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Off the Shelf
Pritchett gets good grade for 'Melancholy Fate'
Jessie Burche
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Culture
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And the reader doesn't feel sorry for Bill's need for a solid relationship with a woman to stabilize his life; readers sympathize with him because that need is so urgent and incredibly heart-wrenching.
In class, Pritchett has told students it's hard for a reader to like a character who leaves a dedicated relationship.
He comes close to breaking this rule when Bill almost has an affair with Joanie and later with Rita. Pritchett included this to show an aspect of relationships men struggle with.
"Fidelity is something that men generally have a problem with," Pritchett said. "I was really interested in doing a story about a guy who's having a great problem being true to his marriage and contrasting that to Lewis who was absolutely in the opposite position; he could not find anyone who would marry him."
Pritchett worried in the interview he had broken another rule of modern writing: The story must have some tension all the way through it.
"The [Lewis and Clark] expedition has its own [story] arc," Pritchett said. "I was afraid once I let the dramatic tension lapse I couldn't get tension to build up towards Lewis' suicide."
That's right, Lewis committed suicide. Don't worry, Bill lets the reader know about Lewis' tragic fate throughout the book; the ending is more surprising.
There is only one rule Pritchett definitely breaks. A character who is on the Lewis and Clark expedition finds a golf ball from the future.
Even with the blatant broken rule, this book is a great read. It's local, which is one of the best parts, and the reading experience is vivid.
I give "The Melancholy Fate of Capt. Lewis" an A plus.
jburche@gmail.com
In class, Pritchett has told students it's hard for a reader to like a character who leaves a dedicated relationship.
He comes close to breaking this rule when Bill almost has an affair with Joanie and later with Rita. Pritchett included this to show an aspect of relationships men struggle with.
"Fidelity is something that men generally have a problem with," Pritchett said. "I was really interested in doing a story about a guy who's having a great problem being true to his marriage and contrasting that to Lewis who was absolutely in the opposite position; he could not find anyone who would marry him."
Pritchett worried in the interview he had broken another rule of modern writing: The story must have some tension all the way through it.
"The [Lewis and Clark] expedition has its own [story] arc," Pritchett said. "I was afraid once I let the dramatic tension lapse I couldn't get tension to build up towards Lewis' suicide."
That's right, Lewis committed suicide. Don't worry, Bill lets the reader know about Lewis' tragic fate throughout the book; the ending is more surprising.
There is only one rule Pritchett definitely breaks. A character who is on the Lewis and Clark expedition finds a golf ball from the future.
Even with the blatant broken rule, this book is a great read. It's local, which is one of the best parts, and the reading experience is vivid.
I give "The Melancholy Fate of Capt. Lewis" an A plus.
jburche@gmail.com
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