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You have forced me to reconsider the merits of allegory. You are a master of it, I'm realizing. This is terrifying, because true, though I especially enjoyed the glimmer of light in there:

"And I was sure that humanity was made in His image, because I saw what we could become when God’s image started to disappear from us."

This is one of your very best.

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thank you Tom :) i don't know if i would say this is allegory properly speaking, as i don't think it maps precisely to any one thing in particular (but rather a general 'rot' in society - unfortunately many examples to choose from). in any case, i think you'll be happy to know that i'm working on turning it into a novel, this being the first chapter. currently on the fourth. this is the one that i have no idea where it's going, which is a good sign.

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Ah, excellent! And I think your allegory is better in no small part because it is not pure allegory. The “rot” reminded me of many different things.

And I’m glad you don’t know where it’s going. I think this is a very good sign. The joy of writing skyrocketed for me when I started taking the leash off and letting everything surprise me, even when it contradicted my own original notions of what the work was about or where it would end up.

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yup, agree wholeheartedly. not only is it more fun to write that way, but it works better in the end, because you as the writer are also feeling the tension and anticipation and thus embedding it into the text.

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loved this one, although it made me squirm because it's so suggestive and uncanny...

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thank you Max. i squirmed too when i was writing it.

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I see you are in a somber mood as well.

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i wouldn't say so necessarily. a part of me, perhaps.

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Oh darn, so it is just me today.

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