"Fear is just another word for ignorance."

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."

-Hunter S. Thompson

The American Dream

Thompson's version of the American dream is deranged and listless.

His novels are a testament to what is possible during fits of reckless self indulgence. Eloquent disclosure of his experiences define a modern variety of anti-hero that has reshaped world culture, so that genius and drug use are seldom considered mutually exclusive character traits.

Some call Thompson a product of the experimental 60's and 70's, while others feel he was a visionary who paid respect to a dying breed, those disillusioned by the restrictions of contemporary society. In recent times, the definition of "freedom" has spurred on considerable debate. Between the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on anti-west sentiment around the globe, the word "freedom" has been a validating point for the majority of international American occupation over the last two decades. Perhaps Thompson's version of freedom has become a timeless cultural asset due to modern society's distrust of nationalism, what with the inevitable economic and cultural trials that challenge our belief structures annually.

But lets not kid ourselves, Thompson's version of freedom is not sustainable and often degenerates the social fabric that protects us from dangerous, unwieldily behaviors. This is a pertinent problem regarding Hunter's cult following, because few take time aside to consider that the core of the novel's thematic purpose is not necessarily about maniacal drug abuse and irresponsible violence. People mimic Thompson's personality with little due respect to his most important cultural contribution: the reinvention of satire by interjecting the status quo with insanity. More often than not, people go insane when faced with unmitigated reality.

The Race

Thompson specialized in semi-autobiographical literature, and took few liberties with the portrayal of personal experiences. Here is a list of facts that help us explore the experience of writing this provocative, and often haunting, novel:

1) Thompson traveled to Las Vegas with a latino attorney, Osca Zeta Acosta, to investigate the unlawful killing of a Vietnam protester in the 70's. His commission, however, was for Sports Illustrated, who planned to publish an article on the annual Mint 400 race. The original article was initially rejected, but later published by Rolling Stone.
2) The novel necessitated two trips to Las Vegas, the first of which was the genesis of the novel. He returned a year later to amass more information, a trip he called "Vegas II". He finished the work during stay at a hotel in Arcadia, California.
3) Thompson said, post-publication, that his portrayal in the novel was intentionally chaotic and unkept. He  hoped that the 'messy' protagonist would allude to the listless and "permanently crippled" seekers of a previous age.
4) The novel was published less than a year after its initial conception.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson

An interview with Russell About "The Sparrow"

Here is an interview with Russell following the release of The Sparrow.

Enjoy!


http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intmdr.html

Information About the Author

Russell was born to an army Marine father and Navy nurse mother and harkens from the suburbs of Chicago. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph. D. in biological anthropology and has since written four novels. Her first two works, The Sparrow and its sequel Children of God, are an exploration of her experience with faith, having undergone a series of spiritual reformations from Catholocism to Atheism in her teenage years, then from Atheism to Jusaism in adulthood. Her third work, entitled A Thread of Grace, accompanied her study of an Italian renaissance that occured during WW2, and investigates the lives of Jewish refugees in the northern half of the country. Her fourth and latest publication, Dreamers of the Day, revolves around the Cairo Peace Conference of 1921 that is responsible for much of the dissonance between western and middle eastern countries today.

For more on Theodicy in The Sparrow, feel free to access this articulate and enlightened discourse via Google Scholar:

http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art9-sparrow-print.html

Topics in Literature: Theodicy in "The Sparrow"

One of the many overt themes in the Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow is that of Theodicy, or "the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil."


The reader is introduced to this topic before they turn the first page; the 'sparrow' is one of Russell's major biblical allegories within the novel, which is drawn from some of the first passages in the book of Matthew: 


"Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26) 


This passage, in particular, calls attention to God's preference for mankind above all other creation. Only human beings can account for the presence of omniscient forces, as we are endowed with consciousness enough to differentiate between right and wrong, and thus differentiate between preferable actions to deplorable ones. Mankind amasses itself to please God and acts within finite, worldly means to glorify his/her name. It is our responsibility to act justly, for God has given man, the sole beneficiary of heaven, the ability to choose right and wrong when faced with hardship. The human capacity of choice, then, deems mankind the favored creature amidst all of God's creation, which is further elaborated upon in this passage:  


"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).


