A Threat to the Status Quo

In its essence, A Dream in Polar Fog is a rejection of attempts to define a single dominant way of life as the ideal society. It introduces the idea that there are other equally, if not more legitimate, ways to live life than the hegemony of Western civilization. It takes John, a Western man, and immerses him in a culture alien to him, a culture with values antithetical to his own. And yet, he finds meaning in this way of life and ends up eschewing the status quo of his former home. This idea, that there are other successful cultures and societies is exceptionally dangerous to the legitimacy of Western governments. If people realized that there were legitimate alternatives, perhaps there would be a revolution or at least a radical change in those societies.

Two specific examples of this occur in the final pages of the novel. First is the news of the Russian Revolution and the reign of the Bolsheviks reaching John’s ears. Carpenter is the one to inform John of the change, and when he asks John why he doesn’t leave after the Bolshevik’s have taken power, John responds that he is comforted by the fact that all of the people in Chukotka have forgotten that he doesn’t have hands and is crippled: “I feel like a full-fledged, valuable person. Valuable to my family, to my friends, to the little community that peoples Enmyn. Here, I’m a human being – do you understand? – a human being! I have no fear of the Bolshevik’s coming. Naturally, I find their doctrine alarming, their denial of any kind of personal property. But, just think Mr. Carpenter, what property do I have? And meanwhile, those among whom we live are, with rare exception, a trusting folk.” Here John is saying that even though the Chukchi way of life could be described as primitive compared to Western society, they have actually progressed past a lot the ailments that plague the more ‘advanced’ society. The themes of trust, acceptance, and human brotherhood can be found in John’s description of his community. And this is why Carpenter wants John to leave so badly. It is because John, a white man, living happily in a settlement like the one in which he does, is a crack in the foundation of Western ideals. If him living a content life means that the Western way of living can have legitimate alternatives, Carpenter’s life (and the system by which he has made himself wealthy) is delegitimized. This conflict between the two characters is an interesting parallel to the formation of the Soviet Union happening around them, as the Soviet Union was the first true superpower in the twentieth century to challenge the top-down, capitalist power structures of the world.

This interaction is similar to John’s final interaction with his mother. As she leaves, saying goodbye to him for the final time, and after seeing him fully immerse himself in the Chukchi life, she says, heartbreakingly: “Oh, John! My boy! It would have been easier for me see you dead than like this!” This extreme statement shows exactly how much John’s mother’s reality hinges on her idea of supremacy over the ‘savages’. Her whole society hinges on the supremacy of whiteness, and her status as a wealthy landowner in Canada hinges on values of greed and competition that would be alien to the Chukchi. And, so desperate to keep her place in that society, she would rather see her son dead, than see him live a life that threatens the status quo.

An Emerging Leader?

One aspect that struck me while reading the last section of “A Dream in Polar Fog” is the great extent to which John integrates into the Chukchi community. Even more importantly than just integrating into the community, he becomes a leader of the people and also serves as their representative, especially when dealing with white people. By the end of the story, John promotes the interests and image of the Chukchi by ensuring that outsiders understand that “the people of the North… can be not only loyal and obedient guides, but also true heroes” (255). He aims to dispel the western notion of the Chukchi as savages by making it clear to outsiders, that the people should be respected for their understanding of the land and for living in unforgiving conditions. By taking pride in the Chukchi way of life, John make others (and the reader in particular) understand the Chukchi cultural tradition and how they thrive through what some would consider a primitive lifestyle.

As the story progresses, John takes on a greater role in the Chukchi community. While he initially completely depends on others’ help, he learns to provide for the tribe and subsequently plays a central role in their survival through his help on animal hunts. He also becomes a leader for the tribe through his further dealings with the white man. Upon John’s encounter with Captain Bartlett and discussion of national land ownership, the other Chukchi find it “strange… to see their own fellow-countryman Sson as someone in a position to discuss this unknown but evidently important business” (279). This marks a major change in John’s relationship with the tribe, as he now bears responsibility as a representative of the tribe’s interests. In the same scene with Captain Bartlett, John also requests the captain “not to use [his] engines,…make too much noise,… or shoot,” as this “frightens off the animals, [leaving us] without food or fuel” (280). The Captain respects John’s request, which underscores how John has the authority to defend the interests of the Chukchi. While John being a white man may have a role to play in the respect that Captain Bartlett gives him, John’s ardent support of the Chukchi interests nonetheless supports his emerged role as a leader for the tribe.

