ENCW 202 Spring 2020
Posted in Desperation, Fragility on Apr 1st, 2020
In the story “Smack” we see the protagonist, Nicola, struggle with her failing marriage with Daniel. We learn that our main character is facing the reality of her husband moving out and leaving, along with the emotional abuse from their relationship. Her type of television is the sort that Daniel says speaks weakness to character […]
Posted in coronavirus, Fragility on Mar 20th, 2020
Here is another interesting article, one that discusses both Albert Camus’s novel The Plague and Elia Kazan’s film Panic in the Streets. The essay’s author, J. Hoberman, writes: Camus’s Plague and Kazan’s Panic are both set in port cities open to the world and feature dedicated medical protagonists who struggle against apathetic authorities. The Plague evokes the […]
Posted in coronavirus, dystopia, Fragility on Mar 19th, 2020
The outbreak of Covid-19 brings the fantastic into the non-fiction. In this class, we discuss the fantastic and scary aspects of stories, not our current state. According to the CDC, the number of cases was 4,226 on March 16th for the United States. Today, March 18th, the number is 9,345. World wide the virus has infected 219,228. If […]
Posted in coronavirus, Death, Desperation, Fragility, Loneliness, Longing for Answers on Mar 16th, 2020
This pandemic is undoubtedly fantastic. It makes me think of The Memory Police. In comparison, the current situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) is temporary (hopefully), whereas in the novel, they were permanent, and we retain our memories of the things we have lost. Our freedom has been limited. We must practice social distancing and for […]
As the story began, I thought the point of view of “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” was very important. The story begins when a supernatural weather occurrence happens and no one knows what is happening. One day, a weak old man is found lying in the mud. Everyone is curious and frightened, but […]
I think “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” brings up some very interesting points and questions about human behavior — in particular, our inclination to trap all that is different and perhaps all that is beautiful. Throughout the story, the characters are incredibly fascinated by all that is out of the ordinary, but instead of admiring […]
Posted in Desperation, Fragility, Motherhood on Mar 5th, 2020
God, “Salt Slow” was a gut-wrenching read. There was something about it that felt like a confession, as if it were a piece that I should be looking away from. A part of “Salt Slow” that resonated so massively was this love between the man and woman that seemed to be eroding, which as the […]
Posted in Death, Fragility, Loneliness on Mar 2nd, 2020
Three of Julia Armfield’s stories in a row have been about showcasing how fragile relationships can be: “Granite,” in which Maggie falls too hard for a man and he turns to stone; “Smack,” in which Nicola hides out in her husband’s beach house and contemplates their marriage; and “Cassandra After,” in which the narrator reminisces about her relationship with […]