Challenge 934

Downstairs, in the Microcosm

In David Samuels’ Red He Wept: Part 3 contains three episodes of violence. How do they differ in nature? What does the violence reveal about the opposition to Arabelle’s and Moralt’s investigation?
In David Barber’s Madame Laplace Looks Back: If Pierre-Simon de Laplace is the “French Einstein,” what branch of physics does Madame Laplace represent, and in what ways does she represent it?
In Anthony David Vernon’s The Book of Elijah:
1. In the Torah, who is the first person or entity to identfy as “I am”?
2. How is “I am” interpreted in this particular story?
3. Why does the point of view shift from Elijah to Elisha?
In Charles C. Cole’s Philo Returns Home:
1. Does Philo commit suicide? If so, why? Does Philo’s loss of his pet dog suffice to justify it?
2. What else does Philo lose besides his job and dog?
3. Is the name “Aronnax” merely unusual or does it have a literary or cultural reference that applies to the story?
In Harrison Kim’s A Cult of Two:
1. Observers outside of Santeria might say that Harrison is obviously being conned for money by Jimmy Toussaint. But is Harrison’s and Jimmy’s relationship truly unequal? What does the Santeria wizard supply that Harrison feels is worth the money?
2. Is Harrison realistic in calculating that he can afford his relationship with Jimmy and that it is not a truly inordinate expense?
3. How does the structure of the story justify its being classified as a memoir rather than as prose fiction?
In Channie Greenberg’s New Intimacies: Consider the chronicle as an outline for a television series. How many episodes might be derived from it?
In Catherine Coundjeris’ How the Golden Goose Came To Be: Canada geese fly south for the winter. Why would the former Golden Goose and its flock do any different? Or might they actually be flying north for the summer?

Responses welcome!