Short Story Masterpieces
E. L. Doctorow
"Willi"
I have a love/hate relationship with this story, and once again, I found myself at odds with the rest of the class over what parts I liked and what parts I didn’t. I loved all of that poetic language, and I love how Doctorow described the sensations around the action rather than making the actions explicit. I didn't even realize the opening few pages was a single paragraph; it was a surprise in class to look back and realize it had been a huge block of text. It was such beautiful language that I was reading it straight, just basking in it, and then I got to the plot and the gorgeous mood of the opening scene seemed incongruous until I realized how it tied into the "willi" theme of the story. I was kind of hoping, though, that it was just my mind taking a detour into the gutter and that Professor Ellison was going to point out something else that would shame me. Now I can't read that opening scene without my poor mind swamped by Masturbation, in bold with a capital M. Which is sad and awesome all at once.
Anyway, I loved this story. The only things I didn't like were the gender issues and the language used to exaggerate those gender stereotypes. But I realize what else is going on here, and if the son had been less enamored with his father's grandeur, his voice wouldn't have been authentic for this time, place and character. (I have the same problem with GRRM's work, perpetually caught between love and hate.)
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