#T.C.Marshall

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

To a former young man,

You have dwelled within my arms for so long, and in me you found rest. In me, alone. I was placed here for the purpose of recluses reprieve from the elements. I was here to preserve life, not to be a house for death. I would say that possibly you deserve it. You came to me, not even aware of my existence, and you didn’t take the care needed to know that there were others to whom you could go for assistance when I wasn’t enough. I don’t blame you for your ignorance, I simply wish you had more knowledge when you came to me. Now, they have scattered your belongings all around me. Have decimated my integrity and treat me like scorched wood--at one time useful and life-bringing, reduced to ashes and almost worthless in this place.

You once claimed me, I now claim you. You are the one I choose to create a legacy with. You died in me, and now you also live.

                     From Fairbanks Bus 142

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Lou,

If I were smart, I would have realized that I could have gotten out of this mess that you made before it was too late. I could have left and forgotten you and never had to see you again. But I couldn’t do that to Charlie. If I left her now, i would be no better than you. You, you who were supposed to save her, be her fucking father, you couldn’t even do that. If I am your favorite child, father, who then is my favorite father? It isn’t you. I don’t think you could be anyone’s favorite. True favorite. They love you for your money. The “excitement” that you bring not because you’re wonderful. You’re only kidding yourself if you think anyone holds you with such high esteem. You’re an asshole and that’s that.        --Rolph

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Miss Ouiser,

You’re just full of surprises! I’m so glad you let down that harsh exterior and have let yourself calm down. I’m glad Owen us by your side, for your tomatoes, and flowers, and Rhett’s sake’s too.

Miss Ouiser, I am proud that you have brought attention to your faith and no longer feel like you have to hide. I don’t know if that’s because of Owen or Shelby’s passing or just because God decided it to be so, but in any way--I’m still so happy. 

I would ask you to consider going to Camp Crossroads, but I’ll just pray that you keep praying. 

I know you can’t bear to hear Jack Jr. or Shelby cry and that might be because of who they remind you of, but Shelby wouldn’t want us to get mired down. And they’re babies--they do that.

I know you carry a lot of regret--maybe even shame--but there is no shame in praying to God because you don’t know what else to do.

                     I love you, Miss Ouiser!

                                         Love,

                                                Annelle

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Miss Clairee,

Sometimes I wonder if life ever slows down, and then I take one look at yours and see that life has only begun. You’ve been so many places and touched so many people, it’s no wonder all of Chinquipin Parish adores you. Except for maybe Janice. If I’m being honest--you have better hair than her. The amount of oil in her hair makes me wonder if she drinks olive oil.

Miss Clairee, I really don’t know how I would have come to gripes with Shelby’s passing if it weren’t for you. You have your moments where things are too much for you, but I do love your humor however crass it can be sometimes.

I also thank you for your love and dedication to not only Jack Jr but my Shelby. Thank you for loving her like you love her namesake. Thank you for loving Miss Ouiser too. I don’t want to know how you two met and became friends, but I thank you all the same.

Thank you for being a rock, Miss Clairee.

                                        Love,

                                             Annelle

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

To my nephew

Tayo,

There are many things you will never understand, but there are things you know that I wish you didn’t. 

Your aunt is still much opposed to... my aspirations even if she does not say as much. She has other ways of expressing her displeasure which we both know well. 

I am sorry to say that the drought continues, but the rain will come, as it must. The cattle are no where to be found either which means more glances from your aunt. She doesn’t know what to do with herself without you or Rocky here. She attends mass more now than she ever has. Excluding, well, never mind. 

Know what to put your trust in, boy. You can’t go wrong if you remember all that I told you.

~Josiah 

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Chris!

Are you ever coming home? I miss you lots and can’t wait to see your smiling face! Everyone here is sad. They wait up late hoping you will show up, but you don’t and they don’t sleep. Carine cries a lot. She wishes you would come home soon. Don’t you love me? 

Love always,

Buck!!

