Annotations and Explications
of The Lie of the Land




Christina Tracy Melanie Jenny
Shana Erin Scott Tana
Sandy Kelly Kim

Back to Haydn Middleton


by Christina


This is a list of explications--things a North American reader might need to know in order to make most sense out of Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land. I re-read the novel and made a list of unclear references or ambiguous words or terms. I included the page number and a short explanation of the context; I then proffered each word with the definition I was able to find!

Before delving into my textual explications, let me add a short "preface" first. As I re-read Middleton's novel, I found myself intensely interested in the cultural differences between North Americans and the English from (you guessed it...) England. My fascination with the inexplicable difference, yet explicable intertwining of our two cultures is probably provoked by a book I'm reading for another class, Cultural Misunderstandings by Raymonde Carroll, a French anthropologist. Carroll has extensively studied the differences between Americans and Europeans, mainly French. She gave an interesting analysis concerning Americans and our way of conducting or cultivating relationships. Well, I was reading the novel again, and if you caught it, Rachel offers Alasdair an invitation to dinner. This might not strike you as significant at all, but hold on--note that here in the United States, we will frequently end a conversation with, "Call me!" or "Let's get together, sometime, okay? I'll call you sometime!" These advances are never realized, of course, but are merely conversation climaxers. Rachel says to Alasdair, "Look . . . you should come round some time with Maggie. We'd love to see you . . . " (25). A couple of chapters later, the dinner scene is a very significant addition to the story, hmm? Carroll made the comment that Americans portray themselves as superficial and flighty with their many unrealized invitations. Europeans, on the other hand, tend to extend invitations and set the date in the proceeding avenue of discourse. Details. Dr. Gilgun taught my Fiction class last semester, and we learned that details develop ordestroy the story. Details divorce me from the story or seduce me, leaving me wondering where reality ends and the surreal begins. Details characterize the culture behind the author, the culture in and within where delight is reached, found, discovered and eventually shared. But anyway . . . enough of diversion!

TEXTUAL EXPLICATIONS--please feign acquiescence, and pretend that this list is complete and can stand alone; there were so many more textual nuances that I wanted to include! Hmm . . . These terms/contexts/word clusters are all taken from Haydn Middleton's Lie of the Land, copyright 1989:

1. "warren of rooms" found on page 8, in context connotes a group of homes let out to students. Ici or "here" in the United States we might refer to this as "the appartments." I found a definition in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (copyright 1983) that recognizes warren as "chiefly British, a crowded tenement or district, a maze of passageways or cubies."

2. "no work of that kind on offer" you will see on page 11. He means or would mean here in the good ol' US of A, "the type of work I could do wasn't being offered."

3. "someone rang" or someone called (p 13). We might say someone telephoned, but never, someone rang. This quaint little phrase has a slight British ring to it. Rachel does mention to David at one point that she "phoned her husband" (239). But I believe this is the only time, the British "ring" is used in all other instances.

4. I thought this was rather interesting when Rachel says to David, "Shall I go and make us both a coffee?" (p 16). I think in the United States we might say, "Shall I go and make us some coffee?". Don't be annoyed, but there are quite a few more. Consider the usage of "flat" on page 140, instead of apartment.

6. Is it that they use "Saturday week" instead of the weekend, or evening or night? (p 52) And do they refer to Chinese take-out as Chinese, take-away?

7. When David moves to get up "to escape the banshee wail" of Quinn, Middleton writes that he went to "lever himself" (147). I'm wont to think that this is FRENCH et pas d'anglais, but whatever it is, it is definitely not American.

8. "A large lorry lumbered up the street . . ." (146). Hmm, sometimes with a few of these implications I'm wondering if it is just my lack of vocabulary or if there is really a marked difference between the English/English and the English/American language. I've never heard of a lorry, so I looked it up in my Merriam-Webster. Origin UNKNOWN--it said. It is a large low horse-drawn wagon without sides. Oh, here it is, it says, chiefly British, a motortruck especially if open. As opposed to motortruck here in the states??

9. Okay, before I finish, here were several more (I'm assuming) British examples of verbiage, the "plaster" (40) instead of a bandage and the "advert" (53) in lieu of an advertisement. Little Art played on a "roundabout" (193) instead of what I deem a merry-go-round and the "motorbike" (21) instead of a motorcycle.

10. Last but not least is the presence of the Samaritan . Rachel (an attourney/solicitor?) is a volunteer at a local charity, perhaps a mix between our Salvation Army and a Half-way house. We have social workers, but not a professional charity that is open 24 hours, relying solely on public donations. Such a thing would find itself defunct or shipped overseas I'm afraid.



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Blake, Middleton: Uncovering the Lies of the Universe
by Tracy

The mystical premise William Blake uses as the basis for his poetic work is not one based on a transcendent God, but the "Universal Man" who is himself God and who incorporates the cosmos as well. Blake elsewhere describes this founding image as "the human Form Divine" and names him "Albion." After becoming more familiar with the "myth" William Blake uses in his poetry, it is clear that Hadyn Middleton doesn't simply refer to Blake throughout the telling of Lie of the Land, his myths live quite comfortably inside within it. Nennius is not simply inspired by the work of Blake, he becomes Blake's work. Nennius becomes Albion.

Blake's attempt to articulate a full myth of humanity's present, past, and future is clearly mirrored in Middleton's beginning, middle and end. What both Blake and Middleton explore is the fall of a man from humanity into a lower "state" of being. The fall, in Blake's myth, is not the fall of humanity away from God but a falling apart of primal people, a "fall into Division." In this event the original sin is what Blake calls "Selfhood," the attempt of an isolated part to be self-sufficient. The breakup of the all-inclusive Universal Man in Eden into exiled parts identifies the Fall with the creation-- the creation not only of man and of nature as we ordinarily know them but also of a sky god who is alien from humanity (20-21, here and throughout, page numbers refer to The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 6h ed. v.2).

Middleton takes Nennius and plops him smack dab in the middle of Blake's poetic structure, in the middle of what ultimately becomes the lie of the land. When Nennius discovers the "woman's" presence, as a very young boy, he begins his "separation" into a state of selfhood; perhaps without really being conscious of this movement. He gives his life over to the power he thinks the woman possesses. He lives his life believing the "end" will eventually be brought to him from the spirit. Thus, he retreats into a world of his own making. Nennius imposes exile upon himself. The world excludes his wife, his child and all forms of human pleasure as well as human pain.

Further into Blake's myth, Universal Man divides first into the "Four Mighty Ones" who are the Zoas, or chief powers and component aspects of humanity, and these in turn divide sexually into male Spectres and female Emanations (21). It is simply the woman's presence in Nennius' life which displays this very infrastructure. Nennius is in the exclusively male role of father, husband and ultimate protector, while the woman is oppressively female. She possesses a commanding spirit and appears to wield her ultimate power over the human influences in Nennius' world. These roles are played out, it would seem, without it ever being realized. When Nennius murders his son's molester, he doesn't seem to fully understand his actions. He only knows, or assumes, that he is fulfilling the destiny the woman has given him. His anger appears to rooted in his anger toward the woman, not the vagrant he kills.

In addition to Eden, there are three successively lower "states" of being in the fallen world, which Blake calls Beulah (a pastoral condition of easy and relaxed innocence, without clash of "contraries"), Generation (the realm of common human experience, suffering, and conflicting contraries), and Ulro (Blake's hell, the lowest state, or limit, of bleak rationality, tyranny, static negation, and isolated Selfhood) (21).