It is important to note that, though the lives of earthly creatures are plagued with hardship and turmoil, strife is essential for moral growth, and our ability to dwell on both good and bad experiences is what grants humanity God's preference. Only by resisting evil can an individual transcend otherwise primal urges, such as greed or lust, that bind his/her soul to an otherwise undesired judgement. 


Russell's protagonist, Emelio Sandoz, is the foremost embodiment of this struggle. He departs for Alpha Centauri with the utmost confidence regarding the validity and righteousness of his cause, but a string of disastrous occurrences challenge his faith. Sandoz is an archetypal saint; he has traveled between innumerable cultures and peoples to propagate peace and love; his linguistic savvy grants him limitless empathy for all mankind, as he works to alleviate the pains of mankind indiscriminately; he acts with steadfast faith for the prosperity of the world and requests little recognition for his sacrifice. 


His voyage transforms the missionary into an unwilling martyr, however, as he returns with his faith shaken, desperate and mournful of loved ones lost along the way. Sandoz's confrontation with evil redefines his perception of God, as he becomes aware of God's unanswerable logic. Much like Job, Sandoz has devoted his life to the prosperity of God, but is punished all the same.


To conclude this brief discussion of theodicy in the novel, I will call attention to the philosophical implications of this topic. Although Russell is a born again believer, one must not differentiate theology and philosophy for the sake of argument. In either school of thought, Russell seeks to discuss mankind's predilection for moral transcendance. A reviewer at the Library Journal wrote that this book was mistakenly categorized as science fiction, and that it is really "a philosophical novel about the nature of good and evil and what happens when a man tries to do the right thing, for the right reasons and ends up causing incalculable harm".^[2]


The Sparrow is not a purely religious text, but a metaphorical statement about the challenges every person faces in their day to day life. Whether or not valiant actions are rewarded has a inseparable and drastic effect on our moral fiber. More often than not, tragedy follows those that spread benevolence and virtue, and it is only the most righteous of individuals that can overcome this dilemma scarred, but not fully disenchanted.

"I'm used to having big chewy ideas to structure my reading, and I enjoy the research my books have required. But the whole time I'm reading, I'm also thinking about the best way to convey what I'm learning. That's the craft, the artistry -- balancing content with conveyance."


-Mary Doria Russell

Interview with Mary Doria Russell

http://www.bookslut.com/features/2005_09_006573.php

Above is an interview with Russell from 2005. In it, she describes her inspirations, motivations, and objectives as an author, including specific insight into The Sparrow.

Some interesting factoids are:

- Mary Doria Russell first subtracted two dates to determine her novel's historical setting, namely Arthur C. Clark's 1968 novel 2001.


- Russell does not believe that any of her novels fall under a specific genre, as "genre is a tool" and she has never sought out to write with a particular genre in mind. While many critics label The Sparrow as Science Fiction, the author denies having consciously written futurist literature.

- Russell started her academic career in classical anthropology, and has since been acclaimed by her ability to coalesce a variety of disciplines and knowledge into her stories.


-Gratis Bookslut.com-

Mary Doria Russell's "The Sparrow"

Come join the Bushwick Bookclub's showcase of music inspired by "The Sparrow" at the Freemont Abbey on November 18th. Doors are at 6 pm and tickets $8 pre-ordered or $10 at the door. The headliners include: Aaron Zig, James Pitts, David Hillman , Melissa Montalto, Michael Wallenfels, Katrina Kope, Geoff Larson, Renata June, Michael Owcharuk, Man with Hat and Justin Sorensen.

You can find the tickets here at http://www.strangertickets.com/events/4331690/the-bushwick-book-club-seattle-presents-original-music-inspired-by-mary-doria-russells-the-sparrow

For directions and to learn more about the Freemont Abbey, see their website : FremontAbbey.org