Extra Credit - Mathias Svalina

“I am writing you a letter in the weather reports and my every prediction is wrong.” This excerpt from the writing of Mathias Svalina is, in my opinion, heartbreakingly sad. And, coincidentally, rather apropos to Nebraska weather. There is such a sense of ongoing defeat in this sentence that it’s hard to read without becoming a little sad yourself. The persona is separated from the “you” of the letter and making an effort to connect, but just can’t seem to get it right. Despite this, the persona keeps trying. To me, there seems to be an admission of eventual capitulation to the circumstances. If you read this as the description of a long distance relationship, you have to wonder just how long this relationship is going to last. One thing that I love and loathe (but mostly love) about literature is that the construction of characters invariably leaves something to the imagination. Whether that be the continuation of the story or the beginning of events, the reader is left to fill in the information. I think this is wonderful because it gives the reader some sense of control and the ability to change the events at will. Even if it’s a familiar piece, the reader can always come back and find something new not only in the text, but also the information that’s not provided. Ultimately, it all comes back to the text, but it’s an interesting exercise to suppose about the characters based on the information you actually have. Take Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” for example. What happens when Elisa and Henry make it to town? She’s devastated by the treachery of the salesman, but perhaps she’s strong enough to not let that bother her for long. Maybe she comes home and rips up all the chrysanthemums that gave her so much pleasure. There are endless possibilities.