Each of these states unfold throughout Lie of the Land. Nennius first lives within the Beulah state. He is young and is still seeking truth from the world. He finds pleasure in his discovery of Melissa. His "realization" that the woman is controlling his life is far ahead of him. He still seeks the story of his mother's life from Emrys. He still has wonder in his mind and spirit. Though, slowly, he descends into Blake's realm of Generation. He has discovered love through Melissa, but is increasingly aware of the woman's presence. The space between Nennius and the natural world grows wider, so wide that he can no longer see past its jagged edge. Finally, and at what seems to be an extremely intense rate, Nennius descends into the final of Blake's stages, the Ulro. Here he denies rationality at every turn. His only recourse in his world is to commit suicide.

The fallen world moves through the cycles of its history, successively approaching and falling away from redemption, until, by the agency of the Redeemer (who is equated with the human imagination and is most potently operative in the prophetic poet), it will culminate in an apocalypse. In terms of his controlling image of the Universal Man, Blake describes this apocalypse as a return to the original, undivided condition, "his Resurrection to Unity" (21).

This is exactly what Rachel's presence brings to Nennius' life. In the apocalyptic episode in the shed, Nennius sets himself at war with his own mind and his own redemption. He is cast away on a sea which lies between what he knows and what he has seen. Here, finally, unfolds the truth behind the mystery of Middleton's lie. It is that Nennius' life that is the lie. He has entered the world of Blake's Selfhood in place of believing himself to be free. Nennius is not under the spell of the woman, nor is he bound by her powers. He has chained his own hands to the naturalistic notion that his life is out of his control. He selfishly believes that his life, alone, is controlled by some mystical female character.

Nennius fails to see what is at the heart of Blake's poetry: the myth of humanity's past, present and future is a continuous web that links each of us together. Even in the end, Nennius does not completely understand the beginning, middle and ends that unfold as each human journeys through time and space. He never quite understands the spaces and voids he created for others as a consequence of his own actions. Though Nennius is redeemed, I believe that he returns to the world as only half a man. He is never fully conscious of the truth he had not given to himself: that his story was indeed his own, from beginning to end.



Works Cited

Abrams, M. H. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 6h ed. v.2. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1993.

Middleton, Hadyn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.




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Aspects of Parenthood
By Melanie

There are many different ways to read The Lie of The Land, by Haydn Middleton. The subjects that can be approached in LOL are many, as is the different ways in which these subjects can be approached. We will look at this novel from a parental standpoint and look into the book and see the different aspects of parenting that Middleton incorporated into this novel. There are two main parental figures in this novel, David Nennius's wife, Melissa, and his mother, Mary. There were many themes that kept showing up with these two mothers. Middleton created two mother figures that landed in the same position, being a single parent, though through very different circumstances. Both mothers also had to move from a situation to protect their children. Neither of the boys knew their father, and both fathers were of questionable morals, one father being a rapist while the other father was a murderer.

The themes mentioned above all flow together into one after reading The Lie of The Land. It is difficult to separate them because of how well Middleton sewed this story together, even though it is a story within a story. Therefore, the first two points of the women being single mothers and then moving to protect their children must go together. It is fascinating that Middleton chose to make both of these women single mothers. He created conflicts that forced both women to move their children to a safe place. Mary of course was almost forced into being a single parent because she chose to submit to the intruder rather than fight him, but it was her choice to submit. Mary could have fought him, but then there would have been no Nennius and therefore no story. Mary knew she had to move to protect her child as well as herself Being put into the time period of 20730 years ago, a child out of wedlock would have ostracized her and her son, so she did move out of necessity. Melissa made her choice to be a single mother by not seeing Nennius's side of what happened in the restroom (p. 192-194). As a person, let alone a parent, I feel most people could understand and even appreciate the reaction that Nennius had. I was applauding his reaction. Melissa was not so pleased, so chose to make herself a single parent for some time. She could not get over the fact that her husband murdered, and she may have even felt some fear over that, and so chose to move to protect her and her child, much like Mary did.

The next themes are also closely tied to the fact that both mothers were single parents for some time, and that is the fact that both of these women's children didn't grow up knowing their fathers due to their morals. It wasn't possible for Nennius to know his father, but at the same time, due to the circumstances, Melissa didn't think it was good for her son to know Nennius. Mary wouldn't have wanted Nennius to be around the man who helped to create the child because he was a pervert. He was a man that broke into women's homes to rape them. Nennius on the other hand had capabilities that Melissa was frightened of, and she actually had to witness what he could do. Melissa sat back and watched her husband murder a man; all while her son was standing directly behind her. She later found out why her husband murdered the man, but apparently her husband being a murderer bothered her more than her four year old son being sexually abused.

These are a few of the parenting themes that were actually repeated in the novel, but there are other ideas that are in The Lie of The Land that are equally as interesting. These different themes mentioned here could be read individually, or together. All of the themes thrown together are what makes The Lie of The Land so captivating. When reading this novel, we really can't take in some of the parenting themes and understand them because of all the other interesting and somewhat odd events that are happening so quickly. A second reading is necessary to truly appreciate all that Middleton has accomplished in this novel, and to absorb all that he has put in his text.



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by Jenny

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 18)." Throughout The Lie of the Land, Haydn Middleton creates "David's Story" through a series of biblical references. These references allow for the speculation of David Nennius as the son of God. This speculation comes about as a result of the rape of his mother by a stranger, the figure of God. Through the use of these references, Middleton allows the reader to see the obvious correlation between the conception and birth of David Nennius, and that of Jesus Christ.

Mary is described as "bookish and dried-up," a virgin unscathed by the touch of another male (Middleton 71). Mary returns home one day to find an intruder. "She never worked out exactly how the intruder had got in. He took her arm from behind, quite gently (72)." Though the presence of an intruder, would certainly be enough to strike any woman with certain fear, Mary is seemingly unafraid, almost as if there is something about the presence of this man which comforts her in a way in which words could not express. Throughout his presence, Mary remains unafraid, "it was as if the hideous fact of his presence was shedding its own brilliant light (72)." The use of "brilliant light" suggests the presence of a divine being, almost as if a halo of light is surrounding him as that which surrounds God.

Though the actual conception of Jesus did not occur on a physical level in the story set forth by the Bible, Middleton insists on displaying the creation of Jesus through the actual sexual acts of two people. This is interesting from the standpoint that the intruder, though depicted as a powerful and gentle being, is never seen through the eyes of Mary as particularly strong. She speaks of the "weakness" behind his smile; a weakness which overcomes any male when faced with the prospect of sexually satisfying a woman (74). God is, in a sense depicted as having the weaknesses of a normal, immortal male. Like any man, he too has yearned for what only a woman could give him. This becomes the weakness which is so apparent to Mary at the time of conception. It was said that God created man in his own image, therefore it is not unreasonable to assume that if the men he created have flaws then he may also have the same flaws, at least in the context surrounding The Lie of the Land.

Mary eventually questions her ability to satisfy this great man. After all, "he belonged to the world's higher floors (73)." Here again we see Middleton's obvious attempt to make the intruder "Godly." At one point Mary even bows her head to the man, indicating the action of prayer given to God. It becomes necessary that the reader remember that we never see the man again. He is there for a brief moment, then gone like the presence of a spiritual being.

