Homeland: Faber Stories

This story seemed to me to be about roots: the roots and growth which could so easily swallow up the town of Morning Glory, like the jungle reclaiming civilisation; the genetic and cultural roots of the indigenous people swallowed up by the industrial conquerors. Gloria's father, as his role in life, is even swallowed up by the coal mine. The trip they take to her great grandmother's homeland reveals how the commercial culture of coal has created a sterile imitation of her heritage: an homogenous theme park. The partially blinded bison, robbed of its nobility amongst the once vast herds, a symbol of annihilation, both ecological and historical: the victory of coal over bison as the basis of civilisation. Great herds were shot after all from steam trains! There is also the Christianity of Gloria's mother, at odds over burial rights! The West isn't satisfied unless it defeats death as well, to re-purpose St Paul's teaching. A story of more gentle, quiet voices, which after the absurdity of Modern Life may indeed win out in the end.

I enjoyed this short story but it was very short indeed! Too short…only 26 pages.. not 41!

'Homeland' is a short story by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a quiet a powerful story about identity and belonging.

Totally loved it. A totally new world I know almost nothing about which was told beautifully and strongly in just few pages. This is how a short story should be.

Barbara Kingsolver knows the trick of using words sparingly to create a vast expanse of emotion beyond the careful arrangement of those few words