WHEN I GET HOME: A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES AND ACCOMPANYING CRITICAL

224 Pages·2011·11.14 MB·English

WHEN I GET HOME: A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES AND
ACCOMPANYING CRITICAL COMMENTARY
ZOE LAMBERT
Thesis
in fulfilment Manchester Metropolitan
submitted the the
partial of requirements of
University for the degree Doctor Philosophy
of of
Department
English
of
Manchester Metropolitan
University
..
2010
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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3
p.
Abstract
..............................................................................................................................
4
p.
Acknowledgements
.............................................................................................................
5
p.
Introduction
.........................................................................................................................
Part 1: When I Get Home
7
p.
`To Basra'
......................................................
......................................................................
14
`The New Girl p.
.......... .........................................................................................................
18
p.
`The Bunker'
....................................................
.................................................................
24
`Significant Objects In My Grandmother's Life' p.
..............................................................
27
`What He Doesn't Tell Her' p.
..............................................................................................
32
`The War Tour' p.
....................................................
.............................................................
42
`Fishfinger' p.
....................................................
..................................................................
46
`Lad Lazarus' p.
.........................................
...........................................................................
54
`Down Duchy Road' p.
.........................................................................................................
60
`Lebensborn ' p.
.....................................................
...............................................................
78
`Their Last Holiday' p.
.........................................................................................................
85
`Thermal Vest' p.
.....................................................
.............................................................
89
Mrs Charlotte Manning'
`A Biography p.
of
.................. .....................................................
97
`33 Bullets' p.
.....................................................
..................................................................
Part 2: Critical Commentary
Section 1: Short Story Theory: The Quest for Definition 107
p.
.................................... ...........
Section 2: Short Story Theory When I Get Home 127
p.
and
......................................... ...........
136
Section 3: Ethics Voice Appropriation
p.
and
......................................................... ...........
Section 3: The Home Women's Writing 152
p.
and
...................................................... ...........
Section 5: The Home in War Fiction 164
p.
..............................................................................
Section 6: Writing Self: Childhood Home 189
the
and p.
............................................. .............
Section 7: Collections Stories: Form Connections in When I Get Home 204
of and p.
............
Conclusion: Form Politics in When I Get Home 209
and p.
......................................................
Bibliography 213
p.
.......................................................................................................
.............
2
ABSTRACT
The When I Get Home the loss of home and the effects of war
explores
collection of stories
for
cruelty and
and persecution on migrants and refugees, as well as children's capacity
lyric
for The blend the
short stories elements of modem
violence.
one's own potential
forms.
fragmented
horror, travel narrative and more postmodern
metafiction,
story,
fiction
I
In the critical commentary situate the collection within contemporary short and
lyrical by Eileen
drawing the theory the
theory, on of modem story
short story
fiction. While theory tends to
Baldeshwiler as well as theories of postmodern short critical
form is
prefer the experimental story over the traditional, I argue that the postmodern not
forms. Instead, I that
than traditional contend each story
necessarily more progressive
produces its own politics in the act of writing. I broach the ethics of voice appropriation
from different backgrounds how
when writing about characters ethnic and ask an ethical
home
practice might be possible. I relate my representation of the to the cultural and
domestic, defend domestic
literary debates around women's writing and the and the as an
important literary starting point. I contest the ongoing separation of the private and public
by demonstrating how I have
in
spheres the cultural evaluation of women's writing placed
I
home
the at the centre of my stories about war and persecution. situate my approach
literature how the home is in fiction by
within war and analyse represented war men and
women writers.
imagination have in
I how
consider memory and played a complex role my stories about
between
I the the the
childhood. analyse gap speaking, narrating self and seeing, narrated
in the that this is by to
childhood self story and argue gap used short story writers
interrogate the the Finally, I take into the form the
practice of writing self. consideration of
be in in
that to
short story collection and contend stories should read relation other stories a
texts. Throughout the I the
collection and not as single commentary emphasise process of
drafting focusing finished in doing,
the than the text,
writing and of stories rather on and so
I demonstrate that there is ideology between form
when writing no preconceived and
is
content; politics written anew with each story.
