Living Writers Amy Hempel And Karen Russell Add A Contempora

Living Writers Amy Hempel And Karen Russell Add A Contemporary Flare T

Living writers Amy Hempel and Karen Russell add a contemporary flare to these issues of life, death, and "the other side," in their respective short stories. Read "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried" p. 206 and "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" p. 419 and respond to the following: Arguably, it is human nature to tell stories about things we don't understand or even fear. How do these stories critique the practice of storytelling? You might consider how the speaker in "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" states, "You small mortals don't realize the power of your stories" (427). What does he mean by this? How does this attitude compare with the preference for the "useless stuff" (207) in "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried," where the speaker remarks about the details of a story, "Who cares whether or not it's true?" (215). Kelly, Joseph, ed. The Seagull Book of Stories. / ISBN:

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The exploration of storytelling's nature, especially through the works of Amy Hempel and Karen Russell, reveals complex insights into human psychology and cultural practices regarding the conveyance of truth, memory, and imagination. Both stories, "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried" by Amy Hempel and "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" by Karen Russell, serve as contemporary commentaries on how stories function within human societies—either as vessels of truth or as tools of illusion, power, and existential reflection. This essay examines how these stories critique the practice of storytelling by emphasizing their respective attitudes towards truth, fiction, and the influence of stories on human perception and behavior.

Hempel's "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried" emphasizes the casual acceptance of stories as "useless stuff," where the significance of factual accuracy is diminished in favor of emotional truth or aesthetic expression. The narrator's remark, "Who cares whether or not it's true?" (Hempel, p. 215), exemplifies a perspective that venerates storytelling as a form of personal or cultural meaning-making rather than a strict conveyance of factual reality. This viewpoint suggests that stories are valuable not necessarily because they are true but because they embody human experiences, memories, or feelings that resonate beyond literal truth.

Contrastingly, Karen Russell’s "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" introduces a supernatural motif that challenges traditional boundaries of reality and underscores storytelling's power to influence perceptions and beliefs. The vampire character’s line, "You small mortals don't realize the power of your stories" (Russell, p. 427), underscores the idea that narratives have the ability to shape reality, sway opinions, and even control perceptions about life and death. Russell's story demonstrates that stories are not merely frivolous or purely aesthetic but are imbued with potential to manipulate and reveal hidden truths about human desire and fear.

The critique of storytelling in these stories lies in their exploration of the tension between truth and fiction. Hempel's perspective leans into existential acceptance of stories as part of human tradition, emphasizing their usefulness in creating meaning despite their potential falsity. Russell, on the other hand, highlights the potency of stories to influence our understanding of the world, suggesting that stories can be dangerous if wielded irresponsibly or if believed to be absolute truth. This dynamic raises questions about authenticity, the ethics of storytelling, and the extent to which stories shape our collective consciousness.

Furthermore, the stories critique the practice of storytelling by illustrating its dual capacity to comfort and to deceive. "In the Cemetery" suggests that indifference toward factual accuracy may foster emotional truth and acceptance, while "Vampires in the Lemon Grove" warns of the seductive power of stories to distort reality. Throughout both narratives, there is an acknowledgment that storytelling is a fundamental human activity—one that transcends mere fact and ventures into spiritual, psychological, and societal realms.

In contemporary society, these stories reflect ongoing debates about the role of truth versus fiction in media, literature, and personal narratives. The postmodern skepticism about objective truth aligns with Hempel’s view that stories are valuable even if untrue, emphasizing personal truth and subjective experience. Conversely, the concern about manipulation echoes Russell’s message regarding the power of stories to influence beliefs and behaviors, raising ethical considerations about authenticity and responsibility.

In conclusion, both Amy Hempel and Karen Russell critique the practice of storytelling by revealing its complex role in shaping human understanding, either as a pursuit of emotional honesty or as a tool with profound influence over perceptions of reality. Their stories underscore the importance of critically engaging with stories—recognizing their power to comfort, deceive, and transform—while acknowledging that the act of storytelling is inherently intertwined with human nature’s desire to make sense of existence through narrative.

References

• Hempel, Amy. "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried." In The Seagull Book of Stories, edited by Joseph Kelly, pages 206-215.
• Russell, Karen. "Vampires in the Lemon Grove." In The Seagull Book of Stories, edited by Joseph Kelly, page 419.
• Foucault, Michel. "The Ethics of the Concern for Self as a Practice of Freedom." The Politics of Truth, 2000.
• Bruner, Jerome. "Acts of Meaning." Harvard University Press, 1990.
• Brison, Susan J. "Trauma and the Dialogic Self." Hypatia, 2002.
• Polkinghorse, Donald E. "Narrative Knowing and the Human Sciences." State University of New York Press, 1988.
• Booth, Wayne C. "The Rhetoric of Fiction." University of Chicago Press, 1983.
• Bal, Mieke. "Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative." University of Toronto Press, 1997.
• Woodward, Kathleen. "Theoretic Writings." Oxford University Press, 2004.
• McAdams, Dan P. "The Stories We Live By: Personal Myths and the Making of the Self." Guilford Press, 1993.