Though we never see the figure of God in the form of a mortal male beyond his sexual encounter with Mary, he is nevertheless present throughout the child's birth and life. Middleton suggests the presence of that same spiritual being above Mary as she gives birth to his son. However, he also suggests the presence of another Spiritual being, a woman. This woman remains below her at the time of David's birth. At this point there is an obvious correlation between the heavens above her and the fires of hell below. The woman represents the evil of hell as well of the power of a woman scorned. Middleton displays the image of Satan, not as a sinful man fallen from heaven, but as an object of the wrongdoings set forth by God to a woman. The woman of hell is constantly fighting to possess the souls of the sons created by God, while God is fighting to win their souls back. Through this series of battles, there remains the baffle between good and evil, or heaven and hell.

Aside from the battles between good and evil Middleton presents striking evidence for the ultimate battle of the sexes. Middleton shows the reader the strength of a woman determined to overcome her feelings of hatred, by punishing the man who has scorned her. He also shows the weakness of a man who is seemingly unable to control his sexual urges. Like most men, the intruder, or the figure of God is not able to look past his own sexual desires. Consequently the evil Satan figure in The Lie of the Land has coupled her desire for vengeance against the man who deceived her, with a determination to take the lives of all other men that lay in her wake. Though Middleton displays the woman with an air of power, he also sets the scene for the feeling that all woman can become the stereotypical "bitch" if pushed to a certain limit. I must admit that this likeness of the female within The Lie of the Land does not present a favorable view of women as a whole. Instead Middleton takes a powerful woman and turns her into the object of pure hell. Within the context of Middleton's novel, a strong man is most obviously accepted as being primarily that, while a strong woman is the root of all evil.

Through this use of Biblical and religious imagery to represent God, Mary Jesus and Satan Middleton puts a twist on the conventional stories set forth by the writings of the Bible and introduces a story by a man who struggles to find a purpose for his own life through stories written from his own imagination. While doing this, he also sets a convincing scene for the ultimate baffle of good and evil (heaven and hell) as a baffle of the sexes.



Works Cited

Middleton, Haydn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.

Zondervan Corporation. New International Version Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishers, 1984.



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by Shana

The idea of turning Hadyn Middleton's The Lie of the Land into a film sounds quite exciting. I can just picture the television commercials airing clips from the movie after every sitcom and T.V. shows, and posters and billboards mounted high atop tall buildings on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and even New York. Perhaps The Lie of the Land can be the next blockbuster movie like the mega flick,Titanic!

Just imagine, with an all star cast and a high budget set, this film can have great potential. Our leading man, David Nennius, can be played by none other than the handsome Keanu Reeves and his leading lady, Melissa, can be played by the beautiful half African American and half Caucasian, Halle Berry. The rest of the cast can include Elizabeth Hurley as David's pitiful mother, Mary, Cameron Diaz as Rachel, Robert Downey Jr. as her husband Matthew, Hugh Grant as Quinn, and special appearances by Richard Gere as William Meredith and Bruce Willis as Alasdair (Ally). Of course, we would need about ten to fifteen more extras to fill the roles of characters like Art, Grace, Emrys, David's anonymous father, and the man who gets brutally killed by David.

This contemporary film of the nineties can be a thriller especially for young adult movie goers, but can be viewed by all 17 and over persons for it must be rated R due to some profanity and explicit sexual scenes in the film. Lots of loud pop/rap/alternative music and vibrant colors can add much flavor and pizazz to this flick. Action, drama, murder, mystery, sex, and much more can really jazz up this film. The setting would be in England of course and it would include buildings, city streets, cars, and the night life. Certainly, the costs of making this film would be expensive due to the all star cast and the location it will be filmed in. But wouldn't it be worth it if it becomes a big hit? Being directed by Quentin Terrintino and all?

Furthermore, unlike the novel, the film will start with Elizabeth Hurley (i.e. Mary) getting seduced by this mysterious man and then giving birth to our main character, David. Then the film will progress as it does in the book, but the ending of the film will be the beginning of the novel. The movie would have not much differences from the novel, but I figure that a heated scene in the beginning of the movie will open many eyes immediately,and naturally viewers would be interested to keep their eyes open throughout the film to see what's next. I hope this movie, first and foremost would be for entertainment purposes, but at the same time, it can be educational in that viewers can learn the psychology of the characters and maybe relate it to modern humanity today. Thus, knowing Quentin Terrintino, camera angles would be constantly busy going from one scene to another. And surely, Keanu Reeves would have the spotlight since he is David, the star and main character. I think what would also be important is that the camera angles focus on the faces of these characters, especially David's, so that people can see the facial expressions well and make out the meaning of what these characters are experiencing and how they are reacting. These can be key features for the audience to empathize or understand the substance of the film.

I came up with these particular ideas because Middleton makes his novel appear to be modern. Perhaps a story like this can have taken place during the Renaissance, but i feel as if it would be better suited to contemporary audiences today. The explicit sex scenes are for one thing which make it sound like a new age novel and movie as well as the profane language spoken by the characters. The basement which Mary lived in gave me the idea of the dark and wet streets of England, and the confusing chronological order in the novel prompted me to rearrange the order of sequence for the movie.

This is just an idea and a suggestion. Pehaps more imagination and creativity can be added, but for now, I think this would be a good start. Let's just pray that we'll have all the resources and time to make this up and coming movie!



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The Influence of British/Celtic Myths and Figures in Haydn Middleton's Lie of the Land
by Erin

The following is a list of explications pointing towards British and Celtic myths and figures. While pursuing the Celtic influences of Middleton's novel, I found myself searching for the meaning of other present mysteries. This author's twist of two cultures creates a spectrum for possible explication. It seems that the Celtic material melds into British society throughout this novel. In search of specific markers I found myself concentrating mostly on Haydn Middleton's use of names.

Textual Explications:

1. First of all it is necessary to work with the cover pictures inside of the novel which exhibit Blake's "Dance of Albion" or "Glad Day." This art work is important because Blake, in his literary work, "personified Albion as a giant." Following the physical descriptions of David Nennius in the book, one grasps a mental picture of a large and giant like man. An early description of him found on page 15 connects him to the image of Albion. (15) "I'm large aren't I?" he said as he came to rest. "Six eight and a half in my stockinged feet." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm)

2. Next of course is the reference to Albion itself. Albion is visible through Blake but also through David's story. On page 99, Emrys tells Nennius a story which confirms the name of Britain. Albion is described as "the primal archetype of the Celtic world." This name is a symbol for "all that flowed into creation of the unique and magnificent wonder known as the Celtic spirit. - The Otherworld (Albion) did not have historical foundation, but the historical world (the Britons of old called their island Alba) had an Otherworldly foundation." ( http://www.ealaghol.demon.co.uk/celtenc/celt_a1.htm)

3. Another important "mention" is Brutus. Nennius speaks of Brutus' conquests to Quinn on page 41. Brutus is said to have "founded a second Troy- Troia Nova (Trinovantum) on the banks of the Thames" where he "defeated an army of giants and chained their leaders, Gog and Magog, to be his porters." Basically Brutus is the crude Abraham or Moses of the Britons as far as ancestry is concerned. It is also important to quote that Brutus is the "great-grandson of Aeneas," who killed his dear father.

