The short story I chose to read for this week was The Aquatic Uncle by Italo Calvino. If I had to put this work into one genre, that would be very difficult to do as it does not so obviously fall into any category in particular. I do not necessarily think this is a problem, as we do not always need to categorize art in order to appreciate or learn from it. Like we have discussed in class, genres are essentially sets of expectations. Readers who are familiar with genre tropes can go into a work with a relatively good idea of what sorts of ideas or characters might come up. I did not have any preconceived notions going into The Aquatic Uncle, however it was still a very interesting read with an unexpected ending.
This story seems to be very much an allegory for the way older generations struggle to adapt to the changes of society and the customs of younger generations. I am sure basically everyone has family members who the great-uncle in this work reminded them of. Many older people have been staunchly opposed to change for centuries, as we know from documented accounts from Ancient Rome and other cultures. However, what was surprising in this story was the choice made by Lll, the main character’s fiancée. Lll embodies everything great about being an evolved land creature. The main character views her body as being an example of a perfect adaptation. He even described his great-uncle, a fish, as being a “monster” in comparison. In spite of this extreme contrast, Lll ultimately chooses to leave her fiancée, return to the water, and marry the great-uncle.
This ending was certainly sad and strange. It leaves the main character questioning his own identity and where he belongs on the chart of evolution. As something that exists somewhere in between aquatic and terrestrial, this character does not feel completely at home in either of the two settings. I believe this short story will bring about really interesting class discussions about generational differences and personal identity, and I’m looking forward to discussing The Aquatic Uncle even more.
This sounds like a very strange story. I think it's good that you pointed out how this could spark a conversation about generational differences. Perhaps the main character would have benefited from embracing his roots and remembering his ancestry. The idea of, what I assume is a human, and a fish getting married will haunt my dreams.
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