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First foremost I like to thank the Department English for funding this PhD
and would of
to the direction I like to thank
and allowing me change of my studies. would my
team: Vicki Bertram for this PhD Sue Zlosnik for
supervisory making creative possible,
her detail, Nicholas Royle for his feedback
to
attention and and editorial eye.
I like Margaret Beetham for feedback
to thank the
would workshops, and encouragement;
Mark Hallihan, Helen Pleasance, Maria Roberts, Ana Miller Jennifer Makumbi for
and
drafts, feedback For I like Sara D'
to thank
reading and support. many reasons, would also
Orazio, Anthony Dawson, Merlyn Taylor, Ra Page, Jon Glover family.
and most of all, my
4
INTRODUCTION
The first is When I Get Home. The
this thesis stories
part of my collection of stories
loss home
explore the of and the effects of war and persecution on migrants and refugees
in different historical from the the Lebensborn
and cultural circumstances, effects of
Norwegian Kurdish One's
to the
program on a woman oppression of a academic. own
for is in
capacity cruelty and violence explored stories about childhood and alternative
These blend lyric horror,
the travel
reality. stories elements of modern story, metafiction,
fragmented forms.
narrative and more postmodern
In the second part of this thesis I will situate my short fiction within contemporary writing
In I look Baldeshwiler's `epical'
theory. the
and short story particular, will at notion of and
fragmentation
`lyrical' to the
short story, and go on analyse and self-reflexivity of more
I the definitions theories,
recent writing. will counter essentialising of some short story and
by drawing Frank O'Connor Nadine
the
attempt a more open approach on views of and
Gordimer. While literary being
theory the
generally sees postmodern short story as more
forms, I is in itself
than traditional that technique
progressive will propose no writing
Rather
the the text's the
progressive and political. specifics of narrative strategies and
the the text determine its I then
cultural circumstances of production of politics. will
broach the from different
ethics of voice appropriation when writing about characters
backgrounds, find
to
cultural and attempt an ethical practice.
I the home to the literary debates
will relate my representation of cultural and around
women's writing and the domestic and defend the domestic important literary
as an
I
starting point. will contest the ongoing separation of the private and public spheres in
cultural evaluation of women's writing, which Virginia Woolf highlighted in her
comment
that `this is important book, the because it deals This is
an critics assume
with war. an
insignificant book because it deals the feelings in drawing To do
with of a woman a room'.
this I demonstrate how I have home
will the the
placed at centre of my stories about war
I
literature
and persecution. will situate my approach within war and analyse how the home
is in fiction by
represented war I discuss issues
men and women writers. will subsequently
the
of writing self and short stories about childhood, and consider how memory and
imagination have
in
played a complex role my stories about childhood. I the
will analyse
5
between in
the the the
gap speaking, narrating self story and seeing, narrated childhood self
is by interrogate
that this to the
and argue gap used short story writers practice of writing
Finally, I discuss interrelationships links between in When
the the the
self. will and stories
I Get Home its
that taking to the
and contend analysing a short story without relationship
in limits its During discussion, I
the
other stories a collection or anthology reading. above
to to debates focusing discussion
will relate my work other writers and critical while my on
the drafting the than the finished text. In doing
process of writing and stories, rather on
I demonstrate is ideology, but is
this, that there
will when writing no preconceived politics
written anew with each story.
6
PART 1:
WHEN I GET HOME'
A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES
To Basra
It it down I the top Langworthy. I down the
was pissing when got off at of walked road
turned hat I hoping had the table
with my collar up and my over my ears. was mam set and
they'd be there, like Christmas: Mam the `Dinner,
at sulking over washing up and calling
Wendy! ' But Wendy be back, dad his
tinkered
our would smoking out whilst with model
his lap.
ships and ate off
Hicks, from had home he'd
though
a private our unit a welcome party, even only
done the training. His family decked the house banners tables, like
with and picnic an old
film. We heard it.
the
war never end of
I hitched turned down It dead No kids
up my rucksack and our road. was quiet.
