• In total there are 5 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 5 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

#99: Sept. - Oct. 2011 (Fiction)
lindad_amato
Intelligent
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
13
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 87 times

Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Part I
lindad_amato
Intelligent
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
13
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 87 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

So, The Falls starts off with what might have been the end of the story. How do you feel about this approach?
Even though we know what happens from the beginning did anyone get a sense of foreboding from Chap 2 and 3?
WildCityWoman
Genius
Posts: 759
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:09 am
16
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Worked ok for me - I liked the way the story was told. Opening with the gatekeeper's take on things.
User avatar
smileyface123123
Master Debater
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 7:14 pm
12
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Starting out with the anonymous man throwing himself over the falls was a good way to begin the story. We get right into the action. It also opens up all kinds of questions that make us want to read more.

The sense of foreboding was there in both Ariah's and Gilbert's chapters. In Ariah's chapter, she wakes up immediately knowing something is very wrong. As the chapter continues you can really feel her fear and her disgust with herself. She shows glimpses of how she wanted things to be such as seeing herself going down to find him sitting and sipping coffee, the way they would act like a normal couple. Her anguish is felt when she reads the note.

In his chapter, I love the mantra Run for you life. He kept thinking this although he was running to his death. The story really showed his disgust of her and how desperate he was.

I love the way she writes this novel. The touches of details that bring it alive.

I'm looking forward to reading more and seeing everyone's thoughts.
User avatar
giselle

1H - GOLD CONTRIBUTOR
Almost Awesome
Posts: 900
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:48 pm
15
Has thanked: 123 times
Been thanked: 203 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Hey .. finally have my book so I'll be joining this discussion soon .. :D
User avatar
giselle

1H - GOLD CONTRIBUTOR
Almost Awesome
Posts: 900
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:48 pm
15
Has thanked: 123 times
Been thanked: 203 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

I don’t want to say too much because I will give away the story and others may not have read the upcoming chapters, but I think the gatekeeper somewhat resembles St. Peter and the Falls could symbolize the Pearly Gates … might be quite apt given that spraying water in bright sunshine has a gleaming, pearly look – of course, this could also be the River Styx and the Gates of Hell. The gatekeepers final words to the man (which he doesn’t hear) are: “Don’t do it! Mister! God damn ---“. There is ambiguity here - hell or heaven --- I think we'll see more of this theme.

I felt his ‘sockless’ flight was full of symbolism ... this isn’t just about not having time to put on his socks … this is about him leaving behind something that was once important to him, that he thought was essential to his life. Significant foreshadowing I think.
User avatar
Pegasus796
Almost Comfortable
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:58 pm
12
Has thanked: 16 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

I'm not sure I'm going to finish this book, I'm getting sea-sick from all the back and forth plotlines.
lindad_amato
Intelligent
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
13
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 87 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Pegasus796 wrote:I'm not sure I'm going to finish this book, I'm getting sea-sick from all the back and forth plotlines.
Keep going. It smooths out.
lindad_amato
Intelligent
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
13
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 87 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Giselle,
I think you have a good point there about the socks. He lived such a rigid life that the lack of them shows how very disassociated and desperate he had become.

I think there is definitely a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter. We'll see what happens.
User avatar
giselle

1H - GOLD CONTRIBUTOR
Almost Awesome
Posts: 900
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:48 pm
15
Has thanked: 123 times
Been thanked: 203 times

Re: Part I: Gatekeeper's Testimony, The Bride, The Fossil-Seeker

Unread post

Pegasus796 wrote:I'm not sure I'm going to finish this book, I'm getting sea-sick from all the back and forth plotlines.
This does make the story harder to follow, especially if you put the book down for a while and come back to it. In The Falls, I think Oates uses this technique to some advantage because the non-sequential narrative emphasizes the sate of mind of the main characters, perhaps confused, disoriented, stressed and leading lives that are fractured by events.
Post Reply

Return to “The Falls: A Novel (P.S.) by Joyce Carol Oates”