Ask the Author: Fridrik Erlings
Answered Questions (3)
Fridrik Erlings
Hello Kaitlin, and thank you for your post!
John and Mark's escape from the Home of Lesser Brethren is in part based on a news article, that was one of my inspirations for this story. Two boys disappeared from a village, in the area where I placed the story. A thorough search went on for a long time but they were never found - until months later their bodies were discovered in a container, on board a container ship, somewhere in Southern Europe.
Although John and Mark's escape is based on this fact, we might however hope with Henry that they made it to their place in the sun. Perhaps they did, perhaps not. Henry likes to think that they did; that thought gives him hope, a hope that he too might make it to his 'place in the sun' so to speak. That hope gives him courage and strength to endure.
Thank you for your kind words about my books, Kaitlin.
All the best to you!
Fridrik
John and Mark's escape from the Home of Lesser Brethren is in part based on a news article, that was one of my inspirations for this story. Two boys disappeared from a village, in the area where I placed the story. A thorough search went on for a long time but they were never found - until months later their bodies were discovered in a container, on board a container ship, somewhere in Southern Europe.
Although John and Mark's escape is based on this fact, we might however hope with Henry that they made it to their place in the sun. Perhaps they did, perhaps not. Henry likes to think that they did; that thought gives him hope, a hope that he too might make it to his 'place in the sun' so to speak. That hope gives him courage and strength to endure.
Thank you for your kind words about my books, Kaitlin.
All the best to you!
Fridrik
Fridrik Erlings
I woke up in utter darkness, almost unable to breathe. Far above me I heard a faint voice saying “...from earth you shall arise!“ as a shovel of mud hit the lid of my coffin.
Fridrik Erlings
Dear Claudia. Thank you, and your students, for this very good question, which I am more than happy to try to answer.
In part Henry is a metaphor, a symbol of loneliness; the embodiment of loneliness, which is more than just an emotion, it is a condition, for some people a serious condition for a long period of time. How does one make the reader experience Henry's loneliness, his serious long term condition, without having to remind the reader constantly with some expressive words? By showing the reader instead of telling him, that was my choice.
When the character of Henry was beginning to form in my mind, he had a club foot, a slow speech and was terrified of books. But there was a lot going on in his mind, more than anyone could have imagined by looking at him. So here came a certain challenge - to 'isolate' Henry, so to speak, as completely as possible, to make other characters alienate him, becoming afraid of him and so on - but at the same time to show all that was going on in his mind, his hopes, dreams and fears - and by this try to make the reader 'feel' his loneliness with him, becoming isolated with him.
To me, Henry's situation is much more than just a 'pile of woes'. Although much of his problems are external or physical, it is his spiritual and emotional development that I felt most interested in exploring as a writer, and to make an honest attempt to involve the reader as much as possible into Henry's inner life, into his aura, perhaps, or his way of being.
Henry's main difficulty is his speaking problem, his insecurity because of his stuttering. He has been mocked again and again when trying to read out loud in schools, and the hurt he's felt has piled up and turned into hatred of books...
- Now, because I don't know how far into the story you already are, I hesitate to tell you more at this point - but I would be really happy to answer any questions that you might have, further on in the story. Thank you so much for this question, give my best to your students, and I look forward to hear from you again.
I hope my reply has given you some answers. Please let me know.
Fridrik Erlings
In part Henry is a metaphor, a symbol of loneliness; the embodiment of loneliness, which is more than just an emotion, it is a condition, for some people a serious condition for a long period of time. How does one make the reader experience Henry's loneliness, his serious long term condition, without having to remind the reader constantly with some expressive words? By showing the reader instead of telling him, that was my choice.
When the character of Henry was beginning to form in my mind, he had a club foot, a slow speech and was terrified of books. But there was a lot going on in his mind, more than anyone could have imagined by looking at him. So here came a certain challenge - to 'isolate' Henry, so to speak, as completely as possible, to make other characters alienate him, becoming afraid of him and so on - but at the same time to show all that was going on in his mind, his hopes, dreams and fears - and by this try to make the reader 'feel' his loneliness with him, becoming isolated with him.
To me, Henry's situation is much more than just a 'pile of woes'. Although much of his problems are external or physical, it is his spiritual and emotional development that I felt most interested in exploring as a writer, and to make an honest attempt to involve the reader as much as possible into Henry's inner life, into his aura, perhaps, or his way of being.
Henry's main difficulty is his speaking problem, his insecurity because of his stuttering. He has been mocked again and again when trying to read out loud in schools, and the hurt he's felt has piled up and turned into hatred of books...
- Now, because I don't know how far into the story you already are, I hesitate to tell you more at this point - but I would be really happy to answer any questions that you might have, further on in the story. Thank you so much for this question, give my best to your students, and I look forward to hear from you again.
I hope my reply has given you some answers. Please let me know.
Fridrik Erlings
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