Re: JCO: New story: Spider Boy
Hi, Laurie: That's the truth. TV's come eons since FATHER KNOWS BEST, a
show I still enjoy, with it's playful, old-fashioned moral lessons and
instruction in middle class deportment.
I just read "Spider Boy" in the New Yorker. For me, the story did its
crucial pivot the first time the words "the hitchhiker" appear. From there the
story took off! I liked the theme of the story -- which also appeared in
JCO's young adult novel FREAKY GREEN EYES -- that when a young person elects to do
the morally right act, that choice can make his/her life very difficult and
unpleasant for a LONG time. (Unlike in Father Knows Best, where the correct
moral choice may make the young hero/heroine's life a bit uncomfortable for a
little while, but one always gets Father's quiet, wholehearted approval and warm
support.)
When the hero of "Spider Boy" is ordered out of the car and decides to
walk up a hiking trail, I was frantic to see where in hell this story was
headed. I was afraid he might encounter some Arnold Friend type up the path. What
he does encounter on the hiking trail created a deeply poignant effect: the
expression of his heart's secret desire -- impossible to be fulfilled now,
thanks to what has happened in his family.
Other JCO stories that came to mind around "Spider Boy" were those that
deal with a young person being used as "bait" by a predator: ie "The Girl With
the Blackened Eye," the novella FIRST LOVE, and the novel MAN CRAZY.
There's also the theme of the young person who discovers that his/her
parent has committed an unforgiveable crime, as in the short story "The Fruit
Cellar" or the novel FREAKY GREEN EYES. I know there are other examples of
this theme in other fiction, but I'm spacing now: I guess WONDERLAND comes
close: what Jesse's father does to the kids in his family at the start of the
novel. JCO grapples with issues that few other writers care to explore. I used
"The Girl With the Blackened Eye," in a class a few years back, and most of
the women were very upset with it and wondered why JCO would write such a
disturbing tale, and make it so hard to forget. One reader was nearly in tears, as
though someone had forced her to watch pornography.
Cyrano
In a message dated 9/13/2004 3:49:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
laurie@betteredit.net writes:
<< Maybe in the old days the New Yorker was more
exclusively urban and middle class. So was TV, back in
the 50s!
Laurie >>
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show I still enjoy, with it's playful, old-fashioned moral lessons and
instruction in middle class deportment.
I just read "Spider Boy" in the New Yorker. For me, the story did its
crucial pivot the first time the words "the hitchhiker" appear. From there the
story took off! I liked the theme of the story -- which also appeared in
JCO's young adult novel FREAKY GREEN EYES -- that when a young person elects to do
the morally right act, that choice can make his/her life very difficult and
unpleasant for a LONG time. (Unlike in Father Knows Best, where the correct
moral choice may make the young hero/heroine's life a bit uncomfortable for a
little while, but one always gets Father's quiet, wholehearted approval and warm
support.)
When the hero of "Spider Boy" is ordered out of the car and decides to
walk up a hiking trail, I was frantic to see where in hell this story was
headed. I was afraid he might encounter some Arnold Friend type up the path. What
he does encounter on the hiking trail created a deeply poignant effect: the
expression of his heart's secret desire -- impossible to be fulfilled now,
thanks to what has happened in his family.
Other JCO stories that came to mind around "Spider Boy" were those that
deal with a young person being used as "bait" by a predator: ie "The Girl With
the Blackened Eye," the novella FIRST LOVE, and the novel MAN CRAZY.
There's also the theme of the young person who discovers that his/her
parent has committed an unforgiveable crime, as in the short story "The Fruit
Cellar" or the novel FREAKY GREEN EYES. I know there are other examples of
this theme in other fiction, but I'm spacing now: I guess WONDERLAND comes
close: what Jesse's father does to the kids in his family at the start of the
novel. JCO grapples with issues that few other writers care to explore. I used
"The Girl With the Blackened Eye," in a class a few years back, and most of
the women were very upset with it and wondered why JCO would write such a
disturbing tale, and make it so hard to forget. One reader was nearly in tears, as
though someone had forced her to watch pornography.
Cyrano
In a message dated 9/13/2004 3:49:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
laurie@betteredit.net writes:
<< Maybe in the old days the New Yorker was more
exclusively urban and middle class. So was TV, back in
the 50s!
Laurie >>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tone Clusters: The Joyce Carol Oates discussion group
To send a message to the group, email jco@usfca.edu
To subscribe, email majordomo@usfca.edu: subscribe jco
To unsubscribe, email majordomo@usfca.edu: unsubscribe jco
posted by Admin at
1:47 PM
