Emancipation is a compelling compilation of stories focusing on a broad cross-section of individuals. Gratey Johnson is a PSTD war veteran whose combat hell has left him a shattered and demented man struggling to corral his demons. Gratey is also the universal fulcrum around which all other stories pivot. Parents, grandparents, children, lovers, executive, thief, cop, educator, and drug dealer all have their unique tales to share. Their narratives of virtue, mischief, faith, immorality, morality, commitment, and perseverance bridge generational gaps and make whole a humane patchwork in an otherwise ambiguous life-scape. In a society where quick labels and categories are selective means of branding one’s character, the individual suffocates. These stories embrace our differences, allowing them space to breathe. As we step through this journey of ordinary and extraordinary circumstances, perhaps the lesson learned from these snapshots is that we possess more common threads that bind than differences that divide.
Assessment:
Plot: A book of interwoven themes, Emancipation offers a raw portrayal of the dark side of human existence. Like Lidia Yuknavitch’s Verge, Michael R. Lane concentrates on the marginalized sects in society, all while violence, death, and depravity blemish ordinary life. As most of the short stories end with a character reflection, the book urges readers to contemplate the buried, animalistic aspects of America.
Prose/Style: Each tale adopts a new narrator from chapter to chapter, yet Lane’s inventive narrative voice changes with each subject. The switch from descriptive to stark language shows Lane’s versatility with storytelling.
Originality: Emancipation’s structure cleverly complements the overall plot. With the same appeal of people watching, the book creates anecdotes about characters that live in the same world yet never directly interact. The motif of time, demonstrated through reappearing clocks, relays the past, while the plot fixates on the future. As people perceive The Prophet as a lunatic, the character's role seems to represent the modern reception of the church. The book signifies a growing distance from America’s Judeo-Christian roots.
Character Development/Execution: Despite the literary medley, not all of the stories equally match in terms of engagement. In the chapter on Ai Quoc Nguyen, facts muddle the lengthy quotes, tiring the reader and affecting the storytelling potential.
Date Submitted: May 12, 2021
