Waterland

“Historia, -ae, f. 1. Inquiry, investigation, learning. 2. a) a narrative of past events, history. b) any kind of narrative: account, tale, story.” 

This novel epitomizes this definition of historia. It asks the question “Why?” innumerable times, investigates a murder, and follows a protagonist whose life work is teaching, educating, and imparting knowledge to youth. It not only incorporates several historical events but also insists history is rife with stories, both realistic and concocted, making storytelling a vital part of the human experience.

“‘And don’t forget,’ my father would say, […] ‘whatever you learn about people, however bad they turn out, each one of them has a heart, and each one of them was once a tiny baby sucking his mother’s milk.’” 

In accepting the incestuous relationship between his father-in-law and his wife, and the result of that union—his severely mentally challenged stepson—Henry Crick finds the true meaning of unconditional love. He sees all people as part of the human race, all starting out as babies who, though they make mistakes or have defects, are love itself. Henry passes this sentiment on to his sons.

“Children. Children, who will inherit the world. Children (for always, even though you were fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, candidates for that appeasing term ‘young adults,’ I addressed you, silently, as (‘children’) […] listen, one last time to your history teacher.” 

Tom Crick addresses the future children who will inherit the world, but he cannot let them forget the past or allow them to wipe out history as the school is wiping out his career of 32 years. Though children often repeat the same mistakes as past children, it is important to remember relevant and valuable stories.