“High Tide in Tucson” is an essay from a book of essays in Barbara Kingsolver’s Now or Never. The particular essay that I focused on reflects on the identity of Barbara Kingsolver, which is a common theme in our course. In the essay Kingsolver vacations in the Bahamas while missing her daughter back home. As a gift for her daughter, Kingsolver collects colorful seashells to take back to Tucson. Without realizing it, she brings back a hermit crab, who changes her life forever.
The crab plays an important role with identity, as this is exactly what the crab symbolizes. The mother and her daughter do not have a male figure in the home so they seem to associate the crab with the father/husband role and name the crab “Buster.” The crab now has a new home he must become accustomed to with the help of his new owners. Kingsolver then begins to compare her life to that of the crab.
“I had no earthly notion that I was bringing on myself a calamity of the magnitude of the one that befell poor buster,” illustrates how the mother compares her unfulfilled life to the life of the crab (Kingsolver 14). In Barbara Kingsolver’s essay, the crab seems to have lost his true identity because he remained in his shell, hidden from the world around him as if he had lost himself in another world. In order to try and help him find his identity Kingsolver gave him a variety of shells to help him choose the one that best fits him. While doing so the mother realized that she had lost a sense of her own identity in the transition from Kentucky to Tucson.
In interpreting this essay I realized that Kingsolver might have never realized she lost her a part of her identity when she left her hometown, Kentucky. Although the identity of the crab is never revealed it is obvious how the crab lost his/her sense of identity. Without her/his natural habitat the crab was forced to become accustomed to his/her new environment and retain her/his sense of identity somehow. As Kingsolver constantly kept her focus on her future: she never liked to look back at what she had lost. With the help of the crab, Kingsolver was finally able to realize what she had left behind. Once she began to obtain a relationship with the crab Kingsolver was finally able to accept what she has done with her life.
In relation to another text in a previous unit in this course, I found that “Refuge” by Terry Tempest Williams was similar to this literary piece by Kingsolver being that both authors discuss identity in their works of writing. In “Refuge,” Williams found her home destroyed after seeing the bird’s nests were shattered, as she had associated her home with the home of the birds. In a way, this example compares to the life of Kingsolver and the crab because they were left their homes and were placed in a new one far away from their original home that required adaption and change.
After reading this story I am also reminded of "Woman Hollering Creek" by Sandra Cisneros. The way Cleofilas goes through much change in order to find herself, I feel that Kingsolver does the same. They are both dealing with their identity; though in different paths, both Cleofilas and Kingsolver come to an understanding of themselves after learning from others. In Kingsolver's case, the crab helped her come out of her shell while Felice inspired Cleofilas. Another story I was reminded of was Gwendolyn Brook's poem, "The Bronzeville Mother." Though, in this poem the mother/wife/woman that young Emmett Till died for was covering up her identity in fear that she was not worth the murderous act her husband committed while Kingsolver was discovering her identity in this short story.
At some point in our lives, we all struggle with who we are and what we have become. Kingsolver adds to our understanding of identity by including the fact that animals also lose their sense of identity. Because Barbara Kingsolver is able to share her stories in creative and inspiring ways, I feel she is well worthy of a fan page.
Works Cited
Kingsolver, B. (1996). Google Books. Retrieved April 18, 2010, from http://books.google.com
Excellent job. I really am able to relate to your interpretations of Kingsolver and the crab. For example, I completely agree with your interpretation on how Kingsolver may have lost part of her identity when leaving her home town in Kentucky and moved to Tucson. It's very easy to loose yourself and forget where you are from when you are forced to quickly acclimate yourself to a new place. Personally I felt the same way, moving from Chicago to Tucson has made me change in so many ways. At times I feel like it's easy to loose my identity, facing huge decisions and encountering various situations. Also, like you said Kingsolver continuously focused on her future, trying to not look back at what she lost. This is very relatable too. I often look back, thinking about the things I've lost in life. However, what keeps me going is the promising future I've set out to achieve.
ReplyDeleteGreat job. Your post was well written, clear, and focused. I found it ironic that Kingsolver and Terry Tempest Williams both used animals as metaphors to their own lives. The imagery of the crab moving from one shell to another really seems to be an accurate picture of the way humans move from place to place, searching for a home. In the same way the crab had many different shells to choose from, human beings have many options to choose to live. We move from house to house, city to city, and community to community, all in order to find a place where we feel "at home".
ReplyDelete-Hannah Morris
I really like you metaphor for what you think the crab symbolizes. I was thinking while reading this. Is it possible, like we discussed in class, that the hermit crab could symbolize that she is stuck in one place and that her moving away from her town (getting a new shell) is also a new beginning. It could be something new to try. Maybe the shell is holding her back from doing what she wants to do until she finds a new one. And so on as the cycle continues as she grows out of each shell. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say great job with this blog! the information is well put together, pleasing for the eye and each of you did something that I think will draw everyone in. I do like how you compared the theme identity to the authors experiences. From moving from place to place to the things we as human beings go through each and every day.
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent blog that correlates the themes in class to the author. Barbara kingsolver experiences translated through her work in order for her to find an identity. I like how you said kingsolver looks ahead rather than looking back at the past. I tend to look back on my past, but the future is in front of you and Kingsolver shows this through her strong persistent characteristics.
ReplyDelete- Loren Hughes
Lindsey Lachner-Thanks for the positive feed back. I cannot personally relate to moving to a new state and having to acclimate to its condition and people but I can only imagine how that feels. And also it is always a good thing to keep your eyes on the future because there is really no reason to let the past have a burden on your future.
ReplyDeleteHannah Morris-I appreciate the positive feed back. I agree with you about how Kingsolver is able to use wildlife as a metaphor for human existence.
Brittany Ellison-Thank you for the response. I agree with you about how the shell is a form of identity and she is still trying to find where she fits in the best.
Jasmine Jones-Thank you for the positive response. I do agree that Kingsolver does a wonderful job of using theme of identity in her writing.
Loren Hughes-I appreciate the response. I agree with you that Kingsolver has a positive outlook on life and keeps moving forward rather than dwell on her past issues. I feel like everyone should learn how to stop dwelling on their past problems and move forward even if those problems are never forgotten.
-Brian Vorel