While John appears to have respect from the outside, one question I had at the end of the story is whether the Chukchi people consider him a leader. What intrigues me is how Orvo has few reservations about having John leave (and in fact encourages it), despite John becoming a key part of the community. I am eager to hear what others think about Orvo and John’s relationship and what role that plays at the story’s end.

Olenin vs. John

Comparing The Cossacks and A Dream in Polar Fog – this last section of Rytkheu’s A Dream in Polar Fog reminded me of Tolstoy’s The Cossacks in a couple of ways, but I will discuss two here. First is the way in which two different social classes think about themselves and “the other”. In The Cossacks, Olenin and his aristocratic fellows of Moscow are divided both physically and socioeconomically from the people of the Caucasus. Olenin, of course, has his own preconceived notions of the Cossack people, but nonetheless claims to go on this journey with an open mind and lofty goals for self-improvement. At the start of Chapter 21, John says, “The thing that divides us from one another is stereotypes about others and wrong ideas about ourselves… I think that the biggest mistake might be this: Each nation thinks that it’s the only one that lives in the right way… In itself, the idea is harmless. It even helps keep order in a society. But when a nation tries to change another’s way of life forcibly, that’s when things go wrong” (Rytkheu 222). I believe this to be true in the majority of cultures and societies, but do not feel this overlaps with how Olenin feels about the Cossack society. As the story goes on, we see Olenin purge himself of the wealthy values he’s adopted through high society Moscow in an attempt to integrate himself into this new village lifestyle he desires. He finds the simplistic lifestyles and values of the Cossack people beautiful and in this sense, does not appear to believe his aristocratic life is any better than that of the Cossack people. In fact, Olenin is sickened by the life he once led.

Second, the personification of nature appears in A Dream in Polar Fog as it does in The Cossacks. Also, in this same chapter, Orvo says, “…man starts to believe that he is the strongest and the smartest, and that he is the only master of the earth. And this is how it goes, for a time. But then, nature, Narginen, the Outer Forces, take away all the extraneous things… This is the kind of storm the Outer Forces use to clear away all that can lift man about them… It’s as though Narginen is reminding us: I’m master here, and it’s only on my sufferance that man lives here at all…” (Rytkheu 230). At the bottom of page 229, it is noted that *Narginen is defined as “the external forces that guide all life”. In The Cossacks, Olenin states, “Perhaps in her I love nature, the personification of all that is beautiful in nature; But I do not have a will of my own, and what loves her is some elemental force passing through me all of God’s world, all of nature presses this love into my soul and says: “Love” (Tolstoy 148). Olenin’s quote here shows that nature is stronger than him and therefore has control over him and his love for Maryanka. In this instance, the Narginen Orvo references, to me, seems relatable to the elemental forces Olenin mentions.

 

Respectful hunting?

Something that struck me early in this section of A Dream in Polar Fog was the comparison between hunting in this novel and hunting in some of the much earlier literature we read in the course. Because the Chukchi people are hunting exclusively for subsistence, they seem to have a much greater respect for the animal that they are hunting than the aristocratic hunters described in the earlier short stories we read.

Although I know that these pieces were published in very different time periods (A Dream in Polar Fog published in 1970, much of the other literature late 19th century-very early 20th century), they show an interesting contrast between those who hunt for food and those who hunt for sport and are about similar time periods (early 20th century). Though written in different times and about different groups of people, I think the comparison highlights a theme that comes up constantly in class about respecting nature. The Chukchi are able to live in one of the harshest environments in the world because they respect nature and, in turn, nature respects them. The old wives tale about the White Woman, mother of whales, told by Toko introduces the idea of  “universal brotherhood— that unattainable dream of mankind, rooted in the first beginnings of history” (108). The aristocratic hunting we read about earlier in the class, which was largely segregated by class, ignored any dream of universal brotherhood both between different classes and animals. In some instances, the animals would be captured and mamed so that they could be contained and more easily captured by a wealthy aristocrat. The Chukchi, on the other hand, are thankful for every catch they make. Toko demonstrates this respect for animals when he cautions John “not to get too many nerpa. What’s the sense in killing the animal for no use?” (112).

The contrast between different approaches to hunting made me think about how the geographical location and traditions of different people influence their relationship with nature in Russia and the different ways that this is represented in the literature we have read.

