While water is essential for life, it can also be a major contributor to death. Water is an ambiguous word. As referenced in Matthew 26:52 Jesus says, “Put your sword back in its place,”… “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword (4).” Water is used as the means for survival; it is drawn upon and essential for everyday life, but it also symbolizes death, destruction, and hardship. Interestingly, Enger, in his novel, Peace Like A River, uses water as a theme to emphasis the way in which water symbolizes life, but also how it represents death, struggle, and rainy moments in life. Since water is more or less symbolizes life, I believe Enger uses the theme of water in a particular scene to evidence the stark contrast to popular symbol of water. According to a symbolism dictionary, water most often represents life (2). In a Christian context, water has many parallels: Christ walked on water and even transformed water into wine (2). Additionally, Christians are baptized with or in water, acting as a symbol of purification of the soul, and conversion into the faith (2). However water can also be destructive. As evidenced by the flood, water drowns and erodes (2). Through tsunamis and hurricanes, accompanied by fierce winds and water, lives can be lost and lives greatly affected forever.
Specifically, on page 48, Enger sets the stage for one of the most dramatic and pivotal points of the story: the shooting of Tommy Basca and Israel Finch. Enger is describing the scene(making many references to rain, snow, and water) right before Finch and Basca enter the Land home and are ultimately shot and killed by Davy.
“ Rising I looked out the window: Davy’s lit tobacco was an orange dot in the rain.”
“Beneath the rainshot window the saddle camped in a pearly glow.”
“Sometime past midnight the rain turned to snow. I could tell by the difference in the sound against the window: a less sharp, wetter sound.”
“How I wanted it to be Davy coming in, smoky and quiet and shaking off water, but Davy was inside already, sleeping not five feet from me, breathing through this nose in satisfied draughts.”
Based on these few examples and a sentence on page 47, Enger clearly uses the device of foreshadowing, yet also is able to surprise the reader later on and constantly keep them engaged. As we find out later in the story, Davy actually goes over to the house (s) of Finch and Basca and initiates a fight. Davy gives them reason to want to retaliate; he essentially causes them harm, which consequently results in Finch and Basca striking back, but Davy is waiting for them with a fully, loaded rifle.
At the bottom of page 47, it says, “Swede and I went to bed early. Davy slung a coat on and left the darkened house. I lay wakeful, conscious of breathing, discomforted at Dad’s stumble, at the pain that blinded him.” Following this section are the lines listed from page 48, but this sentence is highly important to understanding what is coming next. This sentence reflects foreshadowing. To begin with, Reuben sees Davy sling on his coat and leave the darkened house. Since Reuben and Swede went to bed early, is the house really dark because of lack of daylight or is it dark because of what will come to the house later: a murder scene? Furthermore, where does Reuben think Davy is going? He sees him leave, but just a few sentences later Reuben talks about looking out the window and seeing Davy’s lit tobacco in the rain and the Enger describes the scenario when Reuben thinks “Davy is the one coming in through the door shaking off water, but Davy was inside already sleeping…” But was he really? Was Davy really sleeping inside the whole time like Reuben thought or was he out instigating a fight with Basca and Finch?
Moreover, does Reuben’s conscious of breathing have anything to do with the fact that in a few short minutes, two young boys will no longer be conscious of their breathing? Their life will be taken and breathing and life will cease? Not only did Reuben lie awake, conscious of breathing, but he was “discomforted at Dad’s stumble, at the pain that blinded him.” Could this imagery reflect how Finch and Basca would enter the house? Presumably, it was dark and difficult to see where one was walking, perhaps they stumbled over a book bag on the floor or a pair of shoes. Furthermore, Finch and Basca probably had no idea Davy had a rifle under his blanket, ready to shoot them. They were indeed blinded to the pain that would come to them.
As mentioned earlier, Enger uses the motif of water to convey multiple meanings. According to dictionary.com, there are nearly 50 different definitions for water. Specifically, when water is referenced as a noun, according to dictionary.com, it means, “a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid, a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O that in a more or less impure state constitutes rain, oceans, lakes, rivers, etc (1).” When used as a verb with object, water is defined as, “to sprinkle, moisten, or drench with water, to supply animals with water for drinking (1).” Additionally, rain is defined as, “water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth; a heavy continuous descent or inflicting of anything: a rain of blows; a rain of vituperation (3).” Enger describes Reuben looking beneath the rainshot window. Why is it described as rainshot? Is it possible that a rainshot window foreshadows and describes the future “vituperation?” Also, “sometime past midnight the rain turned to snow.” Could this be just about the time Davy is attacking their house/car and instigating a fight? Is that why the rain turns to snow because at that moment war between the two families continue and provides the catalyst for the boys to intrude the Land home? According to dictionary.com, snow is defined as “something resembling a layer of these flakes in whiteness, softness, or the like, the fall of these flakes or a storm during which these flakes fall (5).”Snow could also be referring to the effect that a simple action can have on the overall outcome. As described by the snowball effect, if you build a snowman, but pull out a ball from the base of the snowman, eventually the whole display will crumble, having devastating effects. In the same way, perhaps it is around midnight that Davy inflicts harm and disrespects Finch and Bascal; the rain turns to snow and the dispute is alive and well among them.
As the scene continues, Reuben believes or hopes it is Davy who enters the door, but then realizes Davy is already inside sleeping. He wanted Davy to come in “shaking off water,” but he was already inside five feet away from Reuben. Or was he? Could Reuben have the timeline of events a bit skewed? Maybe it really was Davy entering the home late at night, shaking off the “water”, or the rain that he was causing in the lives of Finch and Basca by picking a fight.
Either way, despite the interpretation of the passage, water is referenced and used to represent many powerful images and symbolism. Ironically, water is the source of life. Specifically, the water that only Jesus gives is the source of eternal life. In fact, Jesus says, "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life (6)." Without clean potable water, lives would be lost. Yet paradoxically, lives are lost due to water. As famously stated, “Too much of anything is not a good thing;” having things in moderation is more optimal for a healthy life. While water is essential for cooking, cleaning, creating a steam bath to help with Reuben’s asthma, and a plethora of other utilizations, Enger uses water to represent fatalities and unnecessary casualties. Enger engages us with his great use of words, imagery, and foreshadowing to further engage and captivate our interest to continue reading and draw conclusions as we go. The reality is this: we are all thirsty for something. Are we thirsty for revenge or are we thirsty for the living, quenching water of Jesus? Are we searching for water that gives life or water that brings death and destruction?
(1) "Water | Define Water at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/water>.
(2) "Water." University of Michigan. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/W/water.html>.
(3) "Rain | Define Rain at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rain?fromRef=true>.
(4) "Matthew 26:39 Going a Little Farther, He Fell with His Face to the Ground and Prayed, "My Father, If It Is Possible, May This Cup Be Taken from Me. Yet Not as I Will, but as You Will."" Online Parallel Bible: Weaving God's Word into the Web. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://bible.cc/matthew/26-39.htm>.
(5) "Snow | Define Snow at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Free Online Dictionary for English Definitions. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/snow.
(6) "John 4:14 but Whoever Drinks the Water I Give Him Will Never Thirst. Indeed, the Water I Give Him Will Become in Him a Spring of Water Welling up to Eternal Life."" Online Parallel Bible: Weaving God's Word into the Web. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. <http://bible.cc/john/4-14.htm>.
Wow, this one is in-depth, a true analysis of a motif. good sources too.
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