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This novel-in-progress is an attempt to struggle with the complicated process
of forging one’s identity in the murk of urban Northwest life. The protagonist of this
piece is confused, to put it lightly: bi-racial, torn between the affections of divorced
parents, unsure about his religious views, and baffled by his own corpulence. Yet, he
longs with all his generous heart to make sense of it all, and he is armed with aptitude-
-a unique gift for mentally dismantling his surroundings and reassembling them in
illuminating, frightening, funny ways. Set around the turn of the 21
P
st
P
century, this
story examines the contradictions that define city life in modern America, the curse
and boon of technology, the necessity of remaining loyal to one’s family, the
sometimes-frightening compatibility of fundamentalist religion and consumerism, and
the singular dilemma of inheriting mixed racial heritage.
Craft-wise, this story attempts to grapple with these themes through a highly
unique voice, that—ideally—retains its economy without sacrificing its color. The
first-person, present-tense perspective affords immediacy, and a narrative drive that
gives an active counterbalance to the protagonist’s wash of uncertainty. It is the
author’s hope that this rough draft will eventually be hammered into a completed
novel. |
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