Click the image above to view a .pdf the photo album I created about West Gull.
There are two things happening simultaneously in my mind as I read further into this novel, ripe with the tragedy of people who believe they have no control over their own destiny. First, I am realizing exactly how depressing the story is. Not exactly putting me in the holiday spirit! Second, I'm continually reflecting on my own family history in a small town in Ontario.
Cohen paints such a realistic picture of Carl, Elizabeth, Chrissy, Fred, William, Luke, and Adam, whom all seem to believe that they are stuck with what the world dealt them. It's as if leaving West Gull would be like falling off the end of the earth for them -- they have no drive to pull themselves up out of their cycles of depression, alcoholism, fighting, gossiping and poverty. Instead, they wallow in their grief, and place the blame on their neighbors while pretending to be their friends.
In all of this, I find myself putting faces to names, from my family tree. I imagine that their family photo album would look something like mine, so I created the above photo album using photos from my family tree.
Meanwhile, once again I'm finding that the music I'm listening to while reading is influencing my opinions of the book. So, I'll continue on the idea that this book would make a fantastic film, and add to my growing soundtrack for that film with the song below. The song is called "I am Part of a Large Family" by the Great Lake Swimmers, a band from Wainfleet, ON.
Meanwhile, once again I'm finding that the music I'm listening to while reading is influencing my opinions of the book. So, I'll continue on the idea that this book would make a fantastic film, and add to my growing soundtrack for that film with the song below. The song is called "I am Part of a Large Family" by the Great Lake Swimmers, a band from Wainfleet, ON.
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