Dog-Head: Tales from the Neotropics: Three Fictions
Michael Jarvis, 2015
Field of Vision Books
356 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780988538955
Summary
From a Caribbean island and the pursuit of a legendary boa constrictor, to the Belizean jungle and a fixation on the demise of the Maya civilization, to the Gulf of Honduras and a journey into ancestor worship, these tropical stories blend and explore history, religion, mythology, travel, mystery, illness, the nature of man, the nature of the beast, obsession, and the lure of discovery.
In "Dog-Head," a rejected man on an island holiday sets out to capture a large snake despite his lack of experience or the fear the legendary reptile inspires in the local people.
In "Remnants," a young couple on a Central American diving trip encounters a charismatic stranger whose intense obsession with the Maya civilization drives a wedge between them.
In "Moho Bight," an injured American fisherman in Belize, grappling with a new state of mind, becomes involved with a local woman whose mysterious illness leads him to a remote village and into the tribal rituals of the Garifuna culture.
In each of these three fictions, travel and obsession mix into new forms that propel and endanger those susceptible to the lure of the exotic and the unknown, taking the reader with them into uncharted territory. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—September 13, 1954
• Where—Montgomery, Alabama, USA
• Raised—moved regularly with military family
• Education—B.A., B.F.A,, Florida International University
• Currently—lives in Miami, Florida
Michael Jarvis was born on Maxwell Air Force Base and traveled regularly, living as a child in Alabama, Texas, Ohio, Guam, Georgia, and England.
He graduated from Florida International University with degrees in English and Fine Arts.
Since the mid 80s and beginning with the television series Miami Vice, he has been scouting locations for various films, shows, and commercials.
He travels for work, research, and pleasure, and has explored parts of the Caribbean, North, Central & South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
His short story, "American Kestrel," was published in The Secret of Salt: An Indigenous Journal (Key West, 2008) and will be included in a collection scheduled for release in 2017. (From the author.)
Visit the author's website.
Follow Michael on Facebook.
Book Reviews
This is an extraordinary collection of three novellas all centered on themes of obsession, myth, and exoticism. They are each mesmerizing, beautifully written, and wholly immersive, presenting the reader with intimate glimpses of little-seen worlds.
Locations are left relatively vague, as the stories are more often told from the point of view of the white outsider; the author is aware of the ways a tourist’s expectations of savage jungles and down-to-earth natives can color lived experiences, but his locals are just as aware of this exchange, which leads to excellent tension. The stories build their worlds slowly and then snap the reader out of reverie with quick plot changes and dramatic conclusions.
IR Verdict: Dog-Head: Tales from the Neotropics is a striking and viscerally immersive exploration of island culture and white tourism, man’s obsession with conquering nature, and the power of mythology.
IndieReader Review
Discussion Questions
1. What does the snake represent to the protagonist, Harlan Rivers, in "Dog-Head"?
2. In "Remnants," what do the religious elements have in common with Ben’s selfish actions?
3. What are some of the parallels between the Mayan belief system and Christianity?
4. In "Moho Bight," how are environmental concerns contrasted with the sporting life?
5. Why does Reese try to participate in the Garifuna rituals?
6. How does the underwater figure of the manatee serve the psychological aspect of the story?
7. How are the three stories linked thematically?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)