The latest book that we had to read for class is Natasha and Other Stories by David Bezmozgis. It seems as though I have gotten my wish and we are reading another collection of short stories from a Canadian author. It is also another book in the course that focuses on the story of the Canadian immigrant. Similar to Barnacle Love, it focuses on one family, but it is different because only one character narrates the connected stories in Natasha. In lecture, Gail mentioned that the book is actually autobiographical fiction and that a lot of it is based on Bezmozgis' upbringing, but that he is more interested in writing the fiction aspects. I was interested in the idea that, like all of the other writers we have read to this point, Bezmozgis uses what he knows to communicate slightly altered stories about his life to his reader. But unlike the others, he is more open to admitting how much and which parts of the stories are inspired by his own life. For example, I was surprised to learn from Gail that Bezmozgis has admitted that the story "Natasha" is taken almost directly from his life, except for the fact that he does not have an uncle, because it is so personal and graphic. For most people, telling a story about an intimate relationship they had with a family member in their youth would be a taboo subject. This revelation has encouraged me to think of my own life as a series of short stories. Writing does not have to be about doing incredible amounts of research and telling a story about a stranger, but can be inspired by my own life, told with a twist.
I also was interested in the story "Roman Berman, Massage Therapist". Reading about Mark's father Roman and his struggle to transfer the skills he had acquired in his home country of Latvia, which is a obstacle that many immigrants face when they come to Canada. My own mother, a trained secretary, had to find work in a factory because of her limited knowledge of English and her inability to use a computer. Unlike my own parents, however, Roman does succeed in starting his own Massage Therapy clinic, despite the initial challenges he faces. He works hard to pass the required exams and uses his connection to his community to benefit his business. This also reminded me of my father and how he has had to take English classes and other courses to attain a second career after the factory he worked in closed and moved to Mexico. Like Roman, he was determined to do well in his classes and applied an optimistic hope to an otherwise unfortunate situation. I felt that this story, out of all of them, truly commented on the persevering spirit of many Canadian immigrants. Although my parents did not have the same opportunities to develop their English or other skills to go as far as to have their own business, they have worked hard to raise my sister and I with the idea that anything is possible in this country, as long as we work hard, are determined, and never lose hope.
The picture I am including below is one that "Roman Berman, Massage Therapist" reminded me of. It is of my sister, my father, and I about two years after we came to Canada, in our first apartment in Kitchener. Like the story of "Rose" in the Chinese Knot, this picture reminds me of the great relationship I have with my parents and the promising life that they worked so hard to give my sister and I.
I'm starting to think that writing about the collections of short stories focused on immigrant Canadians might be a good idea for my Critical Commentary at the end of the year...
