Good scent from a strange mountain fairy tale by jen kwok. They have been living in the new orleans area for more than a decade, arriving in america after the fall of south vietnam. A good scent from a strange mountain biography of robert olen butler. It received the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1993. In the following essay, he discusses the different kinds of knowing represented in a good scent from a strange mountain. The problems of the indochina war and the vietnam war are themes in the story, though dao. Good scent from a strange mountain fairy tale by jen. A good scent from a strange mountain is a pulitzerwinning compilation of stories primarily about the vietnamese diaspora, with the majority of the stories written from the perspective of immigrants living in and around new orleans. With a good scent from a strange mountain, robert olen butler gives a unique voice to a unique group of displaced vietnamese people, all trying to figure out a way to make a home for themselves in a new country, while still struggling to maintain their identities.
A good scent from a strange mountain summary masterpieces of american literature print print. A good scent from a strange mountain background gradesaver. Robert olen butlers story, a good scent from a strange mountain, focuses intently on the last phase of an old mans life. His father discovers a poacher on the land, a 640acre ranch in northern california, and shows him to the boy through the scope of his rifle. The book a good scent from a strange mountain written by robert olen butler, a famous modern american fiction writer, consists of several short stories which are narrated by the vietnamese who live in the united states of america. Throughout the short story collections in robert butlers a good scent from a strange mountain and junot diazs drown, the most prominent differences between these short stories were 1 poverty versus enough and 2 a healthy versus destructive home and family life and other surroundings. A good scent from a strange mountain goes a long way toward making the vietnamese real, and its method is bold. I am at a loss to adequately describe the poignance of. If you could rename a good scent from a strange mountain, what would. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Where is the line between prostitution and a loveless union. A good scent from a strange mountain is a 1992 collection of short stories by robert olen butler. A good scent from a strange mountain 11j jl jl o chi minh came to me again last night, his hands covered with confectioners sugar. The question and answer section for a good scent from a strange mountain is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
Driven from job to job by the failure of the giant manchild to fit into the social pattern, they finally find in a ranch. Ive only had the chance to read a couple of the selections, and today i would like to briefly write about one of them, crickets. A profound and poignant novel that continues butlers exploration of america, war, and the family, as begun in a good scent from a strange mountain and a small hotel, perfume river is a powerful and moving portrait of the challenges of close relationships, the resonance of personal choice, and the american experience. The problems of the indochina war and the vietnam war are themes. The story takes the form of an old mans memories and final attempts to deal with the past. This book is a collection of 17 anthologies, all written in the first person that blend vietnamese folklore, the terrible, lingering memories of war, american pop culture and family drama into a woven fabric that tells the stories of those who actually served in the vietnamese war. Plus, six volumes of short fiction tabloid dreams, had a good time, severance, intercourse, weegee stories, and a good scent from a strange mountain. A good scent from a strange mountain questions and answers. We do this on a daily basis because there is a new daily puzzle, 365 days a year. Chauncey mabe, miami herald the pulitzer prizewinning author of a good scent from a strange mountain revisits the vietnam war in this contemporary novel.
A good scent from a strange mountain analysis 731 words. But, it was as a novelist that i heard is name, this time and the people mentioning his name were not enamored of his novelry. Robert olen butlers military service in vietnam informs much of his most recognized writing. Butlers conceit is a new one, revolving around vietnamese immigrants in the greater new orleans area, transplants from one delta to another, dealing with the culture gap as well as the weight of history, of a. The story uses a variety of scents, particularly that of sugar ho chi minh had been a pastry cook as vehicles for exploring and giving nuance to. In a good scent from a strange mountain by robert olen butler, both gabrielle and kanh chose the former and ended up with consequences neither anticipated. It takes time to get used to his flat midwestern voice, in story after story, speaking as a vietnamese expatriate. Spaceman, fair warning, hell and forthcoming this august a small hotel. Study guide for a good scent from a strange mountain. Can you love someone without being able to fully communicate with himher.
In david vanns searing novel goat mountain, an 11yearold boy at his familys annual deer hunt is eager to make his first kill. A good scent from a strange mountain by robert olen butler. This is a story of the strange friendship between a strong man and a giant with the mind of a notquitebright child. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a good scent from a strange mountain by robert olen butler. Sep 18, 2017 robert olen butlers military service in vietnam informs much of his most recognized writing.
A good scent from a strange mountain, won the 1993 pulitzer prize for fiction. A good scent from a strange mountain quotes by robert olen butler. Perfume river tells a human story that sums up in an entire era of american life. In the title story of his collection a good scent from a strange mountain, which won the 1993 pulitzer prize for fiction, an elderly vietnamese man is visited by the ghost of ho chi minh, whom he recognizes more by aroma hos hands are covered with confectioners sugar than by sight. Depending on the study guide provider sparknotes, shmoop, etc. A good scent from a strange mountain study guide contains a biography of author robert olen butler, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
The narrator is a vietnamese husband who has a beautiful, flirtatious wife. Would you listen to a good scent from a strange mountain again. A good scent from a strange mountain the english department. Ernest hemmingway robert olen butlers pulitzer prize winning book, a good scent from a strange mountain, revolves around vietnamese immigrants residing in new orleans as they struggle with the culture gap, the weight of history, and a country left behind.