You'd think the houses A few had been
playing or alarms going or anything. were empty.
boarded like they But house like Kew
up with metal windows were armoured. our was
fucking Gardens, the had been hydrangeas into
way main stuffing roses and our two-foot
yard.
I'd been for
only away eight months training and then it was straight on tour. It felt
like I didn't home,
to But I'm I dodged
years. want go not after what went on. no wuss, so
flowers door.
the the
and opened
Mam, dad Wendy
and were on the sofa, watching the telly. Their faces
were a
picture. `Philip. Look ' her face beaming. `Hasn't he lost
at you! mam said,
weight,
Wendy? ' Our kid from her I knew
grunted phone. what was coming, so I said, `I'll put my
bag
' for
away, and made the stairs.
`Are leave Why didn't
you on then? tell ' Mam I flopped bed.
you
us? called. on my
I didn't have much to unpack because I'd left the the base. Anyway,
uniform at wearing
the felt like fancy dress. I hated
camouflage still wearing the boots; they like little
were
feet. I
armoured vehicles on my stretched out on the bed and my boots knocked the
end, so
I
yanked them off and threw them the floor. `Philip? '
on `What doing
mam called.
you up
1
John Lennon, `When I Get Home', from A Hard Day's Night (London: Parlophone,
1964).
7
dropped it. My
' I leaned bed Marvel then
there? the
over and picked up an old comic,
like kid's bedroom I Adidas boxes. I'd bought three
pairs
room was a now. grinned at my
in different colours with my first wage. I got out the blue pair and held them up. They still
smelt new.
I heard `Something's I know it. Malcolm, listening? '
mam say, not right. are you
`Susan. Calm down. Jesus. '
`He's in his '
not even uniform!
I downstairs. `I'm ' I
trainers trekked
put on my and going out, said, slinging on my
jacket. In kitchen, kid in fridge. Mam living
the the the
our was rustling paused at room
door. `Philip, have tea. '
some
`Leave it, Susan, ' Dad from the
said couch.
`I'm leave. '
on
`He's just fecking liar, ' Dad like I He like I
there.
a said, wasn't always spoke
I dead buried. `Fecking liar. '
there,
wasn't or was and useless
I there, down the I It like that time
was out of striding road. wasn't mithered. was
I'd in from (I
the the
skived exams year eleven and got caught nicking models model shop
them to kids). My to the like I'd killed
sold nerdy mam was called station and cried
So I didn't do
the
someone. exams.
The be the they'd You'll learn (mam).
army will making of you, all said. some skills
Make him learn discipline. It'll his bed, it'll do (dad). You
some get arse out of that's what
don't GCSE's to in. They'll take (our kid).
even need any get anyone
But then I'd gone on the website and it didn't seem that bad. Good pay. Get to see
the Think Soldier. I had the interactive What do? When I
world. a go on stuff. would you
left for infantry I buoyed
the training But 24 long for
centre was all up. weeks was a time
P. E. lesson in Scotland.
a
I'm daft. I doing
not got what they were the training, trying to break
with not you,
but fought back
till team. Kind like fighting but doing
push you you as a of against them,
I
they this God knows how
what wanted. clocked when we were out on exercise with many
kilos backs. I dragged behind
on our the to breath lean
others and stopped get my and
A killing
tree. I
against a stitch was me. could see them all running up the hill, with their
like boy
compasses and maps, `come
scouts, shouting, on mate, you're nearly there' to
All I
to into ball fuck
each other. wanted was curl a and them I like
all off. was angry,
they'd But it didn't
planned. make me want to fight. I'd back, let
rather sit skin up and
8
them it. I didn't, I did I to, the to
get on with mind. ran on, and what was supposed all way
Iraq. But last in had do laps. Sash Hicks
team that to
our came exercise and we extra and
They've back
then. their
were pissed off with me got own since.
