JCO: Re: Black Water
When writers like JCO create, do you think they have these greater themes and deep symbolisms in mind, or are they simply writing a good story? Is it we the readers who find meaning in the story?
>>> jward1108@hotmail.com 1/20/2006 10:58 AM >>>
>>> jward1108@hotmail.com 1/20/2006 10:58 AM >>>
Power is seductive, to those with power and to those near the powerful.
We are all complicit in our own fate, but, that being said, there is no
way Kelly could have anticipated her specific fate when she got in the
car with the Senator. She is the victim of the Senator's ambition, which
is so powerful that it prevents him from doing what almost any other
individual would have done had their passenger been trapped in a car
under water. He could have tried to rescue her but chose not to. He
could have called for help but chose not to. She must have thought he
would return to save her or would at least send someone down into the
black water to save her. Anyone in such dire circumstances would
continue to hope until the oxygen was depleted enough for them to fall
unconscious.
I haven't read Black Water in several years, but the horror that Kelly
faced in the cold black water stays with me emotionally, even after I
have forgotten most of the details of the story.
Jane
----- Original Message -----
From: <boardingchick421@aol.com>
To: <jco@usfca.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: JCO: Discussion Question
>I think in a way she is some what responsable for her fate. She allowed
>the Senator to have complete control over her and not standing up for
>herself. --She would not speak up about going the wrong way--. Although
>she obviously can not see into the future about her fate with this man,
>she should not have let him overpower her the way he did.
>
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We are all complicit in our own fate, but, that being said, there is no
way Kelly could have anticipated her specific fate when she got in the
car with the Senator. She is the victim of the Senator's ambition, which
is so powerful that it prevents him from doing what almost any other
individual would have done had their passenger been trapped in a car
under water. He could have tried to rescue her but chose not to. He
could have called for help but chose not to. She must have thought he
would return to save her or would at least send someone down into the
black water to save her. Anyone in such dire circumstances would
continue to hope until the oxygen was depleted enough for them to fall
unconscious.
I haven't read Black Water in several years, but the horror that Kelly
faced in the cold black water stays with me emotionally, even after I
have forgotten most of the details of the story.
Jane
----- Original Message -----
From: <boardingchick421@aol.com>
To: <jco@usfca.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: JCO: Discussion Question
>I think in a way she is some what responsable for her fate. She allowed
>the Senator to have complete control over her and not standing up for
>herself. --She would not speak up about going the wrong way--. Although
>she obviously can not see into the future about her fate with this man,
>she should not have let him overpower her the way he did.
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
8:15 AM
