>The New Yorker: "Good People" by David Foster Wallace

>Lane and Sheri have met at Peoria Junior College, in campus ministries. He studies business and she studies nursing and mostly what they do is pray together. But it becomes clear that that certainly is not all they have done because they are wrestling with a problem, and a decision that they have made that Sheri has now decided she can’t go through with. In Wallace’s typically convoluted style, which is perfect for the rationalizing young Lane, we are privy to the thought process—what is expected of him, what does she really want in her heart, does he love her, does he only think he doesn’t love her, doesn’t he really have some kind of love for her and won’t that be enough? It isn’t clear what to make of this story, but I have to assume that Wallace isn’t taking a position as to whether the action the couple is contemplating is wrong, or their reason for changing their minds. Rather, what is interesting here, is Lane’s twisted thinking. I need to read more of Wallace.

February 5, 2007: “Good People” by David Foster Wallace

About the author

I am the author of three novels--THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE, OLIVER'S TRAVELS, and THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY--and three story collections--IN AN UNCHARTED COUNTRY, HOUSE OF THE ANCIENTS AND OTHER STORIES, and WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, winner of the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. I am also the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine and the editor of the award-winning anthology series EVERYWHERE STORIES: SHORT FICTION FROM A SMALL PLANET.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.