A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore is a challenging read. One member of our Book Club asked “what was the point?” This is an interesting question. One can respond to it from many perspectives. When I considered her question, I stripped down the narrative to its key events – like one might if writing a screenplay or a libretto. The plot revealed that a young woman encountered a series of overwhelming personal tragedies from which she emerged a stronger person. This was an important point for me! For much of the novel I was distressed by the author’s failure to get on with the story. However, by the end I was overwhelmed by her ability to presence this young person’s grief. It brought me nearer to an appreciation for the distress that may be driving youth to suicide.
This book delved into many aspects of contemporary existence other than ascending tragedy – God/religion in modern life, racism/anti-racism, cuisine, deceit, and birds/flight. The author served up a potpourri of modern issues without providing any moral guidance. She simply provided a ‘life as it is’ narrative that buried the critical events.
Was there a message? Or is the only message “learn from experience” – yours and others!
The author provided three quotations in her epigram. The first two are most understandable. They reflect on what transpired in the story. The third must relate to my question about the message! I think it might mean we should all be able to see how things work! Assuming you can afford the price of admission!