Re: JCO: Upon the Sweeping Flood

Hi, Jane. "Upon the Sweeping Flood" is a prime example of the kind of JCO
story wherein a "normal, decent" person discovers -- while under unprecedented
stress -- that he/she contains heretofore unsuspected reserves of violence and
"primitive" instincts. The widespread civil breakdown around the recent
hurricane is a frightening illustration of how fragile society really is. At
first -- up here in Boston -- people were chuckling at the image of people
stealing TVs during the floods, but that quickly gave way to speechless dismay when
the silly luxury-item thefts turned into rapes and fights over food and
drinking water. Personally, I have a renewed appreciation for civilization
post-Katrina. (I'm also feeling increasingly nostalgic for the 20th century :>}) I
don't think I'm the only person who is now pondering a game plane should such a
catastrope strike my own region. For example: can I perform basic first aid?
Do I have an escape route in mind? Do I have relatives or friends in other
parts of the world who would be willing to host me and my family for a few
weeks if we lost everything we had?
JCO has never lost sight of the fact that many Americans live a
relatively protected life from the miseries that plague many other, less affluent parts
of the world.
Cyrano

In a message dated 9/7/2005 1:48:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jward1108@hotmail.com writes:

<< The first time I read Upon the Sweeping Flood, I could not understand
the ending. I now have a hard time reading about the crazed protagonist
beating the life out of the boy. Watching the horror on TV about such
things happening on such a massive scale in New Orleans made me think
again about this story. JCO's realistic portrayal of senseless tragedy
captured that sense of horror.
Jane >>
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