In violence the island lived, and in violence a great beauty was born.
- James A. Michener, Hawaii
I am 37 pages into James Michener's Hawaii, and I have to say I am enchanted.
The subject of the first chapter was not the most captivating, as novels go, as it begins, "Millions upon millions of years ago...." I wonder if perhaps Michener has been the only man inspired enough and brave enough to begin an "epoch" (pardon the pun) novel with pages and pages of narrative describing the tedious and prolonged process of the Pacific Islands' natural formation. It makes sense only geologists and biologists would share his passion for and interest in the things contained in Chapter 1. --If it weren't that Michener's language simply sings. And his extended metaphor if fine, fine poetry.
Michener personifies the suboceanic volcanoes, gives them life and will toward creation. He commands silence for the eons of landless expanse, and he invokes enraged torrent for the moment earth first breaches the surface of the water.
I could under no other circumstances experience such exultation and euphoria upon reading a description of these otherwise lifeless events in natural history.
With Chapter 2, he seamlessly introduces the conflict-embroiled people of Bora Bora, and on the knowledge I've already gleaned in studying other resources, I clearly see Michener's stage upon which he'll usher to Hawai‘i her first inhabitants.
Michener's command of the English language is glorious, and I find I am at times so caught up in his spell, I forget all about reading critically, questioning his accuracy or comparing his interpretation of Hawai‘i's history with facts and opinions to which I've been previously exposed. I put off consideration of the author's subjectivity (the novel is--after all--a work of fiction) and allow myself to drift along on the currents of his excellent tale.
With this in mind, I have to wonder how a kanaka maoli's perception of Hawaii differs from that of the general readership. Is Hawaii considered by Native Hawaiians to be a sentimental white man's contrived fantasy? Or do they view Hawaii as a valuable contribution to the celebration of the culture? Or, is Hawaii simply disregarded altogether?
I haven't gotten far enough into the book to formulate an opinion about how exactly Hawaii fits into--if at all--serious Hawaiian cultural studies, but I am able to say the book is thus far a beautiful literary work. I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep between now and the last page.
3 comments:
Certainly James Michener, is all that you have said about him. Perhaps more..... Michener was trying to cover about 40 million years in the begining chapter of "Hawaii." So as thick as the paperback is, the text is really only a condensed version of the total collection of background research for the novel. You know he almost got run out off the state (Hawaii) on a rail after his novel came out. You'll see why when you finish reading Hawaii.
If you get into reading Michener because who couldn't be fascinated by his style, maybe you can read "Tales of the South Pacific." It's something different than what its title might lead you to believe it is. It's about the Pacific theater in WWII. Someone should write an equivalent novel about Iraqi Freedom. But there's probably not too many authors around as gifted as Michener up to that task. IN the 80s and 90s, is when he really hit his stride writing tomes. One unfavorable critic even called him "the king of the gasbaggers." One of his works you should read yourself for an insight into the author's raw talent is the "Novel." Not much of a story per se, but you get a primer on the publishing business and a glimpse that if Michener had chosen to, he could have written in multiple other styles. And just as well. To keep things in perspective, Michener, said of himself, "that he was more of a chronicler," than perhaps a Victor Hugo.
Certainly James Michener, is all that you have said about him. Perhaps more..... Michener was trying to cover about 40 million years in the begining chapter of "Hawaii." So as thick as the paperback is, the text is really only a condensed version of the total collection of background research for the novel. Of course, he covered the natural formation of the rest of the world in subsequent novels. You know he almost got run out off the state (Hawaii) on a rail after his novel came out. You'll see why when you finish reading Hawaii.
If you get into reading Michener because who couldn't be fascinated by his style, maybe you can read "Tales of the South Pacific." It's something different than what its title might lead you to believe it is. It's about the Pacific theater in WWII. Someone should write an equivalent novel about Iraqi Freedom. But there's probably not too many authors around as gifted as Michener up to that task. Not too many authories have the ability "not" to repeat the same modifier for the same noun throughout 800 pages. In the 80s and 90s, is when he really hit his stride writing tomes. Which led one unfavorable critic even to call him "the king of the gasbaggers." One of his works you should read yourself for an insight into the author's raw talent is the "Novel." Not much of a story per se, but you get a primer on the publishing business and a glimpse that if Michener had chosen to, he could have written in multiple other styles. .....And just as well. To keep things in perspective, Michener said of himself, "that he was more of chronicler," than perhaps a Victor Hugo.
James Michener has this uncanny way of bringing life to no-living things in his narratives. Like the way he describes the formation of the Hawaiian islands in Hawaii's first chapter. He calls the Ocean the creator of form and life. Very true indeed.
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