Oh no! Why is Ivy so angry and entitled? I'd be so grateful for someone to read the directions while I sat in the sun. I suppose if I were to imagine that happening to me (the giver) with someone so angry I'd have to say, "okay, somethings deeply wrong that needs to be surfaced and worked through . . . I'm here to listen . . . and you still owe me $300" . . .
It's always so interesting to get a variety of responses to a story, and I'm so grateful to you for reading, reacting, and taking the time to articulate your thoughts on this one. I'm reminded that an author's intent sometimes has nothing to do with a reader's reaction, and that fact can send the author back into the cave of the story, excavation tools in hand. I wrote this one a dozen years ago, and now I'm back rummaging around in my memory banks to compare what I believe I was feeling at the time to what ended up on the page. Deep thanks, as always, for plowing through my words!
Do share! I have to say, I love how you capture a fragment of humanity and share it unapologetically. You leave the reader with something to ponder, without judgement. Of course, in this case, I'm horrified by the action but also wonder what Emmet may have done to bring it on. Was there some sort of deep betrayal? Or perhaps it's the world that has betrayed Ivy and she's acting it out on innocent Emmet (who in her view, perhaps, should know better). There is a psychology here of possibly repressed anger, something that truly harms the world and keeps people from deep feeling and coming fully into themselves. This story is almost like a dream that has many possible interpretations . . .
I do like ambiguity in storytelling. I think it shows respect for the reader's intelligence, inviting the reader to explore deeper meanings and suggesting that the reader has the capacity to do that digging. And, of course, ambiguity can engender a feeling of gratitude when a reader invests the energy to try to figure a story out.
Anyway, in the case of this story, I was surprised that someone might view Ivy negatively, although, in hindsight, I see how a reader might view her that way. After all, she destroyed a gift that someone had given her, and that's an unequivocally hostile, perhaps gratuitously mean, gesture. I don't know why I would be surprised that a reader would view Ivy negatively in this yarn - after all, her actions are right there in plain sight. My original intent was to suggest that Emmet is one of those obsessively controlling people who can really wear another person down with gaslighting and emotional abuse, expressed either subtly over time (as with Emmet) or more overtly.
This variety of interpretations reminds me of how clueless I often am about my own characters and underscores how characters can really spring to life, sometimes out of the author's control. I think it's part of the magic of creative writing and why we can learn so much about ourselves when we do it - providing we're willing to undertake that exploration.
That's fascinating! And I agree 100% on all counts!
A story written this way is like a Roschach test. I bet every reader would have a slightly different take. Fascinating!
For me I noticed Ivy's mood from the beginning as soon as she sat on the log rather than help with the boat. She seemed totally put off by Emmett's move to read the instructions, thoroughly. I interpreted Emmett's decision to read the manual as true to his temperament (he is careful, thorough). I noticed that when Ivy walked off and didn't help, that Emmett didn't demand anything of her. He left room for her response, while she did not do the same for him.
Emmett to me seems consistent, while Ivy is not. Ivy is highly defensive. She harbors a secret garden of sorts, and therefore is not honest. Rather than speak her truth, she'll destroy a chance to do what she has been yearning for, even.
This seems like a cry for help. Let's hope the destruction of the boat erupts into a big fight that finally brings Ivy out of her shell and into the relationship as a fully present human being. It can take time for women to show up , given our social conditioning in America. Perhaps a sinking ship, so to speak, is just what they both need.
Powerfully gratifying to see you dig into these characters in this way. You've put more thought into them than I did when I created them, which brings them to life in a much more dynamic way than I was feeling when they first sprang to life in my head. Thank you!!
You are a channeler. I see you as a consummate observer. You reflect back common reactions that beg the reader to go deeper, if they are able or willing. Thank you for bringing us the catalyst for deep thought. One might say you are also lay the bait for a trip into the wild (deep thought). I encourage all of your readers to drop in, all the way!