Semansky publishes widely in the field of twentiethcentury culture and literature. He was awarded the 1993 pulitzer prize in fiction for a good scent from a strange mountain, his collection of short stories centered on the lives of transplanted vietnamese in louisiana. Taking up some of the same themes of his pulitzer prizewinning a good scent from a strange mountain and his critically acclaimed a small hotel, perfume river is a lyrical and emotional exploration of one family drama that echoes the lives of so many who are affected by the aftermath of the vietnam war. Does deprivation make pleasure that much more potent.
Pulitzer prizewinning author robert olen butler reads an excerpt from the book a good scent from a strange mountain thats the book he won. Robert olen butler won the 1993 pulitzer prize for his short story collection a good scent from a strange mountain, yet another entry in the canon of literature about the vietnam war. The a good scent from a strange mountain community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. This study guide consists of approximately 44 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a good scent from a strange mountain. Each story in the collection is narrated by a different vietnamese immigrant living in the u. A good scent from a strange mountain summary supersummary. And i found that by making fun of myself, i could actually get closer to real emotion closer to what i wanted in my. Now grove press is proud to reissue this contemporary classic by one of americas most important living writers, in a new edition of a good scent from a strange mountain that includes two subsequently published stories salem and missing that brilliantly complete the collections narrative journey, returning to the jungles of vietnam. How would society be like today if our parents and grandparents had no worth in women. Jun 07, 1992 a good scent from a strange mountain goes a long way toward making the vietnamese real, and its method is bold. But i cannot imagine these things because i lived them, and to remember them with the vividness i know they should have is impossible. Robert olen butler, the pulitzer prizewinning author of a good scent from a strange mountain, has written eloquent works about vietnam and its effect on families. A good scent from a strange mountain quotes by robert olen.
Robert olen butlers vietnam south dakota humanities council. One grabbed me in the first pages with its sure, witty voice. Would the relationship with the narrator and her grandfather have been different if he did not have a parrot to constantly remind her of his beleifs. Sitting, with a good buddhist novel uu world magazine. The book covers themes such as romantic love, relationships, aging, and travel. A good scent from a strange mountain themes gradesaver. Discussion of themes and motifs in robert olen butlers a good scent from a strange mountain. Universal humanity people come from around the world and can understand each other without even speaking the same languages.
Quatro delves about as deep as you can go into the themes of sexuality and religion, and she. Id just finished a good scent from a strange mountain, he said. For westerners who, like uus, are often accused of living too much in our heads, buddhism invites us to sit, letting go of the minds own tricks and fictions. Greer began writing less as a very serious novel but found that the only way to write about being gay and aging is to make it a funny story. This is frustrating, even in a book like a good scent, with interrelated themes. A good scent from a strange mountain author robert. Another quibble is with butlers decision to narrate the stories himself. But i cannot imagine these things because i lived them, and to remember them with the vividness i. The stories are largely characterdriven, with cultural differences between vietnam and the united states as an important theme. Each opportunity presented gives immigrants a choice assimilate and prosper or stay true to your culture and perish.
The other day, someone told me about robert olen butlers pulitzer prize winning a good scent from a strange mountain 1992, a collection of short stories that chronicles the lives of vietnamese immigrants in louisiana. A good scent from a strange mountain audiobook by robert. Apr 26, 2010 good fiction transports us to worlds well never know firsthand, even within our own borders, both outer and inner. The question and answer section for a good scent from a strange mountain is a great resource to ask. It received the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1993 each story in the collection is narrated by a different vietnamese immigrant living in the us state of louisiana. This study guide consists of approximately 44 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a good scent from a. His new novel perfume river is another good scent, for sure. A good scent from a strange mountain quotes showing of 3 i can speak these words and perhaps you can see these things clearly because you are using your imagination.
A good scent from a strange mountain summary and analysis. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this a good scent from a strange mountain study guide and get. One in particular was about vietnamese intelligence officers who are working with the australian military. Driven from job to job by the failure of the giant manchild to fit into the social pattern, they finally find in a ranch what they feel their chance to achieve a homely dream they. Robert olen butler has published twelve novels the alleys of eden, sun dogs, countrymen of bones, on distant ground, wabash, the deuce, they whisper, the deep green sea, mr. Butler has published a volume of his lectures on the creative process, from where you dream, edited with. Suddenly, all those themes i had been writing about leaked out and attached themselves to whatever headline it. I am at a loss to adequately describe the poignance of butlers prose in this collection. A good scent from a strange mountain, by robert olen butler dan schneider i had heard the name robert olen butler before, mentioned as a southern writer, which generally connotes a certain way of approaching writing especially short stories. This was something of a surprise to me, the first time i saw him beside my bed, in the dim light from the open shade. A good scent from a strange mountain excerpt youtube. He returns to these themes in perfume river, a heartbreaking story of fathers and sons and their expectations and disappointments. Or maybe it was because its cover featured a blackrimmed diner cup full of black coffeehitting me squarely in my own object of attachment.