4. As long as I am examining names I must make a note on "Nennius." On page 77 of the book, Mary Machin (David's mother) buys a wedding ring and renames herself Mary Nennius after reading about Historia Brittonum. Nennius the monk, as described in the novel and online, "was an Eighth century historian who is a major source for tales of King Arthur. Unlike the more careful Bede, Nennius was, as one modern historian writes "unrestrainedly inventive" [Gerhard Herm, The Celts, [London, 1976. 275]. Not all of Nennius can be dismissed as he apparently had access to no-longer available 5th century sources, but neither can he be entirely trusted." This is most eerie since David Nennius himself is constantly analyzed by Rachel, Quinn and others because of their inability to trust his unpredictable nature. (same site as above)

5. Along with this Celtic theme I must explicate the "banshee" mentioned near the bottom of page 147. "Only when he could take no more of the banshee wail did Nennius slowly turn onto his back, then lever himself up onto his elbows." Okay so here is the banshee information: "From Gaelic BEAN-SIDHE, 'woman of the fairy-mounds.' The Banshee was another form of the Goddess-voice, for she was heard, but rarely seen. Irish folklore said the voice of the Banshee was sometimes a terrifying shriek or a ghastly wail that would cause any hearer to drop dead at once; or, at other times, it was a soft, comforting voice addressed to those whom the Goddess loved'a welcome rather than a warning of the coming passage into the realm of death." I don't know what kind of Banshee call Nennius heard but certainly he was caught in the realm of dying or the want to die. (same site as above)

6. I did want to mention that the Prologue to Nennius' Historia Brittonum can be found at: wysiwyg://121/http://pages.prodigy.net/sbrynjul/nennius.html It is very interesting material.

7. It was noted at an Arthurian site that Emrys is a pseudonym for "Merlin" and I thought that was worthy of mentioning since David's son is named Art (short for Arthur?) and wouldn't you know, Emrys is a spiritual and physical guide for both of them until his death (Middleton, you are very sneaky!). Unfortunately I couldn't trace this site so I don't have the URL for you but I will keep looking.

8. Finally I offer one more site as an extension to Christina's work. I too found the Samaritans site for the British. It is definitely worth looking at. http://www.samaritans.org.uk/sams.html/home2.html
Enjoy!!!



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Lie of the Land:
Epilogue
by Scott

A few days had passed since Art had reentered David's life. While David, Quinn and Art spent the morning eating breakfast and discussing which is the best fruit jelly, Rachel was sulking in a pit of angst. Matthew hadn't spoken very much the past few days, still trying to come to terms with what she had done and why. And Rachel was trying to decide if she was on the road to healing a guilt which has haunted her for months, or could she still not forgive herself?

Inspired by David Nennius' memoirs, she decided to do the same. She couldnUt bring herself to say to Matthew what she wanted to say, but perhaps she could write it then. Oh sure, she had told him the entire tale of her adventures with David, but she hadn't told him why she had been so obsessed with his troubles. Why she had to save him.

Rachel picked her hands up from the keyboard. Rubbing her wrists she contemplated her future. Then, like many times, she began thinking of the past and details she had never told anyone.


Rachel's Story


"I haven't been able to bring myself to tell anyone what happened all those months ago," began the journal entry.

I can still remember the day the man with no name came into the center, the day I committed my crime. That day I let a man walk out the door without getting his name. He wore a tattered overcoat and a sheep-like smile. Later, much too late, I learned the truth. No, that is not true. I knew the truth and did nothing. I knew he was a child molester - he told me. The worst part of it is that he came in twice. Twice I did the wrong thing.

"I regret what I did," the man said through globs of tears. "I just wish these rages, these infatuations would vanish." I thought he was sincere, so when he would not give me his name I didnUt push him to do so. He pleaded with me not to tell the authorities. He said he could heal himself better in the real world. I thought he had a point. But then that fateful day came.

I can still see Matthew's face as I read the story of a Chester Rogers being picked up for child molestation. It was not his first offense.

But, he said he was better. He said he was sorry.

Matthew pleaded with me to confide in him.

"Why are you upset?" he asked. "What is it?"

But I couldn't tell him. I couldn't.

As I sprung up from the table, a coffee cup fell to the floor. I tossed the paper and it landed into the brown puddle.

"It may not be the same man," I thought. But after checking around I learned it was him. The man with no name now had a name.

The hardest part of the past months was acting as if nothing had happened. After that first shock, I held it in. I held it all in. Now things have changed. David's ordeal reopened my guilt.

Chester found little "Willie" defenseless to his infatuation. I could have prevented it if I'd acted. I could have stopped him.

I had to save David to save myself. David's child was not the same child that Chester struck, but he may as well have been.

Helping David has also helped me. I didn't save Willie, but I saved David.

Doesn't that count for something? Can't I ever move forward?

Later that evening Rachel stood on the street outside the house. A somber smile crossed her lips as she saw David and Art talking through the window.

"How are you doing?" Quinn asked.

Rachel jumped. She had not noticed Quinn had walked up behind her.

"Fine," she replied.

"Art is a good man. And David is doing well. I think he is going to be fine," Quinn said. "We are all better than ever."

"That's good," Rachel said as a tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away and looked back toward the house.

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

"Yes," Rachel smiled at Quinn. "You know, I think I'm better than ever too."

At home, Matthew had finished reading Rachel's journal for the second time. Soon she would be home.



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Listening to the British Writer's Voice With An American Ear
by Tana

As I read Hayden Middleton's The Lie of the Land, I became increasingly aware that I was not only hearing the writer's voice coming through, but that it was a distinctly British writer's voice. There were words and phrases that marked the text as being decidedly not American. Yet, as I became accustomed to the writer's voice, I became less and less conscious of the dialect and simply involved with the story. In reading the story a second time, this time paying special attention to these variances, I was surprised at how many differences there actually were. What follows is a list of the words and phrases I found, on which page of The Lie of the Land I first found them (or, in some cases, where I finally decided that they were a result of a British writer's voice rather than just the writer's voice), and what I believed would be an acceptable "American" choice. Where indicated, these "American translations" were confirmed in the book Understanding British English: Bridging the Gap Between the English Language and Its American Counterpart, by Margaret E. Moore (quoted definitions are as found in this resource). In cases where I wasn't sure of the meaning and no "translation" was provided in Moore's book, I consulted Webster's Dictionary. Sometimes I had to guess (these are marked with question marks on either side of the "translation"). A few times I couldn't even give a fair guess: these I left as question marks. At times I also found it difficult to determine whether the choices were due to the author being British, or whether they were simply choices that may have been made regardless of the author's nationality. At those times I was guided by instinct.


