Discussion:The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty *Spoilers*

[Ell]

RK, now I understand why you relate to Smithy so strongly. If you're like Smithy, no wonder I like your posts.

You asked if Smithy changed or just learned to accept himself. I think he learned to accept himself - at least the part that he'd buried under the lazy, fat-ass persona. The Smithy at the end of the book is the same Smithy, but without as many walls around him.

My first reaction to the ending was similar to yours - that I wished McLarty had continued on to tell us what happens to Norma and Smithy - but now I realize it's better the way it is. Who knows what will become of any relationship? The story that needed to be told was over and a story of their ongoing relationship would be something entirely different.

Norma's disability actually taught her a great lesson. She knew she was still the same without use of her legs. That let her know that even though Smithy looked different and seemed a little different he was still Smithy.

Very insightful. You reminded me of the comment she made at his parents' funeral that she wasn't just about her legs. I'd forgotten that.

Here's something odd though. He was actually kinda mean to Norma as a kid. As his junior, do you think she idealized him? Do you think she believed in who he could be, instead of who he was? I need to re-read that part.

He was a bit mean to her, but I thought it was in a realistic kind of 'boys don't play with babyish girls' kind of way. I think she saw how much he cared for Bethany and took responsibility for her wellbeing at the detriment of his own social development and friendships. There was probably a school-girl crush going on too, but I think she saw the innate goodness in him.

 

[novella]

Just want to say I'm about a third of the way through this book and I love it. I'm not going to go back and read all of this thread until I'm done, but I will then, so I wanted to find the thread and revive it in case anyone else out there is reading the same.

The author's license with language sort of reminds me of The Shipping News, in that he allows each character, especially Smithy, their own self-expression. That's great.

Back with more . . .

 

[RitalinKid]

I'm glad to hear that you like it. Please recommend any other novels that you feel are similar. I'm reading a lot of the same thing right now and could always use something new. I would say I'm in a rut, but I'm enjoying it too much. I can't seem to get enough of Vonnegut, history and eastern religion.

 

[novella]

I just finished this yesterday. The story has taken up residence in a special place in my head for a couple of reasons. Mainly, I just love that the author, McLarty, gives the protagonist such a unique view of the world and a really individual way of expressing himself. This seems to arise completely naturally out of the character, not at all laid on as artifice. The guy, Hook, just fully occupies the space. The author also paced the story very well. Though it happens over months, the time seems to flow in the natural way that it does when you are absorbed in what you're doing.

A few things niggled. For one, I kept going back to the idea (though I have no idea whether this was what the author intended) that the protagonist was [also] crazy. His hallucinations, his constant talking to himself, just the fact of his quest and how he leaves his life behind, combined with the repressed state he’s kept himself in for so many years before, all combined into a personality with a tenuous connection to sanity.

But, then he’s the sanest person in the world sometimes. He’s truly a hero a couple of times, is a deeply generous, trusting person, and also gets the brunt of others’ distrust a lot of the time. For me, the great moments in the book are when he stumbles upon like-minded souls and they rejuvenate each other.

RK, I can’t remember anything specifically symbolic. I didn’t read it as that kind of book, except that the whole quest can be read as a metaphor, as can his transformation on the way. But then, that IS the story, so it’s not really allegorical at all, though I think Ell is right, the quest is to find himself, not just Bethany. In fact, when he gets there, he sort of realizes she doesn’t exist anymore.

Bethany’s voice seems to be this evil spirit that haunts the entire family and ruins it. I couldn’t quite get a handle on Smithy’s true relationship with his parents, beyond the fact that they’re bound together by the dad’s baseball stuff and constantly searching for and worrying about Bethany. They seem like three caretakers with no one to take care of after a while.

I took Bethany’s poses as a way for the author to show how ‘off’ she was without having her act out. In fact, quite the opposite. Her thoroughly inadequate treatment by doctors (and Smithy having more insight into her condition than the docs did) seemed to be an underlying theme. The docs were both despicable. The scene where the lady doc accused him of hurting Bethany really broke my heart. I just felt that.

RK, it’s funny that the part about Chris seemed to make the story more ‘idealized’ to you. The aspect that seemed idealized to me was the relative ease with which, especially in the beginning, Smithy rode so many miles on an old bike, being so out of shape and wearing a suit. That beginning few hundred miles would have been very tough.

