handwringers A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Creative Writing and English University of Regina by Sarah Fahie Regina, Saskatchewan December 2019 Copyright 2019: S. Fahie UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Sarah Dawn Fahie, candidate for the degree of Master of English in Creative Writing and English, has presented a thesis titled, handwringers, in an oral examination held on December 12, 2019. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: Dr. Steven Ellerhoff, Southwestern Oregan Community College Supervisor: Dr. Michael Trussler, Department of English Committee Member: Dr. Marcel DeCoste, Department of English Committee Member: Dr. Jes Battis, Department of English Chair of Defense: Dr. Philip Charrier, Department of History *via Video Conference Abstract Lying on his couch, reflecting on his life, Moses E. Herzog “thought awhile of Mithridates, whose system learned to thrive on poison. He cheated his assassins, who made the mistake of using small doses, and was pickled, not destroyed. Tutto fa brodo” (Bellow 4). Saul Bellow’s titular character offers an excellent metaphor for a complicated figure: the schlemiel. Herzog reflects on Mithridate’s inability to die with honor: having fortified himself against poisoning, he botches his suicide. The Italian phrase Bellow uses to describe Herzog’s state of mind is an idiom meaning literally “everything makes broth” suggesting that every little bit helps. In Herzog it is used ironically: every little bit helps self-sabotage; everything that helps is also everything that hurts. A schlemiel’s best efforts will inevitably come to foolishness. handwringers is a collection of short stories which revolve around Jewish identity and the figure of the schlemiel. The critical introduction, “‘Everyday’ Scraps and the Metacomedic Schlemiels of handwringers,” looks at the form of the stories, the genre of metacomedy in relation to the form, and the schlemiel of the collection as a metacomedic character. The stories are short, ranging from 17 to 2020 words. The length of the stories contributes to the theme of mediation, evoking something of a chaotic media experience of clips, soundbites, advertisements, shows, film, and the internet. Moments of epiphany and/or crisis unfold within these short forms. Collectively, these moments suggest a fragmented sense of self, one assembled through bits of cultural information gleaned from various media. Throughout the critical introduction, examples from both my work and the creative and theoretical work of others are used in order to clarify abstract ideas as well as to suggest a matrix of influence. Ultimately, in this collection, Jewishness as i understood through pop-culture is manifested in a kind of anxiety around identity, authenticity, religion, and culture. ii Acknowledgment I am infinitely grateful to the University of Regina for providing access to the resources and expertise that have allowed me to pursue my creative and educational goals. Without exception, the education and support staff at the University have been encouraging, insightful, and ready to help. My thesis advisor, Dr. Michael Trussler, answers my many emails with patience and wisdom. Members of my thesis committee, Dr. Jes Battis and Dr. Marcel DeCoste have never hesitated to offer me their time and their in-depth feedback. While he is no longer with the University, the precision of his words have had an immense impact on this collection: Dr. Chris Bundock. Both Dr. Susan Johnston and Danielle Myers have contributed substantially to a positive learning environment. Dr. Troni Grande and Dr. Medrie Purdham continued to offer suggestions and recommend possibilities for my career and my education long after I had left their classes. The UR Graduate Scholarship through the Faculty of Arts, Department of English in the winter of 2019, as well as the G.Murray and Edna Forbes Foundation Graduate Award in English through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in the fall of 2019 have allowed me the freedom to study. The UR International and Department of English teacher assistantships have been invaluable for both developing my skills as an educator and for paying the bills. iii Post Defense Acknowledgement I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the External Examiner, Dr. Steve Gronert Ellerhoff, for his time and for his observations. As well, many thanks to the Chair, Dr. Philip Charrier, for his participation and for his kind words. iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ iii Post Defense Acknowledgement ................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ v Introduction: ................................................................................................................... 1 1. Overview ............................................................................................................... 1 2. Short Forms ........................................................................................................... 5 3. Metacomedy .......................................................................................................... 9 4. Schlemiels ........................................................................................................... 14 5. Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 21 handwringers .................................................................................................................. 23 A Car Called Vera ............................................................................................... 25 Mary Pepper ........................................................................................................ 27 Skinning the Cat .................................................................................................. 30 Whatever Larry’s Looking For; It’s all in the beef, hot gods an money men — god schlock and sellin dogs ....................................................................................... 32 About Dinner; Self Similar ................................................................................. 34 imagine wisdom as wrinkled and wrinkles as decay .......................................... 35 god to the feral children ...................................................................................... 36 Always Being, Then and After ........................................................................... 37 Colour Can’t See ................................................................................................. 39 Sick Dance .......................................................................................................... 40 v Street Trash ......................................................................................................... 43 Karen’t ................................................................................................................ 45 Camp Cheakamus ............................................................................................... 46 Old Soul .............................................................................................................. 48 Little Wisdom I ................................................................................................... 49 the Loose Light of a Pale Wooden Moon ........................................................... 51 Reveal Yourself .................................................................................................. 53 Shrink .................................................................................................................. 54 Find the Bottom .................................................................................................. 55 A Vote for the Vulgar Nightclub Clown ............................................................. 59 Horton Hears a Nu .............................................................................................. 63 Schlemiel! Schlimazel! ....................................................................................... 64 Dinner with the Devout; learn something ........................................................... 67 Nothing Mattress ................................................................................................. 70 for how long did the subject watch the bloody finger......................................... 72 Shanda for the Goyim ......................................................................................... 73 There Once Was a Horse Near an Oak ............................................................... 75 Maury the Mensch .............................................................................................. 78 Eulogy for the Man with the Trumpet ................................................................ 81 “a timeless shrug” ..............................................................................................