Ethnography The Quarry and the Lot by Mark Wallace Research Paper

Ethnography The Quarry and the Lot by Mark Wallace - Research Paper Example Discussed in the novel are the aspects of memory as well as the history of the suburban culture in American life. The novel thematically focuses on love imminent in the community in spite of the conflicts had. This is evaluated in reference to the human limits exposed in the character’s conducts, interactions, and dialect. The author focuses on love as a theme in an insightful way which presents the reader with an interesting literary piece which is both captivating and interesting to read. In as much as there is evidence of instances of conflict in the narration, what comes out strongly is the love that holds most members of the community together. The book starts with the information about Joseph Klein’s death. Wallace states, â€Å"The evening after I heard that Joseph Klein had died in a fire†¦ †1. The events that follow the death of Klein bring the community together. In some way, the death overshadows the conflicts that were in the community. For insta nce, the narrator calls many people who had been silent from the community for a significant time. Martha insists they call, Joseph’s father, Walter. ... The silence between them portrays the conflict that characterizes the other members of the community. On the other hand, the love that holds them reflects the greater love that brings the community together even in times of grief. The love comes out even in the case of conflicts. For instance, Joseph Klein was not such a loveable character in the narration. His violent ways could have made many to shun him. However, his death revels that in spite of his traits, the members of the community still appreciated him. The conflict in this case comes in the fear they had over him. Wallace states, â€Å"We had all been powerless where Joseph was concerned.†2 This highlights the fear the Joseph evoked amongst his community members. However, the love is later revealed when it is stated, â€Å"So Martha and I sent the proper flowers and condolences to the family and called a few other people we thought should know.†3 This reflects the twists that characterized the communityâ€℠¢s culture. When Joseph was alive, he could have passed for a bad character in terms of behavioral traits, however, the community members assume this on his death. The love in the community makes them overlook what could have been viewed as secrets. Joseph was not a character whose behavior was unacceptable. Therefore, it appears rather ironical that his death causes a stir in the community. The anticipation would have been his death could have been celebrated. The culture reveals that secrets are overlooked. The plausible reason could have been that the overall feeling of love could have been the cause. Love is brought through relationships as well. For instance, the relationship between the