PAGE British Word/Phrase American Word/Phrase
Confirmed ?
5 tap faucet
yes
5 van "delivery truck"
yes
6 unblocking unclogging
no
6 lay the table set the table
no
7 lay by rest area
yes
7 Chinese takeaway Chinese take-out
yes
7 grate ?fireplace?
no
7 elastic band rubber band
yes
8 adjoined connected
no
8 ask so personal a question ask such a personal question
no
8 cinema (movie) theater
yes
8 let out rented
yes
9 garden yard
yes
10 Might I speak . . . May/Can I speak . . .
no
11 ring call
yes
13 putting down the phone hanging up
no
16 make all the running "set the pace, take the lead"
yes
17 track suit sweats, warm-ups
no
17 plaster bandage
yes
21 bank of filing cabinets row of filing cabinets
no
22 solicitor lawyer/attorney
yes
23 surname "last name"
yes
23 chap person/guy
yes
24 made redundant "laid off"
yes
24 figure bashing number crunching
no
25 fix a date set a date
no
25 fetch get
yes
26 proprietors owners
no
26 flat apartment
yes
28 ring off hang up
no
32 make a better shot try to do a better job of
no
33 fixed tied/attached/etc.
no
33 fitting a new doorbell installing a new doorbell
no
33 cabin cab
no
35 call-out service call
no
35 abstractedly absent-mindedly
no
36 carriageway "highway"
yes
36 lavatory "restroom"
yes
36 aerosoled spray-painted
no
37 switched (on) turned (on)
no
38 sodden soaking/soaked
no
44 detached house house (detached would be assumed)
no
49 advert "ad/advertisement"
yes
52 Saturday week a week from Saturday
yes
53 chastening evening ?punishing evening?
no
53 turned up showed up
no
54 Sorry? Excuseme?/What?/Pardon?
no
54 pub bar/tavern
yes
55 darts match game of darts
yes
55 toilet doors doors to the restrooms
yes
55 banknote money
no
61 (and before) terrace house "one of a row of houses joined by a common wall"
yes
61 gave directly opened right/directly
no
62 track "road, path, trail"
yes
62 football "soccer or rugby"
yes
62 municipal dumping ground city dump/landfill
no
63 wound down rolled down
yes
63 street lamp street light
no
64 (and before)motorbike motorcycle
no
64 bloody stupid/damned/etc.
yes
64 drinks-cabinet "liquor cabinet"
yes
65 funked it chickened out
yes
67 waste bin trash/garbage can
no
68 flicked flipped/thumbed
no
72 two piece suit
no
77 hostel ?shelter?
no
77 inspectorate inspectors' office
no
85 bedhead "headboard"
yes
87 nurse take care of/baby-sit
no
87 setting him to sleep putting him to sleep/bed
no
88 bread bin bread box
no
93 bed sit-room one room apartment/studio apartment
yes
94 registry office ?justice of the peace?
no
97 waistcoat "vest"
yes
97 queuing standing in/on line
yes
98 playing at a board ?playing a board game?
no
100 draw the curtains close the curtains
no
102 fought shy of shied away from
no
108 holidays "vacations"
yes
110 bin liners "trash bags"
yes
110 launderette "laundromat"
yes
114 cleaning his car washing his car
no
115 electric fire "electric heater"
yes
120 script manuscript
no
121 carry on continue
no
126 (and before) packet of cigarettes pack of cigarettes
yes
127 notes "bills"/money
yes
127 chip shop ?fish and chip place/fast food place?
no
127 (and before) pavement "sidewalk"
yes
128 bugger (vulgar) explicative
yes
129 Christian name first name
no
129 have a chat talk
no
132 a further ten minutes another ten minutes
no
134 shagged out "exhausted/tired out"
yes
134 junction intersection
no
136 keep our peckers up keep our spirits up (no anatomical meaning)
yes
137 (and before) bath "bathtub"/tub
yes
137 do with one use one
no
137 draining board "drainboard"
yes
138 bashing pounding
no
143 flushing water into the kettle filling the kettle with water
no
143 be off leave
no
145 banister rail banister/railing
no
145 underpants underwear/shorts/undershorts
yes
145 pack it in give up
yes
146 lorry "truck"
yes
147 guttered ?
no
147 lever push
no
150 airing cupboard "a heated closet for drying clothing"
yes
153 went immediately on the defensive immediately became defensive
no
154 put my foot in it made a mistake
yes
154 cut the corners ?leave some things out?
no
155 to no good purpose ?to no good end?
no
156 booked a table made a reservation
no
156 keen eager/interested
no
157 double bill double feature
no
157 fell in agreed
no
158 queue line
yes
158 drums of wire spools of wire
no
159 indoor aerial indoor antenna
yes
159 telly TV/ "television"
yes
161 fairground game carnival game
no
161 mightn't might not/wouldn't
no
161 working up to ?building up to?
no
166 railway line "railroad track"
yes
169 morass marsh/bog
no
169 prattling chattering
no
171 sacking sack/sackcloth
no
171 packet "package"
yes
173 lavender polish ?
no
173 beaker "cup or mug"
yes
177 garden marquee ?canopy/gazebo?
no
178 cloakroom "restroom"
yes
180 tarmac asphalt/ "paving compound of tar andsmall stones"
yes
181 firm "company"
yes
182 garden seat ?
no
182 overall gown
yes
182 theatre "operating room"
yes
182 transistor "radio"
yes
187 share his knowing share his knowledge
no
188 plucked at the curtain ?picked at the curtain?
no
191 wire mesh fencing ?chain link fence?
no
192 roundabout "merry-go-round"
yes
192 public convenience public restroom
yes
196 gobbets ?chunks ?
no
196 mewling whimpering
no
198 spade shovel
no
210 set a kettle to boil put a kettle on
no
210 wall clock clock (on the wall)
no
210 was showing midnight said (it was) miidnight
no
210 cooker stove
yes
212 plinth ?base?
no
213 rucksack knapsack/backpack
no
217 calling card business card
no
217 swung to closed
no
221 haulier "hauler, trucker"
yes
221 another coffee another cup of coffee
no
223 notice boards "bulletin boards"
yes
230 proper father birth/natural father
no
231 bored rigid bored stiff
no
231 put this across to David make David understand
no
237 prized it pried it
yes
239 cowed him intimidated him
no
241 trouser pocket pants pocket
no
243 clean-jawed clean shaven
no
243 from under the grill from the oven
no
247 architrave molding/door jamb
no
248 set herself to washing up began washing (dishes)
yes
248 cold frame ?glass-topped plant box?
no
249 washing up water dishwater
yes
251 roiling ?agitating ?
no
253 district neighborhood
no
255 plashing splashing
no
265 a purchase on himself ?new lease on life?
no
266 about "around"
yes
268 great large/huge
yes
274 fancy telling me like to tell me
yes

This list represents the choices I believe Haydn Middleton made because he was a British author. Most of the meanings I could make out without any problem, which shows that the bridge between the two languages doesn't have far to span. However, there were enough ideas that I could not decipher to indicate that maybe there are a few slats out of the bridge spanning the gap. There are several ways we can approach the these missing slats: We could stand on one side of them and wish to know what is on the other side, but not move for fear of falling through the holes. We might choose to skip over them, hoping we don't fall through and miss the meaning entirely. We could lay down substitute planks and hope that they hold. Or we can search for the key to move the boards together so that there is no longer a gap. Whatever we do, the worst thing is to stop dead in the track and miss what is on the other side.

Very few of the ideas that were represented were totally foreign to the American culture as I have experienced it. We don't have drying closets. We don't use single edge razors much. We don't have allotments (though there are sometimes parcels of land available to city dwellers for gardening). We are more likely to want coffee than tea to drink. Most houses are not joined together (and therefore we don't mention that they are detached). These differences in our cultures are far from being serious enough to prevent us from understanding the story Haydn Middleton presents us. We may not understand all the British mythology referred to. However,the author give us enough background within the story to get us through that as well.