At the I turned down to the its
end of our road, right and walked play area, with swings
the bars, tarmac `No Dogs' I leant the
wound around pot-holed and crossed out sign. on
I to hang here I in The Dog Partridge. I'd have had
railing. used out when couldn't get and
them down, but I back
turned
a go at getting swings someone might see me, so onto
Langworthy to the Height. It bit I
and walked up was a of a walk and still raining, so
hunched hat John be He
there.
up my shoulders and pulled my woolly over my ears. would
liked Sunday, drink he he hamster
to start early on a and as much as could till rejoined the
John I back. He had job for Argos hooked
the
wheel. and go way a catalogue and was on
He'd been `Soz, but hack it, ' So I'd `Why don't join? '
gym. all, you won't mate. said, you
he `I don't '
to
and said, need prove nothing.
I didn't it to Basra. When flown in from Basra
taken
even make we were we were
to base the Outside like the backside hell, desert
airport a south of city. was of all craggy
blistering heat. We the floor, the thin, light. I
and were staring at under green was on edge,
felt like duck, thinking the bombs IEDs, in lightly
a sitting of all roadside and stuck that
to boom. It hot in
armoured vehicle, waiting roll over one and was there, no air
I back forth, the lads' heads looming in face, feeling like I
conditioning. swayed and
my
being I helmet in it, bits
was strangled and gagging. undid my and puked all orangey and
The `Fucking hell Phil, here. ' I hear
of carrot. others moaned,
get out of could a couple of
them My head I had to hold helmet base,
retching. swam and my of sick till the trying not
to it. I heard the it. I `Puker'
spill never end of was after that.
Puker. You Phil? Time for
is it, Puker? A little lie down? Call
puked yet, a nap
yourself a soldier?
I trudged the Bolton Road. I didn't
past shops up to I dawdle if I
need march now. could
liked, if
even all there was to see were hairdressers and florists. After the last
shooting
year, they were trying to smarten up the Dog Partridge, but it It
and
wasn't working. was
the hole,
same old shit stinking of piss and stale beer. The table
ripped pool and games
there. They
machine were still needed to get rid of the multicoloured disco lights for
The
blaring inside
starters. music was and the lights flicked dance
around a small empty
9
floor. John in I `John. How
was slouched a corner chair with a pint. went up and said, you
doing? What's T
the
with work shirt?
'It's look ' He his back
the the the
of a manager. sat with elbows resting on of chair.
I his
through the
could see nipples straining material.
`On Sunday? ' I
a said.
`And kit, '
where's your mate?
`I'm looking like Not here. '
not walking round a squaddie. round
`Wimped like. ' He laughed
took
out more and a swig.
I breathed in. It hot in here, `You for drink? '
was suffocating. alright a
`Yeah. Got '
this
mate.
I back for I It
got a pint and went out a smoke. needed a minute. was only six
There'd be drinking. Out it
o'clock and our mates were coming. a whole night of there was
like back tables I down
someone's yard with cheap metal and aB&Q awning. sat with my
drip
pint, rolled up and watched the rain off the edge.
This lad How he I don't know. I down, he
came out. got served, swear was the
image I He track bottoms long
spitting of me when was sixteen. was all suit and greasy
hair, like he decide he to be hippie. He lit
couldn't whether wanted a scally or a up and
from his beer like he the tea The barman
sipped was queen with a cup. came out, cleared
`You'alright Jed? ' He lad.
to the
some glasses. said
`Not bad, ' lad
the
said.
I
was chilling out, smoking, when some twat grabbed my shoulder. `Oy Phil. You
back? What doing here? '
you
I turned round in my chair. It was Bez from school. He'd grown his hair, like the
Gallaghers. I didn't say anything. He stepped nearer. `Know I heard? I heard
what you're a
killer. '
`Easy ' I
mate, said.
He leaned
took but I jumped
over and a swing at me, out of the chair. He was
I
glowering. wasn't getting riled with that shit. `Soz, ' I `You don't know
said.
what you're
'
talking
about.
I backed
how I'd
away, wondering back. It
get my pint was still on the table,
behind him.
He
like boxer.
He
was edging nearer some took but I ducked.
another swing,
The for
army was good some things.
`Fucking killer,
' he
snarled again.
10