'Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America' by Richard Brautigan

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storySEA, SEA RIDERThe man who owned the bookstore was not magic. He was not athree-legged crow on the dandelion side of the mountain.He was, of course, a Jew, a retired merchant seamanwho had been torpedoed in the North Atlantic and floatedthere day after day until death did not want him. He had ayoung wife, a heart attack, a Volkswagen and a home inMarin County. He liked the works of George Orwell, RichardAldington and Edmund Wilson.He learned about life at sixteen, first from Dostoevskyand then from the whores of New Orleans.The bookstore was a parking lot for used graveyards.Thousands of graveyards were parked in rows like cars.Most of the kooks were out of print, and no one wanted toread them any more and the people who had read the bookshad died or forgotten about them, but through the organicprocess of music the books had become virgins again. Theywore their ancient copyrights like new maidenheads.I went to the bookstore in the afternoons after I got offwork, during that terrible year of 1959.He had a kitchen in the back of the store and he brewedcups of thick Turkish coffee in a copper pan. I drank coffeeand read old books and waited for the year to end. He had asmall room above the kitchen.It looked down on the bookstore and had Chinese screensin front of it. The room contained a couch, a glass cabinetwith Chinese things in it and a table and three chairs. Therewas a tiny bathroom fastened like a watch fob to the room.I was sitting on a stool in the bookstore one afternoonreading a book that was in the shape of a chalice. The bookhad clear pages like gin, and the first page in the book read:Billythe KidbornNovember 23,1859inNew YorkCityThe owner of the bookstore came up to me, and put hisarm on my shoulder and said, "Would you like to get laid?"His voice was very kind."No, " I said."You're wrong, " he said, and then without saying anythingelse, he went out in front of the bookstore, and stopped a pairof total strangers, a man and a woman. He talked to them fora few moments. I couldn't hear what he was saying. He pointedat me in the bookstore. The woman nodded her head andthen the man nodded his head.They came into the bookstore.I was embarrassed. I could not leave the bookstore becausethey were entering by the only door, so I decided to goupstairs and go to the toilet. I got up abruptly and walkedto the back of the bookstore and went upstairs to the bathroom,and they followed after me. I could hear them on the stairs.I waited for a long time in the bathroom and they waitedan equally long time in the other room. They never spoke.When I came out of the bathroom, the woman was lying nakedon the couch, and the man was sitting in a chair with hishat on his lap."Don't worry about him, " the girl said. "These thingsmake no difference to him. He's rich. He has 3, 859 RollsRoyces." The girl was very pretty and her body was like aclear mountain river of skin and muscle flowing over rocksof bone and hidden nerves."Come to me, " she said. "And come inside me for we areAquarius and I love you."I looked at the man sitting in the chair. He was not smilingand he did not look sad.I took off my shoes and all my clothes. The man did notsay a word.The girl's body moved ever so slightly from side to side.There was nothing else I could do for my body was likebirds sitting on a telephone wire strung out down the world,clouds tossing the wires carefully.I laid the girl.It was like the eternal 59th second when it becomes a minuteand then looks kind of sheepish."Good, " the girl said, and kissed me on the face.The man sat there without speaking or moving or sendingout any emotion into the room. I guess he was rich and owned3, 859 Rolls Royces.Afterwards the girl got dressed and she and the man left.They walked down the stairs and on their way out, I heardhim say his first words."Would you like to go to Emie's for dinner?""I don't know, " the