Claudia Staude
asked
Fridrik Erlings:
I have just begun reading "Boy on the Edge" with my students. We are curious about why you stacked the deck for Henry with so many difficulties. He has about every mark against him we could imagine in terms of life obstacles. My students were wondering if there was a reason behind this choice. At one point did you just decide to "pile every woe you could think of" on him or was there more to it than that?
Fridrik Erlings
Dear Claudia. Thank you, and your students, for this very good question, which I am more than happy to try to answer.
In part Henry is a metaphor, a symbol of loneliness; the embodiment of loneliness, which is more than just an emotion, it is a condition, for some people a serious condition for a long period of time. How does one make the reader experience Henry's loneliness, his serious long term condition, without having to remind the reader constantly with some expressive words? By showing the reader instead of telling him, that was my choice.
When the character of Henry was beginning to form in my mind, he had a club foot, a slow speech and was terrified of books. But there was a lot going on in his mind, more than anyone could have imagined by looking at him. So here came a certain challenge - to 'isolate' Henry, so to speak, as completely as possible, to make other characters alienate him, becoming afraid of him and so on - but at the same time to show all that was going on in his mind, his hopes, dreams and fears - and by this try to make the reader 'feel' his loneliness with him, becoming isolated with him.
To me, Henry's situation is much more than just a 'pile of woes'. Although much of his problems are external or physical, it is his spiritual and emotional development that I felt most interested in exploring as a writer, and to make an honest attempt to involve the reader as much as possible into Henry's inner life, into his aura, perhaps, or his way of being.
Henry's main difficulty is his speaking problem, his insecurity because of his stuttering. He has been mocked again and again when trying to read out loud in schools, and the hurt he's felt has piled up and turned into hatred of books...
- Now, because I don't know how far into the story you already are, I hesitate to tell you more at this point - but I would be really happy to answer any questions that you might have, further on in the story. Thank you so much for this question, give my best to your students, and I look forward to hear from you again.
I hope my reply has given you some answers. Please let me know.
Fridrik Erlings
In part Henry is a metaphor, a symbol of loneliness; the embodiment of loneliness, which is more than just an emotion, it is a condition, for some people a serious condition for a long period of time. How does one make the reader experience Henry's loneliness, his serious long term condition, without having to remind the reader constantly with some expressive words? By showing the reader instead of telling him, that was my choice.
When the character of Henry was beginning to form in my mind, he had a club foot, a slow speech and was terrified of books. But there was a lot going on in his mind, more than anyone could have imagined by looking at him. So here came a certain challenge - to 'isolate' Henry, so to speak, as completely as possible, to make other characters alienate him, becoming afraid of him and so on - but at the same time to show all that was going on in his mind, his hopes, dreams and fears - and by this try to make the reader 'feel' his loneliness with him, becoming isolated with him.
To me, Henry's situation is much more than just a 'pile of woes'. Although much of his problems are external or physical, it is his spiritual and emotional development that I felt most interested in exploring as a writer, and to make an honest attempt to involve the reader as much as possible into Henry's inner life, into his aura, perhaps, or his way of being.
Henry's main difficulty is his speaking problem, his insecurity because of his stuttering. He has been mocked again and again when trying to read out loud in schools, and the hurt he's felt has piled up and turned into hatred of books...
- Now, because I don't know how far into the story you already are, I hesitate to tell you more at this point - but I would be really happy to answer any questions that you might have, further on in the story. Thank you so much for this question, give my best to your students, and I look forward to hear from you again.
I hope my reply has given you some answers. Please let me know.
Fridrik Erlings
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