Monday, October 04, 2004
Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter
Freckles has wonderful descriptions. Gene Stratton Porter brings the deep forest and swamp of Linberlost to life with both broad background to detail of colour and sound. The vast presence of the forest with its sounds and silences and the feelings of fear and loneliness they can raise in people are exquisitely rendered.
The story reminds me of some Louisa May Alcott plot. A maimed orphan looking for legitimate work stumbles into a lumber camp. His honesty, enthusiasm, and persistance get him a chance from the Boss. Known only as Freckles, the boy must twice a day walk the 7 mile perimeter of a plot of forest making sure that poachers are not skimming the best of the trees out of the forest before the crew can get to the job. It is a hard lonely job but Freckles is drawn from his fear by the lush details of the wildlife. Friendships and care blossom when the fear has gone and Freckles enears himself to his host family, his boss, and a naturalist photographer and the young girl who accompanies her into the forest.
Freckles falls in love with the girl. She saves him from terrible trouble at one point and he saves her life, at great risk to himself. An orphan with little if any future, Freckles knows that he cannot even hope to have his love for the "Swamp Angel" to be returned. The angel seems to care for him as well but it cannot be. Freckles works hard to educate himself and his boss sees a future for Freckles of college and a job in the logging company. Everyone, well almost everyone, mentions his politeness and gentility.
Surprise! Though Freckles is an orphan they find his family (Uncle) and discover that Freckles is a wealthy member of a Noble Irish family. This family was not aware of his existance until lately and they have straight away come to America to find him and restore him to his rightful place. Now Freckles and the Angel's love can be requited because they are of similar class.
The story reminds me of some Louisa May Alcott plot. A maimed orphan looking for legitimate work stumbles into a lumber camp. His honesty, enthusiasm, and persistance get him a chance from the Boss. Known only as Freckles, the boy must twice a day walk the 7 mile perimeter of a plot of forest making sure that poachers are not skimming the best of the trees out of the forest before the crew can get to the job. It is a hard lonely job but Freckles is drawn from his fear by the lush details of the wildlife. Friendships and care blossom when the fear has gone and Freckles enears himself to his host family, his boss, and a naturalist photographer and the young girl who accompanies her into the forest.
Freckles falls in love with the girl. She saves him from terrible trouble at one point and he saves her life, at great risk to himself. An orphan with little if any future, Freckles knows that he cannot even hope to have his love for the "Swamp Angel" to be returned. The angel seems to care for him as well but
Surprise! Though Freckles is an orphan they find his family (Uncle) and discover that Freckles is a wealthy member of a Noble Irish family. This family was not aware of his existance until lately and they have straight away come to America to find him and restore him to his rightful place. Now Freckles and the Angel's love can be requited because they are of similar class.
# posted by JJ @ 8:36 PM 
