1980s

1980's Part One:

At first glance, these stories seem unconnected, and from a textual point of view, perhaps they are. But when you look at the author's lives, you realize that the connection is there, with the writers. John Updike, author of "Gesturing," wrote in an autobiography that art, sex, and religion are the "secret things" of life. Is it a wonder then that he chose to write a story about them?

Sex is the more prevalent theme, yet art as well makes a play, but not in the way one would think. Take another look at the title--Gesturing. Amid the sexual tensions between Joan, Richard, and Ruth, is the prevalent mention of Gesturing. That is the art form he refers to. There is something so poetic about how he describes the gestures, especially in the last paragraph, when he says "...with a gesture akin to the gentle clap in the car a world ago...the motion was eager, shy, exquisite, diffident, trusting..."

That is art in its most basic form, the art of human gesture.

In the second story, "The Shawl," by Cynthia Orzick, we are faced with an entirely different situation. Orzick was Jewish, and her focus was on the post holocaust world. Her stories reflect this, and "The Shawl" is no different.

Finally, we have Raymond Carver and his story "Where I'm Calling From." Carver suffered through alcoholism, and this particular story was written shortly after he received treatment for it. Again, the theme directly reflects the author's life. That is the connection betwixt the three stories--the effect of the author's lives.