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Now the jump from rockstar to dairy farmer might sound insane, but really the only thing that calmed me down was the idea of getting away from fame and the first place i thought of that didn’t have that fame attached to it was Iowa. Away from the records, away from the city lights. Nothing but cornfields and cows. And that’s all there is to it. And the cows don’t mind me bringing out my music every once in a while to jam out. I get free milk, they get free music. It’s a good deal.    --Bosco

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Dear Truvy,

God only knows where I would be if it weren’t for you. If you hadn’t hired me, well, I don’t really want to know what would have happened. But because you did, you have me a home. You gave me a family. And you let me grow to have my own. I thank God and you for coming into my life and making sense of things. 

Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing you play with Jack Jr and Shelby in the shop while we’re doing hair. Even if I think you’re trying too hard to push them together--they’re only babies, Truvy! But it’s still very sweet.

You almost always know just what to say, what to change the subject to, to bring peace and/or intrigue into the air. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever be as good at it as you are.

Truvy, you have my deepest gratitude for helping to mold me into who I am, and I think we’ll both agree that we’re both better than when we started.

                                                                    Love,

                                                                        Annelle<3

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Whitfield,

Goddamn you. If you send one more letter, I swear—

You never did anything for her. If you knew her, why did you never fight—

You think you’re so goddamn better than the rest of us and then you leave like a goddamn coward. If for One lick less she cared you wouldn’t be here.

Jewel

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Anse,

         There came to be a time in which I came to your dwelling to beg for your forgiveness but due to the untimeliness of it all, I forwent that endeavor. Now, I must confess the very truth that I have put off for decades as it has need to be aired. I knew your wife Addie. I knew her better than a man of my vocation ever should. It happened in an unfortunate way in which I claim nothing but the Devil could have prompted me. Tempted us.  And as the Lord is righteous, I say that it was not as though I have lived without guilt or shame for nigh on thirty years, how could a man? But excuses will not save my soul or gain your forgiveness. Only the Lord can do that now.

This is where the patronage of none for my transgressions leaves me truly alone and the paternity of Jewel is brought into question. I will not say that he is not yours, for certainly you brought him up in your house and cared for him like every father should, and he abided by you and honored you, but he is my kin. My only kin. My son.

         In these last days of your life, I want you to know. Anse, I have sinned. Do with me what you will. For the past thirty years I have sinned and said nothing. I once felt absolved and that it was enough to think these words, but action speaks louder than thoughts. I would not have you disown Jewel, but I am your servant.

                  Forgive me,

                            Whitfield

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

Two New Entries

Hi guys! 

So my next two entries will be from two different characters from William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. I tried to do something new, I don’t know if it worked or not. If sensitive to harsh(ish?) language, don’t read Jewel’s letter. Thanks for reading!

T.C. Marshall

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

A quick note:

Hey, so this is part of a project that I am currently working on in which I write letters to characters as characters from the same book. This is part of a project for an American Literature class so the works that I reference will predominately be from that class. I’m an English major in my third year of undergraduate education with a minor in Theatre. Letter correspondence has always been something I’ve appreciated and I thought it would be an interesting way to approach literature from a different perspective. I’m excited to see what happens when I take some time to poke around in some characters’ heads! ~T.C. Marshall

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

A Visit from the Goon Squad

To round up this flurry of entries here are two from the novel titled above by Jennifer Egan. There is swearing in Rolph’s entry, so if that offends you, don’t read it. I tried to have Rolph’s handwriting something born out of pure anger and fury while making Bosco’s handwriting something more messy like he didn’t have that much time to really think or write. 

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

These next two entries are not from human characters as they are part of the Into the Wild and it would be discomforting to write something from a real person’s perspective without personally knowing them. Thanks!

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

A little something different...

I recognize that this is a little out of what I had originally intended, but I was inspired. I just closed a production of Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias and I felt the urge to write the characters from the show as the one I was cast as. Spoiler warning for Steel Magnolias as these take place after the close of show.

[anotherliteraryamericandream]

The Next Entries

The next few entries will be from various characters in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Sorry that these took a while. I had a more difficult time trying to capture one of the characters and I wanted to release these all at once. I should note that I enjoy writing these letters especially as characters that are not seen throughout the entire novel or we barely meet.