girl said. "It's a little early to thinkabout dinner. "Then I heard the door close and they were gone. I gotdressed and went downstairs. The flesh about my body feltsoft and relaxed like an experiment in functional backgroundmusic.The owner of the bookstore was sitting at his desk behindthe counter. "I'11 tell you what happened up there, " he said,in a beautiful anti-three-legged-crow voice, in an anti-dandelionside of the mountain voice."What?"I said."You fought in the Spanish Civil War. You were a youngCommunist from Cleveland, Ohio. She was a painter. A NewYork Jew who was sightseeing in the Spanish Civil War as ifit were the Mardi Gras in New Orleans being acted out byGreek statues."She was drawing a picture of a dead anarchist when youmet her. She asked you to stand beside the anarchist and actas if you had killed him. You slapped her across the faceand said something that would be embarrassing for me torepeat.You both fell very much in love."Once while you were at the front she read Anatomy ofMelancholy and did 349 drawings of a lemon."Your love for each other was mostly spiritual.Neitherone of you performed like millionaires in bed."When Barcelona fell, you and she flew to England, andthen took a ship back to New York. Your love for each otherremained in Spain. It was only a war love. You loved onlyyourselves, loving each other in Spain during the war. Onthe Atlantic you were different toward each other and becameevery day more and more like people lost from each other."Every wave on the Atlantic was like a dead seagull draggingits driftwood artillery from horizon to horizon."When the ship bumped up against America, you departedwithout saying anything and never saw each other again. Thelast I heard of you, you were still living in Philadelphia. ""That's what you think happened up there?" I said."Partly, " he said. "Yes, that's part of it. "He took out his pipe and filled it with tobacco and lit it."Do you want me to tell you what else happened up there?"he said."Go ahead.""You crossed the border into Mexico, " he said. "Yourode your horse into a small town. The people knew whoyou were and they were afraid of you. They knew you hadkilled many men with that gun you wore at your side. Thetown itself was so small that it didn't have a priest."When the rurales saw you, they left the town. Tough asthey were, they did not want to have anything to do with you.The rurales left.You became the most powerful man in town.You were seduced by a thirteen-year-old girl, and youand she lived together in an adobe hut, and practically allyou did was make love."She was slender and had long dark hair. You made lovestanding, sitting, lying on the dirt floor with pigs and chickensaround you. The walls, the floor and even the roof of thehut were coated with your sperm and her come."You slept on the floor at night and used your sperm fora pillow and her come for a blanket."The people in the town were so afraid of you that theycould do nothing."After a while she started going around town without anyclothes on, and the people of the town said that it was not agood thing, and when you started going around without anyclothes, and when both of you began making love on the backof your horse in the middle of the zocalo, the people of thetown became so afraid that they abandoned the town. It'sbeen abandoned ever since. "People won't live there."Neither of you lived to be twenty-one. It was not neces-sary."See, I do know what happened upstairs, " he said. Hesmiled at me kindly. His eyes were like the shoelaces of aharpsichord.I thought about what happened upstairs."You know what I say is the truth, " he said. "For yousaw it with your own eyes and traveled it with your own body.Finish the book you were reading before you were interrupted.I'm glad you got laid. "Once resumed the pages of the book began to speed upand turn faster and faster until they were spinning like wheelsin the sea.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Trout Fishing in America: A Literary Critique of Part 3