So, what does this American reader ultimately have to say about the obstacles created out of the differences between British English and culture and that of its American sister? Simply that while it was interesting to trace out, and it was fascinating to note the quantity of the differences, it was not really necessary in order to gain understanding from the text. I have always loved the sound of the British voice: I find it melodic. For me, it enhances the voice of the text rather than hindering it. The author's voice is a British voice. The reader's ear is American. Both writer and reader speak the same base language, so, despite subtle differences they are able to communicate together.



Works Consulted


Middleton, Haydn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.

Moore, Margret E. British English: Bridging the Gap Between The English Language and Its American Counterpart. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1989.

Guralinik, David B. ed. Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language,Second College Edition. New York: The World Publishing Company, 1970.



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Making a Movie on Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land

by Sandy


To make a movie from any source takes a lot of people in the process. It's not just one or two people sitting down saying "let's make a movie." There are things to be considered, things to be done and people to contact. In this essay, I plan to make a movie of Haydn Middleton's novel The Lie of the Land, just to give a glimpse of the complications involved with making a movie.

The first step in any movie would have to be a script. No script, no movie. It's just that simple. A small group (or one individual) would have to sit down and write a script from this novel. Of course he (they) would have to decide what to focus on from the book, or what they (he) wants to dramatize, and if there is something that they (he) can put in the script himself that wasn't really there to begin with. For example, if the screenwriter(s) wanted to make this a romance story between the characters David and Quinn, then they would emphasize that dramatically. They might add some sexuality into said relationship, and even go so far as to have Quinn come back to David at the end of the movie. The key words that you would see on the screen would be "adapted from," meaning that the movie was based on this novel, but the screenwriter(s) wrote the movie from their interpretation. Of course, some things have to be in the script, such as David's story, but how focused it is depends, like I stated, on the screenwriter(s).


Now that we have a script, and we'll cut out the process of submitting it to movie studios, the next step would be pre-production. For this purpose, we'll use a fictional studio and call it L 0 L studios. This studio, after accepting the script, would hire a producer. Let's use a name here, like Richard Donner. His job is to hire a director, audition a cast, find a location to film, or decide if it can be done on a sound stage (possibly both), and try to keep it all under budget. Our director would be James Cameron, because with his success recently, his name alone would bring people to see this movie, which is the whole goal of the project. Casting is difficult, because certain factors have to be looked at, such as looks, (do they look the part?), acting ability (since they would have to use English accents?), and availability (are they currently doing something else?). For instance, the part of David would be very hard to cast, since he's so tall in the book. Richard Moll could maybe pull it off as far as looks go, but can he do dialect? If not, maybe a vocal coach could be hired, if the budget allows. Let's say it does, and Richard Moll is cast as David. Important characters would call for big actors, so to save time, Teri Hatcher is cast as Rachel, Val Kilmer is cast as Quinn, and Robe Lowe is Matthew. Other characters would be back-up roles for up-and-coming actors, lesser names needing exposure. Or, if the director and director wish, could fill these roles with big names as well, but we'll keep it as it is.

Now that we have a cast and script, we can start filming. The filming will take place on a sound stage for the most part. Any outside scenes can be made just as easily but if location shots are needed, then the director and producer would be wise to fly to the location in the novel. The sets would be just as important as the actors, and they would need the following scenes: David's office, Quinn's room, David's house, Rachel and Matthew's house, the Samaritan center and a pub. The sets are built, and now, finally, we can film.


The actors deliver their talent for the camera for three months, with both the director and voice coach handy to give advice. The next step is finally at hand; post-production. Here a background is decided on, like a soundtrack for example. Also, there is editing scenes that the director deems not necessary to his vision of the story, and decides on the special effects. Since there is the background character of the Island Lady to consider, some special effects would be needed. And after all of this, the movie is finally released.


To give a brief summary of this project, we started with a literary foreground; a novel. We then went to the script, which is the interpretation of a screenwriter or screenwriters. Then we throw in the director's vision of the script, and the actors' interpretations of their characters, and we now have four levels of interpretation of the same story. By the time it reaches theaters, it is totally different from what the novel intended it to be. Moving from literature to film took a lot of rewriting of the story, giving way to intertextuality to provide entertainment for the masses.



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by Kelly


Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land is a complex book filled with many themes. One of them, which I focused on, is the theme of death. Death seems to be shown as a means to an end. In the beginning, David sees death as an inevitable, horrible event that he must face up to all too soon. "I'm going to die" (p. 16) David states to Rachel during his first visit to the Samaritan Center. "I know I've got to die, Rachel but I'm a coward" (p. 18).

David's death won't be one of the ordinary. David is one of the chosen. He is one of the sons of the sky. He is tormented by the woman's voice, the one who chose him, who is always overshadowing him. The woman, possibly the angel of death, has an elaborate plan laid out for David. It began when he was first conceived and will continue on until the day that he dies and beyound. "In her vindictiveness she would call these new sons of the sky westward. And, at the gateway to Albion, she would make them perform, in that brightest light that sits forever upon the darkness, the dance of death..." (p. 85).

The island of Albion seems to be referred to as hell. David speaks of being in contact with "...the keeper of the gateway to hell" (p. 18). The island is believed to be a "...rendezvous for the souls of the dead" (p. 79). When the time comes the woman will call to the sons of the sky and take David to the island of the dead. David didn't fully understand his fate until it was explained to him by his stepfather, Emrys.

Later in life, when David is married and a son of his own, the power of the woman took over his mind and body. She willed him to committ one of the worst crimes possible. He took the life of another human being. And in the process he lost his own life as well. Not literally, but he lost his family and his soul. He had nothing. "I am the son of the sky, he thought. And after so many years, he knew what that meant. He knew that he would dance before his time. And he knew, too, glancing down at his child, that there would be more than one end" (p. 188). Ten years later, David finally gave up the idea of ever getting his family back. Rachel commented, "...he appears to believe that he deserves to die" (p. 24). After losing his family, David doesn't have much to live for. He must live with knowing what he is capable of. The woman seems to have created such self-loathing, fear, and shame within David that he thinks suicide is the answer. He thinks even less of himself when he doesn't complete the job. "Why have you got to die?" Rachel asks (p. 19). David replies,"Because of what I've done. Because of who I am" (p. 19).

David lives with the voice inside his head, trying to find meaning in his life. He has lost everything that was of importance to him. His act of passion had stopped him "...from giving love and from taking it" (p. 244). David had spent all of his time worrying about death. In the end he no longer feared death but accepted it and longed for it. It would be his means to an end. David thought that the woman might be able to end the hurt and suffering he felt and maybe allow him to find some happiness in death. "Now!" he pleaded. "Why can't it be now?" (p. 134). But it wasn't David's time. The woman was waiting for David to purge himself of the horrible tale. When David finally was rid of his story and was ready to go to the island of the dead, it was then that David was given his second chance. His son, Art, came to stay with him and he was given another chance at life. His death was postponed once more. He would again be forced to live in the woman's shadow and wait until he is called upon to perform the dance of the Albion, the dance of death.



