Reply To: The Searcher: What role does the environment play in this book?
The environment helps define what life will be like depending on where we live. In The Searcher the mountains are ominous, dark peaks on the horizon. There is a foreboding about who lives there and what activities take place in such rugged terrain. They suggest a harsh lifestyle. One would expect a difficult time being accepted by those who live in the mountains. That they would be resistant to newcomers. Yet, the mountains border the soft edges of the fields below them in a rather protective way. Those fields are lush and green, dotted with sheep peacefully grazing and farmers on their tractors tilling the land. From a distance it all appears so idyllic. An environment where one would be welcomed with open arms. Where the culture was openly defined. Assimilating into a new way of life, a new culture, is like navigating a giant iceberg on open waters. It’s not what’s easily seen above the water line but what’s beneath the water that is most dangerous. That’s the part of culture we only learn and understand by totally immersing ourselves in it. Cal was fooled by the beauty and peaceful landscape around him into thinking starting a new life in this part of Ireland would be easy. That it would relieve him of all his angst.
When I was teaching school most of my students lived hard lives in depressed parts of town. Many were gang members because their entire family belonged to a gang. They were poor, their parents weren’t very nurturing, life on the streets was hard and having street smarts meant survival. Instead of telling them their behaviors were wrong I met them each day with the statement,”Different space, different face.” Slowly we began defining behaviors based on our environment. What was acceptable in school was not the same as what worked in their neighborhoods. My goal was to give them the means to navigate life in both worlds. Hopefully, this would increase their chances of breaking the chains of poverty.
Weather is always a mood enhancer. It helps the reader better understand the emotions of the character or situation better. The mist and fog enveloping the peaks of the mountains make them more foreboding. Rain dampens not just the earth but our spirits as well. Slogging through the rain always make everything more difficult. And, when the sun shines all is well. The world is bright and cheery creating an atmosphere of celebration. Weather sets the tone in books the way music sets the tone in movies. Scary shows aren’t quite as scary when you take away the foreboding music.
