Sources of Fiction
Where and How to Find Material
The standard sermon is predictably delivered in this
all important first chapter - write from experience,
about what you know. Ordinarily, advice to discard
literary aspirations and instead become a National
Geographic Explorer. But Professor Novakovich
qualifies the axiom, and instills inspiration. First,
one's experience need not be grand. Second, what you
do not know is where your imagination resides.
"Fiction is a lot like lying. You start from
something real, but..." - Josip Novakovich
Exercise #9: A minor figure who plays an
important
role in an historic event, describing what "really happened"
as experienced by that person. History is a reconstruction;
fact and fiction are not separable. (1-2 pages)
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Isaac's conversion still weighed heavily
upon
him. The chill, damp winter air did not help. He strode
with purpose through the narrow maze of dirty cobblestone
streets, but his outward confidence was merely the echoed
gait of his two armed escorts. Guilt and fear propelled
him.
The directions he received from the
wainswright
at the harbor were clear enough. And he was fortunate to
know Genoa well from his frequent visits. But he wasn't
here this time on business.
It was ironic. He had acquiesced to the
conversion in no small part in order to save his business,
and the livelihood of his family. But in doing so, he had
discarded his father's name, without whom the business
would not be prospering. He had also renounced his
traditions and all his people's ancestors.
It was only a month ago, but he felt with
worry that he would never acquire the habit of his new
name - Luis de Torres.
Such drastic measures were the counsel
of Don
Abraham Seneor, who occupied a prominent position at the
royal court. Granada had fallen, and the Moors were
finally driven from Andalusia. By spring, the King and
Queen would complete the unification of Spain by decreeing
the expulsion of all remaining Jews. And so, to keep his
properties, to enable his son to grow to manhood, to
remain in the country he loved, he converted.
Most of his people could forsee this also,
and
were already contemplating their options. Isaac knew
however that both France and Portugal, and certainly the
provinces of Tunis across the strait, would greet Spain's
hordes of displaced Jews with an ill fate. He had cast
himself and his family from the chosen Sons of David for
the sake of life in Spain, but he was determined not to
forsake his fellow countrymen of stronger faith. Isaac
reasoned that their future was dependent on Genoa. Even
if Italy proved to be less hospitable than he expected,
only the port of Genoa had enough ships necessary
to transport all of Spain's Jews to shores afar. The
time for his people's return to Judea was surely not at
hand, but times were desperate for any other destination.
It was ironic that his business was the
factor in his decision to convert, and that his business
ties here in the city of Genoa would save the countless
lives of all his people who would not renounce their
faith and capitulate to the new zealotry of the royal
court. Isaac sought redemption from the irony, and relief
from the burdens of his heavy heart.
He stepped up to the landing before a
stout
door. Looking again at the herald painted on the door to
be certain, he knocked. Momentarily, it opened wide to
reveal a man whose posture was of one in his prime but
whose weathered face and heavily lidded eyes marked a man
still struggling to find his destiny.
"Christoforo Colombo? My name is
Luis de Torres. I arrived this morning from Seville. My
people in Spain are in need of the service of honorable
sea captains. I have a few propositions for you. May I
come in?" (JH, 09/26/99)
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Self Critique: Not a good start. First, I'd
say I violated the so-called first rule of writing
fiction.
Second, it sounds terribly stiff and formal. This
workshop is going to be a greater challenge than I
first thought. In fairness though,
I feel historical fiction is particularly difficult
because of the need for consistency with known
facts. A quick web-search for "Pinta passenger
manifest" found my minor historical figure - Luis de
Torres, listed as "interpreter and converted Jew".
I suspect good historical
fiction starts with much more
extensive research. On the other hand, I recently
viewed a very troubling ABC 20/20 exposé on TV
about state-approved school textbooks which, among
many blatant errors, proclaimed that Columbus discovered
the New World in 1499. So should I care? Yes.
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