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by Kim

The Lie of the Land

The Lie of the Land, written by Haydn Middleton, is a novel about protagonist David Nennius and his past, present, and future. David tells readers about his past through sections entitled "David's Story," a narrative that he is writing in which he reveals secrets about his conception, birth, life, and impending death. Through this, we learn that David is the son of the sky and that there is a woman who has claimed him as her own. This woman haunts him with the statement "I know you, I have found you, and I will not let you go," and in the end, he will "dance in the brightest light the dance of death at the gateway to Albion" (p. 84-85).

He constantly lives in this woman's shadow and cannot know happiness with another, so after his is married to Melissa and fathers a son, Art, David knew "that he would dance before his time" and "that there would be more than one end" (188). In this so-called "end before the end," David found his 13 year old son being forced to give a man oral sex in a bathroom in a park, and, outraged, David kills the man. Soon after, Melissa and Art leave, and after some time, David believes that he is given a new beginning when he finds a man named Quinn at his allotment on top of the mound under which he had buried the man he murdered.

In time, David looses faith in this false hope and believes that he has to die to atone for what he has done. This he shares with a girl named Rachel whom he meets at the Good Samaritan center. When Quinn and Rachel find David's Story, they are convinced that it is "the beginning of a very long suicide note," and the two intervene to keep David from taking his own life (154).

Middleton, Haydn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.

Ordinary People

Ordinary People is a novel about an adolescent boy named Conrad Jarrett. The story begins after Conrad has returned home from spending eight months in a hospital for attempting to commit suicide after he was involved in a sailing accident in which his older brother Jordan was killed. In the accident, a storm arose while the boys were on the lake with their sailboat. The two worked to control the boat, but it tipped and they fell into the icy water. As they waited for someone to find them, the brothers had to hold on to the boat, and Jordan told Conrad to "just hang on, don't get tired, promise?" (200). But Jordan was the one who got tired, let go of the boat, and lost his life. Through memories and sessions with psychologist Tyrone Berger, Conrad tells of the accident itself, his attempted suicide, and his life before and after these incidents.

Ordinary People is similar to Middleton's The Lie of the Land in many ways. Just as David Nennius feels guilty for killing a man in The Lie of the Land and believes that he has to atone for what he has done, Conrad also feels guilty for the death of his brother Jordan and feels that he should be punished. He felt that "he was punished for that because afterward everything made him ill. . . . and for weeks afterward not being able to sleep was punishment too" (201). Even though the situation involving Conrad was an accident, Conrad still feels responsible and consequently tries to take his own life.

Like Nennius, Conrad used razor blades as his weapon of choice, and both David and Conrad found an eerie calmness in their impending death. Conrad tells of this through a memory, remembering what is was like when sat "against the wall cool at his back in only his shorts the door locked testing only testing tension of skin sharpness of blade thin threads of blood well up from scratches his legs his arms have no feeling in them draws the blade down into his left wrist a deep vertical cut the artery bubbles up like a river widens does it again to his right arm warmth and color floods the room he is free at last comforted . . ." (197). Also like Nennius, Conrad was discovered before he had a chance to escape completely from this world and from his guilt. His mother found him, just as a woman, Rachel, found David in The Lie of the Land. Now Conrad has to work through the pain of both the accident and his suicide attempt as he tries to reclaim his place in society and rebuild the relationships he had once known.

Guest, Judith. Ordinary People. New York: Ballantine Books, 1979.

"The Freshmen"

"The Freshmen," a song by The Verve Pipe, is another text about relationships, death, guilt, and suicide. According to the lyrics, the speaker seems to feel that he may have caused the death of another individual. Because of this, he feels guilty, as indicated by the line in the first verse in which he says "I'm guilt-stricken, sobbing with my head on the floor." The speaker feels responsible for this even though he doesn't want to, and he continually tries to convince himself of this throughout the song in the chorus saying "I can't be held responsible . . . I won't be held responsible." In dealing with the pain caused by the death of this girl, the speaker's best friend and his friend's girlfriend found different ways of coping. His best friend just needed time to heal, but this boy's girlfriend committed suicide when she "took a week's worth of Valium and slept." Now not only is the speaker feeling guilty, but his best friend also feels guilty for the death of his girlfriend. Finally, as the two boys "tried to wash [their] hands of all of this," they tried not to talk about their relationships but took their own lives as they "fell through the ice when [they] tried not to slip." The guilt that they felt led to them to their own deaths.

"The Freshmen" is similar to both The Lie of the Land and Ordinary People because all three of these texts focus on an individual who is, or who believes he is, responsible for the death of another person: David for the man he murdered in the bathroom at the park on Art's birthday, Conrad for his brother Jordan who died in a sailing accident, and the speaker of "The Freshmen" for the girl that died in a manner unknown to the audience. As a result, all of these men/boys feel guilty for what they have done or what has occurred, and they are all led to try to take their own lives to atone for what they believe they have done. The relationships that each of these men/boys have known are now altered, if they exist at all, and those who have survived their attempts of suicide are now forced to reconstruct their friendships and their lives.

"The Freshmen." "The Freshmen" (16 June 1998).

Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate, associated with Higher Source, was a cult brought into the forefront of the news in 1997 when many of its members participated in a mass suicide. On March 26, 1997, 39 individuals were found dead in a mansion in California after what appeared to be "a carefully orchestrated suicide that involved sedatives, vodka and plastic bags possibly used to suffocate" (Mass). This group of individuals believed that they were "beings from another planet, waiting to be picked up by a spaceship from their visit to Earth," and the spaceship they were waiting for was a UFO that they believed to be following the Hale-Bopp comet (Wilson).

While many of the details surrounding the Heaven's Gate mass suicide do not seem to relate to the novel Ordinary People and the song "The Freshmen," they do correspond with Middleton's The Lie of the Land. First of all, the beliefs of the members of Heaven's Gate are similar to those of David Nennius in that the members of Heaven's Gate believed that they were from and would return to another world, just like Nennius was from and would return to another island, the inner island of Albion. In addition, while the cult members looked to the Hale-Bopp comet to take them to their life after death, Nennius also looked to the "brightest light that sits forever upon the darkness" that he recognized as the woman who knew him, had found him, and would not let him go (85).

Aside from these mythical beliefs, the actual suicide by members of Heaven's Gate was similar to that of the suicide attempts by Nennius. The members of the cult were found wearing "black pants and black Nike athletic shoes, their faces and chests covered with purple shrouds" (Mass). And although Nennius did not cover his face, he was "wearing the familiar track-suit bottoms and training shoes" when Rachel first saw him performing the dance of Albion (159). Finally, the members of Heaven's Gate, "prior to their death, gave a brief statement . . . . The essence of those statements were that they were going to a better place" (Mass). Likewise, David's story was believed by others to be "the beginning of a very long suicide note," an explanation of what happened "so that afterward his story would be understood," and when he imagined the end, he thought about it "anticipating the happiness" (154, 204). Unfortunately, it was the fictional character in The Lie of the Land that survived while 39 cult members of Heaven's Gate may or may not have found that better place after leaving their earthly bodies behind.

"Mass suicide involved sedatives, vodka, and careful planning: Coroner: 'It seemed to be a group decision'." CNN U.S. NEWS Story Page. 27 March 1997. (9 June 1998).

Wilson, Dick. "Apocalyptic visions tied to comets past." CNN SCI-TECH Story Page. 27 March 1997. (9 June 1998).