Oh no! Why is Ivy so angry and entitled? I'd be so grateful for someone to read the directions while I sat in the sun. I suppose if I were to imagine that happening to me (the giver) with someone so angry I'd have to say, "okay, somethings deeply wrong that needs to be surfaced and worked through . . . I'm here to listen . . . and you still owe me $300" . . .
It's always so interesting to get a variety of responses to a story, and I'm so grateful to you for reading, reacting, and taking the time to articulate your thoughts on this one. I'm reminded that an author's intent sometimes has nothing to do with a reader's reaction, and that fact can send the author back into the cave of the story, excavation tools in hand. I wrote this one a dozen years ago, and now I'm back rummaging around in my memory banks to compare what I believe I was feeling at the time to what ended up on the page. Deep thanks, as always, for plowing through my words!
Do share! I have to say, I love how you capture a fragment of humanity and share it unapologetically. You leave the reader with something to ponder, without judgement. Of course, in this case, I'm horrified by the action but also wonder what Emmet may have done to bring it on. Was there some sort of deep betrayal? Or perhaps it's the world that has betrayed Ivy and she's acting it out on innocent Emmet (who in her view, perhaps, should know better). There is a psychology here of possibly repressed anger, something that truly harms the world and keeps people from deep feeling and coming fully into themselves. This story is almost like a dream that has many possible interpretations . . .
I do like ambiguity in storytelling. I think it shows respect for the reader's intelligence, inviting the reader to explore deeper meanings and suggesting that the reader has the capacity to do that digging. And, of course, ambiguity can engender a feeling of gratitude when a reader invests the energy to try to figure a story out.
Anyway, in the case of this story, I was surprised that someone might view Ivy negatively, although, in hindsight, I see how a reader might view her that way. After all, she destroyed a gift that someone had given her, and that's an unequivocally hostile, perhaps gratuitously mean, gesture. I don't know why I would be surprised that a reader would view Ivy negatively in this yarn - after all, her actions are right there in plain sight. My original intent was to suggest that Emmet is one of those obsessively controlling people who can really wear another person down with gaslighting and emotional abuse, expressed either subtly over time (as with Emmet) or more overtly.
This variety of interpretations reminds me of how clueless I often am about my own characters and underscores how characters can really spring to life, sometimes out of the author's control. I think it's part of the magic of creative writing and why we can learn so much about ourselves when we do it - providing we're willing to undertake that exploration.
That's fascinating! And I agree 100% on all counts!
A story written this way is like a Roschach test. I bet every reader would have a slightly different take. Fascinating!
For me I noticed Ivy's mood from the beginning as soon as she sat on the log rather than help with the boat. She seemed totally put off by Emmett's move to read the instructions, thoroughly. I interpreted Emmett's decision to read the manual as true to his temperament (he is careful, thorough). I noticed that when Ivy walked off and didn't help, that Emmett didn't demand anything of her. He left room for her response, while she did not do the same for him.
Emmett to me seems consistent, while Ivy is not. Ivy is highly defensive. She harbors a secret garden of sorts, and therefore is not honest. Rather than speak her truth, she'll destroy a chance to do what she has been yearning for, even.
This seems like a cry for help. Let's hope the destruction of the boat erupts into a big fight that finally brings Ivy out of her shell and into the relationship as a fully present human being. It can take time for women to show up , given our social conditioning in America. Perhaps a sinking ship, so to speak, is just what they both need.
Powerfully gratifying to see you dig into these characters in this way. You've put more thought into them than I did when I created them, which brings them to life in a much more dynamic way than I was feeling when they first sprang to life in my head. Thank you!!
You are a channeler. I see you as a consummate observer. You reflect back common reactions that beg the reader to go deeper, if they are able or willing. Thank you for bringing us the catalyst for deep thought. One might say you are also lay the bait for a trip into the wild (deep thought). I encourage all of your readers to drop in, all the way!