Here’s some stuff that never made it into my essay…thought I’d share it. My essay was about the ‘Nunnerator’.

This is where I end my essay, but I have one more point to make and I reckon it is way too far-fetched to be considered a justifiable reason as to why a frame narrative is used. But I do not mind throwing in a theory that somehow made sense in my brain. As I said in my introduction, I experienced this sense of ‘mind distortion’ or mind – *insert f-word* when I first read the novel. I almost got mad at Hausman for leaving so many plot holes and questions unanswered. Then I remembered how puzzling it was to read the first two chapters, and so I thought – Why not reread those two chapters with the knowledge I have now? And my goodness, my mind was blown. Everything came full circle. And me, yearning to connect this ‘Nunnerator’ to a character in the story, I came to the conclusion that the narrator in the frame narrative is Chef telling his tale of the larger story of Riding the Trail of Tears. I am not entirely sure how I am supposed to back up this theory without wanting to talk to you in person about this but I’ll just list some reasons as to why I see this theory fitting. Firstly, I searched up what ‘Nunnehi’ meant and it meant travelers. The ‘Nunnehi’ are a supernatural spirit race that are friendly with the Cherokee tribe and often intercede in battle on the Cherokee’s behalf. And doesn’t that happen during the ride in the Trail of Tears when the Misfits from the Stockade come charging in and killing all those soldiers and essentially saving Group 5709? Moreover, the ‘Nunnerator’ in the frame narrative states how the Misfits “fit into all the stories that have been recorded, but they don’t fit very well into reality” (Hausman 6), which makes me think of how the Chef told Tallulah to not talk about him, Ish, and Fish from the kitchen, but it was all right to talk about the Misfits and hence that is how they fit into all the stories that have been recorded. Furthermore, the ‘Nunnerator’ comes off as wise and experienced and I believe it is because he is the one who left and walked out with Tallulah and experienced the world. From the encounters Irma Rosenberg and Tallulah Wilson has had with the Chef, the Chef comes off as extremely reserved. He does not tell you specific details of events, he often answers you by starting a different conversation, which makes him mysterious and unreliable, and I think the frame narrative here is to act as his confession. This confession is the one part of the larger tale between him and Tallulah Wilson’s story – it is a story within a story basically. Just like how the story of Tallulah’s last ride in the Trail of Tears was split between two perspectives – Irma and Tallulah. I hope that makes some sense.