Challenge 352

Bringing Up Daisies

1. In Bertrand Cayzac’s “On the Road to Mulhouse”:

   1. What historical events does this chapter allude to? What literary landmarks?
   2. Bonus question:
      “The spirit must now come back to the spirit. The Alone to the Alone”: What is the significance of quoting Plotinus?

2. In Bill Bowler’s “Mrak’s Career”:

   1. What personalities in the Nixon and Bush II administrations does this chapter evoke?
   2. What does Wally Wobble’s “poem” in chapter 9 say about Professor Mrak and the political powers that be in chapter 10?
   3. What is the deep satire implied by the ungrammatical form of Wobble’s poem?

3. In Bertil Falk’s “A Visit to World’s End”:

   1. Why is Janet’s life depicted as being so humdrum?
   2. At what point do you realize that Janet is a murderess? Which clue in the accumulation of clues would you say is the tipping point?

4. David Brookes’ “Touching the Foam” is part tragedy, part farce. What are the elements of both? Which mode would you have preferred for this story?

5. When George Pike introduces Michael Horn to Esther in Gabriel Timar’s The Hades Connection, chapter 16, what does George forget to do?

6. In Robert Vella’s “The Distinguished Mr. Fife,” why is Richard devoured by the demon? Why might the demon set the peculiar conditions it does?

7. In Martin Green’s “A Distant Land,” at what point can the reader reasonably surmise that the boat is Charon’s ferry across the river Styx?

8. In Catharine Parks’ “Cliffhanger,” Katrina considers her dream to be an omen from God. If it is one, why is it so ambiguous? And why might the reader conclude that Katrina’s experience makes her both superstitious and cynical?

Responses welcome!

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