17 2014

WILLIAM SPENCE

“The pool sat silently alone.”

‘Floating Midair’ is a story seen from the perspective of a man haunted by loneliness. Although his solitude is relieved by the arrival of geese, their departure ultimately adds to his desolation. Concerned with the conflicting feelings of joy and melancholy that can be derived from nature, my piece is chiefly inspired by John Cheever’s writing in pieces such as ‘The Swimmer’ and his use of pathetic fallacy to illuminate anxiety and solitude. ‘Only the geese stood out, as though they were floating midair, with a complete and utter disregard for gravity’. Here, the surrealistic imagery of geese defying gravity creates awareness of my character’s own fascination at the event unfolding before his eyes, thereby conveying his optimism.

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