The Wild Vitality of We the Animals

[vc_row][vc_column][title type="subtitle-h6"]August Glomski[/title][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="11/12"][vc_column_text]As a literary medium, novellas incorporate elements of both the short story and the novel by drawing on the best parts of each. Characterization is sharp and immediate, as is necessary in a work of short fiction where time is of the essence. Additionally, a singular storyline extends beyond the normal scope of the short story, creating a space for maturation of characters that is likewise felt in the lengthier novel. We the Animals, Justin Torres’ lauded debut work, taps into the unique nature of the novella to present a powerful story that feels simultaneously small and expansive while exploring the pain and beauty of an impoverished coming-of-age tale.Torres’ writing is a force to be reckoned. Told in first-person, the story’s young narrator incisively catalogues the world with a vitality that cuts deep into our own memories of experiencing life through the gaze of a child. The style is fiery and quick, and it limns the world of three brothers who are at once liberated by youth but also bound to the looming shadow of poverty and instability cast by their young and intemperate parents. Much of the story centers around this struggle as the narrator’s childhood flexes with the weight of problems beyond his years, most of which are brought on by the rocky and often abusive union between his parents. Together with his two brothers, the semi-autobiographical narrator forges a solace in the midst of familial disjunction and inoculates life’s pain and instability with an infectious sense of childish wonder.Some of the strongest moments come when the young narrator undertakes a simple experience for the first time. Torres captures the fear and elation of learning to swim, rekindling a sense of awe and respect for the natural world that seems more acute to a young mind. Torres writes, “In the middle of the lake the water felt blacker and cooler, and Pap swam right into a clump of slimy tar black leaves. Ma and I tried to splash the leaves away from us, but we had to keep one arm holding on, so they ended up curling around in our jetty and sticking to our ribs and thighs like leeches.” The author packs each of his sentences with sensory details that quietly extend into the depths of memory to articulate sensations that brim with newness and awe. It is in these moments that his writing reaches a connection with readers that stands as a testament to the author’s ability to render a fresh reimagining of youth by relaying the world as something to be explored and felt.The real pearl of the novella is the manner in which Torres masterfully conveys the complexity of a harsh upbringing. Poverty fosters both anger and kindness, humiliation and empowerment throughout the course of the story, and the narrator’s parents vacillate from abusive to adoring without warning. The boys are left with the task of navigating this turbulent parental relationship, and their success is variable. Their father often disappears for periods of time, sending their mother into fits of depression and charging the boys with the difficult task of consoling the woman upon whom they are completely dependent. When their father returns, periods of joy settle upon the household, but the threat of insecurity constantly lingers. Ultimately, it is the love between the brothers that define the family, a bond that is as wild and protean as the growing boys.Touching, uplifting, and bitterly heartbreaking, the weight of We the Animals should not be underestimated by its relatively small number of pages. Though the story spans a good deal of time, Torres’ allegretto pacing seemingly blends months into days, which makes reading a quick and captivating proposition. His fictional world teeters on the edge of so many abysses that it is impossible to divine which twist or turn will next befall the family. One thing that is certain, however, is that every plotline will be treated with the care and delicate craft of a rising author.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]