Family relations is an overarching theme we have discussed this week regarding Cloudspitter. John Brown, the patriarch, has a commanding influence over his family through his verbal and physical interactions with his family. Throughout the book, we start to piece together the man that is John Brown through Owen's memories. We learn that Owen's father is in debt, but can convince almost anyone to give him more credit. Owen tells us how the 'Old Man' is more affectionate to his livestock that his own children- to the point where Owen would sometimes wish he was a merino sheep. While the rest of Owen's family firmly supports their father, at least Owen questions his loyalty. Owen doesn't want to be in the Adirondacks and when he shares this wish, his father knowingly points out he has no where to go. In class we argued whether Owen's lack of options was Owen or John's doing, and I personally believe it was John's. We know from a young age John wanted to fight to end slavery, and from stories in the book we learn he is very exclusive with who he wanted to include on this venture, specifically with the Underground Railroad in the Adirondacks. Who better to help win this fight than followers who would learn about it their whole lives? John Brown keeps his children close because he needs their help to win. Even his sons who don't live at home are still at his beck and call. Most importantly, if he can't keep fighting at least his sons will be there to pass on his legacy. I mean, isn't that what this whole book is about? Owen is sharing his father's story decades after his death. And even though Owen wanted to leave the Adirondacks in his youth, it is the place where he wishes to go in his old age. John Brown wanted to create a home and ideology that could live on through his children.
Although the book is historical fiction, family legacy is still relevant today. While reading the Adirondack Almanack I came across an article about a storeowner who bequeathed 2 million dollars and land to his hometown of Newcomb via Adirondack Foundation. The man, Marvin Bissell, gave explicit instructions that the Foundation use the money and land to restore gravestones and graveyards in Newcomb. Leftover funds will go towards preserving genealogical records of the town in order to record Newcomb's history. Although Mr. Bissell is not leaving a legacy in the traditional sense by giving the money to his family, he has left his mark on this town. By owning the general store, Mr. Bissell got to know his community at a personal level. His legacy of community did not die with him. We've read a lot about the ebb and flow of the Adirondacks, how a lot of the residents don't always stay, but every once in awhile we see someone like John Brown or Mr. Bissell wanting to leave a legacy within the Adirondacks.
Sources Cited:
Banks, Russell. Cloudsplitter. New York, NY: Harper Flamingo, 1998. Print.
"Bissell's Store Owner Leaves Big Gift For Newcomb -." The Adirondack Almanack. The Adirondack Explorer, 16 Sept. 2015. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
I think you make a really good point here. I get the sense that familial traditions are really important in the Adirondacks because there is so much history in the region. There are quite a few incredibly influential people who have left a tangible legacy in the Adirondacks, and I believe that that is often done through the closeness of families. While family legacy is important throughout the world, I think the difficulty of settling and making a living in the Adirondacks likely encouraged families to remain in the region if they could, and I feel that that has played an important role in shaping the human aspect of the region.
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