I’d like to talk about this some more, but I’ll leave it there for now, so as not to overwrite. There's so much good to say about this book, not least of which how human and heroic and true Smithy is throughout.

 

[Ell]

Novella, so glad you've read this. RK and I have been rattling around here on our own too long.

A few things niggled. For one, I kept going back to the idea (though I have no idea whether this was what the author intended) that the protagonist was [also] crazy. His hallucinations, his constant talking to himself, just the fact of his quest and how he leaves his life behind, combined with the repressed state he’s kept himself in for so many years before, all combined into a personality with a tenuous connection to sanity.

Maybe not crazy, but definitely with a personality disorder. I don't think he was so much crazy as just shut off from the world. You know, one of those people who interact with others in only the most minimal of ways. They have an active imagination, but it stays inside their own heads. After awhile, the interior talking becomes muttering outloud and it really does look like craziness.

But, then he’s the sanest person in the world sometimes. He’s truly a hero a couple of times, is a deeply generous, trusting person, and also gets the brunt of others’ distrust a lot of the time. For me, the great moments in the book are when he stumbles upon like-minded souls and they rejuvenate each other.

This is what I liked most about Smithy. He's truly a decent, caring human-being, but doesn't realize it.

 

[Ronny]

I finished today and I don't have much else to add about it since Ell, RK & Novella covered it all so well. I really loved the book too.

 

[RitalinKid]

Ronny, I'm glad you enjoyed the book; be sure to tell Jenn. I plan on sending her the book this week.

But, please, explain a little. Did you identify with any of the characters? Was the imagery effective? etc. Sorry to be so demanding. I'm a little wasted and interested to hear from you. Jenn speaks really highly of you.

 

[Ronny]

I really identified with all the characters a bit. I especially could understand Smithy's social akwardness, when he would say he responded with a stupe answer, who doesn't have those moments where they look back and go I can't believe I said that. When he reflected on how he let life happen to him and never took charge of it was something that happens to many as well. The way people responded to him seems very accurate, when he helps and they assume the worst of his intentions, I think people really are like that and I also wondered had he looked more like your average hero image would they have treated him better?

Norma was great, the way she loved him all that time even though he never spoke to her, her strength and understanding was very moving. I was just very caught up with the way that she had been such a part of the family until being in the wheel chair and then they all sort of distanced themselves except Bethany's occaisional times with her. I could understand how Smithy said it was too hard at first to know what to say and then , it was just too long to go over and say something, but at the same time I was upset that no one talked with her in all that time and they all knew she was watching them and right there. Her forgiving them and still loving Smithy, I think made her the strongest character in the book.

The parents complete focus on Bethany I understood too, my younger brother has been very ill his whole life and I know how that cast a shadow over everyone in the family. They wanted so much for her to get better and be normal it seems and yet she never would. The doctors were perfect we've had so many doctors like that, they really don't know anything about the illness they are treating. The way no one in the family talked about it was just right on the mark for me. That was a huge part of their lives and they never really talked about it.

And Bethany was like that through the story, sort of a mirage she was always there guiding the story but I didn't get anything solid about her to take away, which I felt was as she should be.

 

[Ell]

Hey Ronny. Glad you joined this discussion.

Norma was great, the way she loved him all that time even though he never spoke to her, her strength and understanding was very moving. I was just very caught up with the way that she had been such a part of the family until being in the wheel chair and then they all sort of distanced themselves except Bethany's occaisional times with her.

She really was a constant throughout wasn't she? She was in a position to observe everything that transpired in Smithy's family - probably the only person - who could understand the real Smithy. The fact that she was close, yet distanced, gave her a unique perspective.

The parents complete focus on Bethany I understood too, . . . The way no one in the family talked about it was just right on the mark for me. That was a huge part of their lives and they never really talked about it.

It's kind of like living with the proverbial elephant that everyone knows is there, but pretends isn't. Difficult to do when you keep bumping into it at every corner.

What did you think of Smithy's encounters with the characters along his journey? I think they had a lot to do with how he ends up accepting himself better.

 

[Ronny]

What did you think of Smithy's encounters with the characters along his journey? I think they had a lot to do with how he ends up accepting himself better.

Yes, his encounters were outrageous and great, it seems he learned something about himself with each encounter, the way his equipment improved with each encounter seemed to mirror the way his character improved too. It made the story like an epic journey and yet it was all very believable too.