In this round of the literature world cup (the first round) we will be seeing the match off between two stories linked by the common theme of life and death.
Representing Morocco in the right corner is an excerpt from the text Prospopoeia by Farid Tali and translated into English by Aditi Machado, the word itself is defined as the ‘inability to recognise the faces of familiar people, typically as a result of damage to the brain’. The title of the text fits the story and meaning behind it because the text describes a brother’s anguish after the death of his brother and how different the lives of the living feels compared to during the times when the brother was still alive.
Representing Slovenia in the left corner we have “Anton” by Polona Glavan (translated into English by Kristina Zdravic Reardon). This story follows the relationship between two recently widowed friends and neighbours who often talk about their past lives to each other. This story is less so focused on death but on living and how much of it they have already done so.
Prospopoeia begins with a self-lecture of the author onto himself about how useless mourning the dead is, and a step by step procedure of how to live after a tragedy like this. This type of description encases how difficult living can be after a loved one has passed away that one has to put so much concentration on otherwise thoughtless processes like beginning the day and riding a car. The author describes how he despises the trees for being green and the sky for being blue, how he nearly weeps at the sight of familiar objects. The author is emotionally unstable at this time but the audience is here for it and with that set up of a beginning, Morocco scores the first goal without once ever losing possession! Morocco: 1, Slovenia: 0.
Slovenia is now in possession and they begin their attempt at a goal. The story starts with dialogue and immediately the reader can begin to understand the friendship between these two characters. The speech suggests that they care for each other very much, and then about how they became friends after the death of their partners. Unlike their opponent, Slovenia likes to take it slow. The scene is finally set, something between rain and snow scratches the roof and our two friends talk with a cup of tea in their hands. The text might seem long but really, the dialogue can be zoomed through and, in a spectacular attempt by Slovenia at a goal, Anton begins telling a story about his days as a truck driver and when he begins bang! Slovenia scores the second score of this match! We are tied at 1–1.
Morocco gains possession again, and they are attempting another tactic. I must say, it is definitely unique, Prosopopoeia begins it’s attempt at over-narrating house cleaning? This may serve an ulterior purpose, but it seems to bore the readers, and not even astronomy metaphors can save Morocco at this point. The readers have lost interest and Morocco also seem to have lost possession.
It’s back over to Slovenia now, can Anton’s truck story save the readers minds and pull them ahead? The story is normal but the delivery and description of how he delivers the story is magical and seems intriguing. The story as well adds, with the setting to this feeling that Glavan creates of comfort makes this cold story feel warmer. 1 more point to Slovenia!
After their previous strategy failed, Morocco looks more focused on the goal in mind: beating Slovenia. They set up for their goal by describing a legend about tears and paradise. Tali retreats back into his former tactic, but in a more meaningful way, the begins to describe a religious ritual that soothes him describing the feeling to come in waves, then consumed by a slow fog of sadness. Like this Morocco effortlessly scores its next goal. 2–2.
Slovenia bumbles on, never losing possession but never doing enough to score a goal either. The story wanes between Anton’s story and Fani’s description of their relation, never escalating anywhere but not becoming boring enough for the reader to lose interest. The story continues on like this until Anton say’s to Fani that he is going to die. It is disregarded by Fani easily but the reader becomes more invested. Anton’s story ends in an emotional way and so does the story. 3–2 to Slovenia.
In its last attempts to score, Prosopopoeia goes for another daring move while sticking to its core strategy of description by painting the picture of the narrator’s brother’s corpse. As disturbing as this may seem, it works so well. Tali likens death to a baker, by “kneading” the skin and the muscles. He continues these descriptions and they are done so well that the reader could almost forget that they are being used to describe a literal human corpse. Morocco scores its last goal, but is able to grab a bonus goal for its daring strategies in upholding a story with only descriptions and little story. With this, the final whistle blows and Morocco wins, 4–3.