* * * * *

Lies

The Lie of the Land

Lying was not only part of the title of Haydn Middleton's novel, but it was also a prominent theme throughout the text. The following is a collection of quotations about lies found within The Lie of the Land:

"Quinn hadn't worried about lying; he saw the lies as part of a larger truth" (p. 35)

"She [Rachel] didn't like lying to Matthew. But gradually, and never for her own benefit, she had got into the habit - whenever the truth just wasn't good enough for him." (55)

"'I told you [Matthew] a lie,' she [Rachel] said, 'because I didn't want you to worry.'" (58)

"No one knows what it's like / To be hated / To be fated / To telling only lies. . . ." (66)

"It was too big for lies and too small, at that time, for any kind of truth." (92)

"He [Quinn] had an odd notion that the banister was like a Bible, that while they both were touching it they could tell each other no lies." (145)

"A lie, even a white lie, would have ravaged the silence. Yet Rachel wanted to lie . . . ." (227)

"'Only you now,' she [Rachel] said, nodding. 'All the rest is lies.'" (262)

"'I killed him, Rachel,' Nennius said softly. 'And I buried him. Out there.' . . . 'That's no lie.'" (263)

"All along, the lies, the half-truths, and the sad little suppressions had just been stretching the distance between them." (277)

Middleton, Haydn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.

The Bible

"Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves;" Isaiah 28:15

"And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 9:3

In addition to the quotations about lies found within The Lie of the Land itself, verses about lying from the Bible also relate to David Nennius's story and his life. In examining Isaiah 28:15, David has "made a covenant with death" through the woman who tells him "I know you, I have found you, and I will not let you go" (85). Because of this woman, David has also "made lies [his] refuge" because he keeps secret the truth about who he is, about his relationships both present and past, and about the man whom he killed years ago. He has hid himself "under falsehood" and Quinn and Rachel have to work together to discover the truth so that they can stop David from hurting himself.

Jeremiah 9:3 also relates toThe Lie of the Land because David has bent his tongue like a "bow for lies," which are the arrows that end up hurting others, including Quinn, Rachel, Melissa, and Art. Quinn is hurt because David has kept the truth from him, and he and Rachel have to read David's Story in order to solve the puzzle of the past and help him in the future. Melissa and Art are hurt because David tries to keep the violent murder in the park a secret, and this pushes his family and their love away. David seems to "proceed from evil to evil" as he tells lie after lie and keeps secret after secret. This keeps him from knowing love, which is in the Lord, and allows the woman to continue to control him.

Holy Bible. King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1972.

"The Secret Sits"

"The Secret Sits" is a poem by Robert Frost that consists of only two lines which read "We dance around in a ring and suppose, / But the Secret sits in the middle and knows." These lines may be short, but they contain a great deal of meaning. In this poem, as in life, the secret that is kept, or the lie that is told, is in the center of things. Everything else must revolve around it in order to keep it a secret or in order to hide the lie.

This poem is very fitting for The Lie of the Land and its intertexts for several reasons. In the novel, the secret that David keeps about who he is and what he has done and the lies that he tells to keep this secret hidden are at the center of his life. Everything else seems to revolve around this, particularly his happiness. The other characters in the book and their relationships with Nennius also revolve around the secret or lie that David is hiding. Quinn and Rachel are required to make their way to the center on their own with only the help of reading David's Story while Melissa and Art have already moved away from the center after discovering the truth that is there.

For the protagonists who have attempted suicide, the guilt that they feel for one reason or another is also the "secret that sits," and the individuals try to continue to "dance round" it, living life as usual until they no longer can. At this point, the individuals decide to put an end to the secrets and, therefore, to their own lives. This is what Nennius wanted to do when he tried to dance the dance of Albion rather than a dance of his own.

Frost, Robert. "The Secret Sits." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed. Eds. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: HarperCollins, 1995. 694.

* * * * *

Beginnings and Endings

The Lie of the Land

Beginnings and endings were also an important part of Middleton's novel as they were a part of the mystery of the life of David Nennius. Therefore, the following collection of quotations about beginnings and endings are also important to The Lie of the Land:

"An island of rocky shores, where all things had begun and all things would end. . . ." (p. 41)

". . . there may be something in William Blake's claim in his Jerusalem that 'All things Begin and End in Albions Ancient Druid Rocky Shore.'" (67-68)

"Through her, every mortal man and woman until the end of time would pass into this dark place after death. This place was known to her as Albion." (84)

"He [David] knew that he would dance before his time. And he knew, too, glancing down at his child, that there would be more than one end." (188)

"The end before the end came on the next Saturday afternoon." (191)

"On the morning after the ninth anniversary of the killing, he [David] found at the allotment a vagrant, sleeping alive in that place of the dead. He took the vagrant into his home, nurtured him, shared what life he had with him, in the delusion that this was a new beginning." (203)

Middleton, Haydn. The Lie of the Land. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.

The Bible

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8

Again, the Bible relates to The Lie of the Land, this time in its idea of beginnings and endings. Throughout the novel, David and the woman make mention of the beginning and the ending, where these are found, and when they will occur. According to mythology and William Blake, the beginning and ending are found in the island of Albion, but just as the Bible says that the truth is in the Lord, it also says that the beginning and the ending are in the Lord. Therefore, the truth is in the beginning and the ending, and this is what David discovers. With the truth about his life, David could end one portion of it, the one with the woman and with the lies, and could begin another portion with Quinn and with his son Art.

Holy Bible. King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1972.

"Happy Endings"

The short story "Happy Endings" written by Margaret Atwood is a demonstration that life can end in only one of many ways. The "story" begins with the statement that "John and Mary meet.", and then the reader is provided with several different endings from which to choose. The first ending is ideal, but the others are plausible also; they depend upon what each character is like, who they form relationships with, and what they choose to do in their lives. Several of the possible endings involve lost love and even suicide, and the bottom line that the author stresses is that "John and Mary die."

In The Lie of the Land, David Nennius has several endings to his story as well. In studying what Nennius is like, the reader can focus on his character as a youngster growing up, on his married life with Melissa, or on his life as a bachelor with Quinn, but the ending that is imperative to define is the ending to David's Story, which may become the ending of his life. Nennius also has several different relationships, each of which ends in a different way. There are relationships with Quinn, with Melissa and Art, and with Rachel. Finally, what David ultimately chooses to do with his life will determine his fate. David may keep his story and lie to himself, submitting to the woman in death, or he may tell his story to Quinn and Rachel to be given a second chance at life. All of these things work together to determine the ending of The Lie of the Land.

Atwood, Margaret. "Happy Endings." The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 4th ed. Ed. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1995. 66-68.

"Closing Time"

Finally, the song "Closing Time" by Semisonic contains a line that is very fitting for The Lie of the Land and for the other texts concerning death, guilt, attempted suicide, lies, and beginnings and endings. The line is that which states that "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." In everything that occurs in life, things begin and things end. Often, we must have closure in one aspect of our lives before we can begin in another aspect.

In The Lie of the Land, David encounters several beginnings and several endings in his life. He comes to discover that there can be more than one beginning just he found that there was more than one end. In the conclusion of the novel, he is finally able to end the portion of his life involving the woman who claims that she knows him, has found him, and will not let him go so that he can form a new beginning, not only with Quinn, whom he had previously thought of as a new beginning, but in his relationship with his son Art and, therefore, possibly with Melissa or another woman as well.

"Closing Time" (16 June 1998).



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