Stones from the River, by Ursula Hegi.

Ophelia

This is a side-bar discussion of Stones from the River, by Ursula Hegi.

Will you join Saffron and me?

Ophelia · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:14 am Post subject:

Chaptr 1: Introduction of the heroine:

Choosing a heroine, Trudy Montag, with an appearance that will set her apart from the others, and also who has a gift: being able to see the pastand the future simultaneously, p 11.

Main characters in novels whose appearance is distateful to others, and who are thus set apart:

- Elphaba, in Maguire's Wicked, is green.

- Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.

- The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo ... not quite though. This is the English title, the French title is Notre Dame de Paris.
Quasimodo is a hunchback but Hugo did not see him as the main character, the main character being the cathedral.

At first glance, there aren't that many such characters chosen to be the hero of a novel.

Can you think of others?

Saffron · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject:

Ophelia:

Ophelia · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject:

I'm making progress in the reading of Stones from the River.

Saffron, since you've read the whole book, would you like to give a few questions or directions that I could address as I read so we can get started?

Indigo · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:37 pm Post subject:

I think that one of the things that results from Trudi being a dwarf is a muddying of the self/other distinction--something particularly important in a novel that addressed Germany under Nazism. Trudi is self: a citizen of Burgdorf, a member of the community (a limited member, but not actually an outcast). And Trudi is other: a "disfigured" oddity, someone who will always be different. The Jews are self: neighbors, friends, would-be lovers, self-identified Germans, members of the community. And the Jews are other: a group that comes to be avoided, disdained, and ultimately shipped off (and worse).

Ophelia · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:42 am Post subject:

This is interesting, thanks Indigo.

Saffron · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:19 am Post subject:

In chapter one we are introduced to Trudi and Georg, both children that are disappointments to their mothers. The impact on both the mother and the child is enormous. In a way this sets up a major theme in Hegi's novel. Expending too much energy on rejecting, hating, trying to force one's will on another corrupts and distorts.
Saffron

Ophelia · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:

Saffron · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject:


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