Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Gossip


In Riley the purple martin's colony, there is a well-known gossip named Voris.  One morning as Riley is contemplating the new conflict between what he wants and what his parents want, Voris joins him.  Riley confesses to the reader that he simply tolerates Voris to be nice, but doesn't actually like him. 

Voris begins trying to pry information from Riley.  The annoying thing about this, of course, is that when you're upset, the insensitivity of a gossip searching for juicy tidbits is offensive.  Riley even says to Voris, "I don't want to talk about it" and though Voris responds with "I wouldn't think so" (Kiefer 16) he remains next to Riley waiting.  Eventually, he says, "You know, it might make you feel better to talk about it" (Kiefer 17).

 I have met so many people like Voris!  They squirm with unresolved intentions.  Silence kills them.  They need some sort of validation for their own existence.  It is as if the disaster of others' lives ensures them momentarily that their own disaster of a life is more tolerable.  The problem is that disasters settle eventually, are made whole, are made useful, are understood, are overcome, and when they are, The Gossip must either create a new one (by lying) or by simply being a silly creature whom with his awkward presence can ignite new conflict . . . to gossip about.   


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