Waterland

Tom, continuing to address his class, elaborates on the multifaceted aspects of reality as it plays out in life. He first refers to it as “an empty vessel” that must be filled with storytelling or some other pastime, then later calls a woman’s womb “an empty but fillable vessel” (42). He alludes to his wife’s journey from a secluded life of devotion to her marriage to her recent psychological break from reality, an event that prompted his firing and his recounting of “these fantastic-but-true, these believe-it-or-not-but-it-happened Tales of the Fens” (42).

Tom continues his tale by describing his relationship with his wife, Mary, before they were married. He divulges details of Mary’s background; their sexual relationship; their experiences with peers, including the dead boy, Freddie Parr; and Freddie’s dad’s illegal exploits.

The day the body is found, Tom and Mary rendezvous at a secret location. Mary then tells Tom that Freddie was killed by Tom’s brother, Dick. The previous night, she witnessed Dick push Freddie, who can’t swim, into the water. Moreover, Mary is pregnant, and she’s been intimate with both Dick and Tom. Because of Dick’s jealousy, she lied by saying that the father is the Freddie (to protect Tom).