarily her daughter, Nina, and Carla, who is David’s mother and is explaining what happened to David. David often admonished Amanda that the details she was providing were not important. He seemed to be both answering and not answering Amanda‘s questions as she was trying to piece together and to understand what happened. He is focused on wanting to know about the worms and prompts Amanda to provide those details. Along with the worms, she also alludes to certain details which seem to vaguely fill in the blanks of her story. Her recollection of the bitter tasting dew which she and Nina walked through leads the reader to connect that experience with the many deformed children in the town not born right. Amanda frequently refers to a concept she named her rescue distance and which connects her as a mother to being able to protect her daughter.
The impact of the uncertain nature throughout the book leaves the reader with many unanswered questions, and a vague understanding of what might actually be transpiring. It is difficult to know what actually happened when one character feels certain details are important and the other deems them not important. David prompts Amanda’s story in an attempt to clarify and specify details, but the answers themselves almost seem to raise more questions. There are ripples embedded within this complex issue and the evasiveness throughout the story seemingly represents the convoluted and destructive nature of it all. “You still haven’t realized. You still need to understand” (131), just as David has set expectations for Amanda to “understand” her story, I feel as though our experience as the reader can mirror the lack of understanding or transparency that Amanda experiences. Constantly being set up to distrust our own senses and understanding of reality, and are inherently vulnerable to the unseen and unknown. Amazing how Schweblin has facilitated this global symbolism that is represented through this story.
My question for discussion - What would you as the reader imagine the poison to be, if it was not explained in the lecture video?
Thanks for you blog post! Probably that feeling of vulnerability is what we are left with after finishing reading the novel. That is why the characters try to find meaning in the facts and words that sustain a rationale outside of ordinary logic. The disease is visible and the damage to the body is real, but the characters care about filling in those blanks you obsessively mention. But the senses (in the full extension of the word) fail. I'm curious to know how you interpret the concept of "rescue distance" in the context of the novel, since you mention it.
ReplyDeleteHey! I really enjoyed your opinion and imput on this weeks reading, asnwering your question, I would probably feel extremely confused and vulnerable, specially consideirng that the narration by itslef with no context can be kin of consfusing at times and could create a sense of being lost or disoriented the whole time.
ReplyDelete-Montserrat Avendano
Hi there,
DeleteThanks for sharing with us.
To address your question, I think the water was probably the most contaminated. In third world countries, the water is a very risky thing to drink in some countries, also depending on the neighbour. But in general, maybe one could say that everything is contaminated and that is also apart of the anxious narrative.
From Niko^
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