So, I am not going to even pretend that I understood any of the subtext for what was going on in this week’s reading as I barely understood what was happening on the surface of the narrative as I was reading it. I considered watching the Netflix film to fill in some gaps but I am not a fan of scary movies and there was a lot of imagery in this book that I feel like would have translated into some pretty disturbing visuals. Some examples of that kind of imagery from the text are all the animals that do not act as they are supposed to (like when the foal gets spooked and simply will not move) or all those recurring images of children yawning really widely. Simply put, I do not want to see that adapted visually so I am going to have to live with my ignorance of some of the finer details of the narrative’s plot.
Something that I noticed that was interesting to me near the end that I think (?) is the case throughout the text is that it is written entirely in the second-person perspective. It rarely comes up as Amanda rarely addresses David in the flow of her thoughts but once the veneer of her feverish remembrances fades, it becomes very apparent. I have only ever read one other thing that was written from second-person perspective, and that is the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. Totally off-topic, but if you are interested in eco-critical fantasy with a lot of literary merit, I would highly recommend it.
Returning to Fever Dream, all that I have left to offer in terms of personal thoughts and reactions is what I interpreted the book to be about before I watched Dr. Beasley-Murray’s lecture video. Obviously, after watching that video I know a lot more about unethical agricultural practices in Argentina and thus can make a very different interpretation of Fever Dream with that context in mind. However, I initially had none of that context and was trying to figure out what this story was about and came to a very different conclusion. I assume it is relatively common knowledge that the cinematic genre of horror is very interesting to study as it tends to reveal deeply-rooted cultural and societal fears that are shared by a lot of people to some extent. With that in mind, I read Fever Dream as a kind of reflection on all the horrors and anxieties that are brought on through motherhood. I say motherhood deliberately, as fathers in this text seem to be dealt with at arms-length and never seem to factor into the lives of their children. Thus, the poison that changes the children in the village can be seen as a stand-in as children aging. Carla fantasizes about starting a new life where she would still have a child that would “let [her]” take care of her” (Schweblin 52). Implying that David is changed now and does not allow this. While in the text this is because of the poison, it is not uncommon to hear older parents lament the fact that their children have grown into adults and no longer have the patience to be babied anymore. Amanda also questions whether she is a “bad mother” for letting her daughter succumb to the poison (73). Perhaps, if she had been a better mother, Nina would not leave her in the same way David left Carla. This interpretation was also inspired by the strange final scene between the two fathers. I still do not really know what to make of it, other than the fact that neither one of them really seems to care about their children? In my reading of this as a text about the scary side of motherhood, I guess this scene and the way these men are portrayed implies that fathers do not have that “rescue distance” that is more innate to mothers (14)? I do not think I necessarily agree with that, but that is what the final scene implied to me.
So I guess my question is: what do you make of the final scene between the two fathers? what does their attitude mean?
Hey Ben, great post!
I relate to your opening remarks. I am still debating putting on the movie, but not sure if I will be able to handle how offputting and striking the images were (at least, compared to how they displayed in my head while reading). It certainly felt like reading a thriller or horror genre which I have never actually done before.
In terms of the final scene, it is interesting that this is the first time the fathers are really dealt with as characters, at least in the way that we see them interact with the world (or one another) – rather than a recollection from one of the wives. They seem emotionless. Somewhat frustrated, but nothing close to what would be expected knowing what has happened to their loved ones.
I find it interesting what you mention about the lack of rescue distance, or care, that the fathers are showing in the story, and this final scene further implies/confirms how “detached” they are from their children.
To me, the eerie ending was somewhat fitting. It told me (based on how nonchalant they were, like when Omar tells him to leave now, or he may get stuck in the mud, and there is no hesitation but a polite exit), these eerie deaths and poisonings were far too normal, and the dads represented those who had learned to accept this.
I do however anticipate that there was more to this brief glimpse into their lives though, and look forward to discussing on Tuesday.
Ben, something similar happens to me… sometimes watching the movie ruins part of the novel for me. “With that in mind, I read Fever Dream as a kind of reflection on all the horrors and anxieties that are brought on through motherhood.” It is a good approximation, which has made me think of other novels we have read. If we were to go chronologically — which isn’t really necessary, but sometimes it works — we could do a genre reading from there. Have you heard of Neo-Gothic? In this type of narrative, especially in Latin America, gender roles are being questioned.