Introduction

Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America is a novel that defies easy categorization. Part memoir, part novel, and part poetry, Brautigan's work is a surreal, whimsical exploration of the human condition. In Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America, Brautigan turns his attention to the power of language and the role it plays in shaping our understanding of the world around us. In this literary critique, we will explore the themes and motifs present in Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America, as well as provide an interpretation of this innovative work of literature.

Language as a Tool of Power

One of the central themes of Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America is the power of language. Brautigan challenges traditional notions of language as a neutral, objective tool, instead presenting it as a force that can be used to shape our understanding of reality. Throughout the novel, Brautigan employs a variety of linguistic techniques to highlight the ways in which language influences our perception of the world.

One of the most striking examples of this is the use of puns and wordplay throughout the novel. In "The Kool-Aid Wino," for instance, Brautigan writes:

Because he could not afford a great wizard to rid him of his enemies he became a great wizard himself and did it with Kool-Aid.

Here, Brautigan uses the pun on "wizard" and "Kool-Aid" to create a sense of whimsy, but also to suggest that language itself can be a tool of power. By using language creatively, the protagonist is able to achieve his goals without relying on traditional sources of authority.

The Power of Imagination

Another key theme in Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America is the power of imagination. Brautigan encourages readers to see beyond the surface level of reality and to embrace their own creativity and imagination. In "The Cleveland Wrecking Yard," for instance, he writes:

"I am going to give you a building that will be completely your own," he said. "You can do anything you want with it. You can paint it any color you like, and you can make it as big or as small as you want. You can even knock it down and start over again if you like."

Here, the character is given free reign to imagine and create, with no limitations placed upon him. This emphasis on the power of imagination encourages readers to think outside the box and to embrace their own creativity in their everyday lives.

The Role of Nature

Nature also plays a significant role in Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America. Brautigan often portrays nature as a powerful force, capable of shaping the world around us. In "The Pumpkin Tide," for example, he writes:

The tide of pumpkins continued to rise until it was at eye level. There was nothing to do but swim in it. It was like a great orange sea with the sound of pumpkin stems creaking in the waves.

Here, nature is portrayed as a both beautiful and overwhelming, with the protagonist powerless in the face of its power. This portrayal of nature as a force to be reckoned with is a reminder of our own mortality and the fleeting nature of human existence.

Conclusion

Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America is a complex and innovative work of literature that challenges traditional notions of language, creativity, and the natural world. Through its use of puns and wordplay, the novel encourages readers to see language as a tool of power, capable of shaping our perception of reality. Similarly, the emphasis on imagination and creativity encourages readers to embrace their own creativity and to think beyond the confines of traditional authority. Finally, the portrayal of nature as a powerful and uncontrollable force reminds us of our own mortality and the transience of human existence. Overall, Part 3 of Trout Fishing in America is a thought-provoking and engaging novel that continues to captivate readers to this day.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Trout Fishing in America is a classic piece of literature that has captured the hearts of many readers since its publication in 1967. The book is a collection of poems and short stories that explore the themes of nature, identity, and the human condition. In this analysis, we will be focusing on Poetry Part 3, one of the most iconic poems in the book.

The poem begins with the line, "I like to think (and the sooner the better!) of a world where things are better." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on the possibility of a better world. The speaker of the poem is optimistic and hopeful, and he imagines a world where people are kinder to each other and to the environment.

The poem is structured in a series of short, fragmented lines that create a sense of urgency and excitement. The speaker jumps from one idea to the next, as if he is trying to capture all of his thoughts before they slip away. This style of writing is characteristic of Brautigan's work, and it creates a sense of spontaneity and improvisation that is both playful and profound.

One of the most striking images in the poem is the line, "I like to think right now, please, of a world without men." This line is provocative and controversial, and it has been interpreted in many different ways. Some readers see it as a feminist statement, a call for women to take control of their own lives and destinies. Others see it as a critique of patriarchy and the ways in which men have dominated and oppressed women throughout history.

Regardless of how one interprets this line, it is clear that the speaker is imagining a world where gender roles are not so rigidly defined. He is suggesting that men and women should be able to live and work together as equals, without the need for power struggles or hierarchies. This is a powerful and inspiring vision, and it speaks to the universal desire for a more just and equitable society.

Another important theme in the poem is the relationship between humans and nature. The speaker is deeply connected to the natural world, and he sees it as a source of beauty and wonder. He imagines a world where people are more in tune with nature, where they take care of the environment and respect the creatures that live in it.

This theme is particularly relevant today, as we face the devastating effects of climate change and environmental degradation. The poem reminds us that we have a responsibility to take care of the planet, and that we must work together to create a more sustainable and equitable future.

Overall, Poetry Part 3 is a powerful and inspiring poem that speaks to the human desire for a better world. It is a call to action, a reminder that we have the power to create change and make the world a better place. The poem is a testament to Brautigan's unique voice and vision, and it continues to resonate with readers today.

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