The Parable of the White Woman a Parable of Colonization

The cultural tensions are incredibly high in A Dream of Polar Fog, for as our protagonist John becomes more and more accepting and immersed in the local culture around him, we are reminded that other Westerns with the damaging biases John first had remain. In the parable of the White Woman, Toko presents a story about killing your brother that can be read as an allegory towards the white men’s mistreatment of native populations and the white men’s inability to see the native populations as their fellow brothers.

The text asks for a parabolic reading. Right before telling the story John is surprised but catches himself, “Stunned, John was about to inform Toko it was nonsense, but then the absurdities of the Bible came to mind…” (104) This is a great moment of John stepping into the shoes of the native people and realizing their possible viewpoint of the white man’s culture. Through inhabiting another cultural viewpoint, John is able to see the similarities between the two culture and, instead of dismissing the other culture for being different, appreciate and learn from people unlike him. Because John is viewing the culture through his Christian lens, the text is asking us to also view the story of the White Woman through that similar lens which renders the story near a biblical parable.

The parable of the White Woman shows a man, out of greed, killing his whale brother who is different than him. This parable teaches the lesson of not killing your fellow kind even if they do not look like you or do not know them. It preaches a common connection between species regardless of greed or possible gain.

Keeping in mind the context of the Canadians and the native Arctic people, this story begins to show the terribleness of the mistreatment of fellow human beings. Just as the whales are the brothers of the Arctic people and should not be harmed or exploited, so are the seemingly different humans who have different languages and customs. The parable of the White Woman reminds to treat fellow humans kindly regardless of difference.

If I had more space, I would do further close readings on the great and dense parable.

 

Edit: Okay I finished more of the reading and have to add on, sorry for the length.

Of course Johns writing corroborates what is listed above, in that eh also feels that this parable like story is one that applies to humanity wider, and more specifically to race relations between the people.  Something that I am confused about is John’s specific species within this parable? A striking line within this section is when John’s sin is described to be equal of that of native people: “Within a few days, all of John’s exposed flesh became so tanned that in color it was hardly different from Toko’s skin” (92). It seems that John can oscillate between his two identities, in some instances he acts as the whale, and in others the human. I wonder how this mixed identity will play out, and what the further come of this in relations to both the natives and the white men. More so, I’m curious what other people think of the stakes and problems of Johns exploitations but also adoptions of this culture? Thoughts?

On Cultural Assimilation

I think after reading The Cossacks, a question on many of our minds (or mine, at least) is how can someone assimilate into another culture? Maybe not a step-by-step process, but is it possible to completely adopt customs and ways of life former alien to you? A Dream in Polar Fog certainly addresses these questions and presents a view quite different from the one presented by Tolstoy. I’d like to explore this idea more, while keeping in mind that just by reading someone else’s words, I am bringing my own biases and former understandings to this discussion, which is just something I think is worthy of being aware of.

To start, after this portion of reading, it appears that for all intents and purposes, John has assimilated into the Chukchi community: he marries a Chukchi woman (both in his conceptualization of marriage and in the Chukchi understanding), he hunts with the other Chukchi men, he shares his gifts and supplies with the other members of the community (unprompted and even unexpectedly), and even supports the ideas of communal living and common good to a further extent than Armol’ in the case of purchasing a whale boat individually versus as a collective. Recognizing these facts of how John acts does not place a moral judgement on them. It is not objectively “good” or “bad” that he adopts values and behaviors of another group of people. But it is a marked change in how John thinks and acts that should be acknowledged for his personal adaptation, and growth in understanding and ability to learn new things. I am personally impressed and would judge his change and rationale for that change as overall “good” (in simplest terms). He makes informed, rational decisions, “Stay here forever?…These people had been so good to him, and had shown the kind of magnanimity he would not have expected in the world he came from” which stem from a choice to realign his values with those of a community to whom he owes a debt of gratitude and his life in many ways (129).

But I especially appreciate Rytkheu’s manners and methods of highlighting the complexity of ideas of inclusion, assimilation and what it means to “belong.” Orvo, in particular, provides a counter-opinion to (primarily Armol’s and even John’s) doubts about the efficacy of cultural conversion. Instead of calling the other person’s views wrong, Orvo questions them, “[if we drive John off] what about Pyl’mau?…What danger is there in a cripple? You’re not afraid of him, are you?” (161). In so doing, he and so Rytkheu, question the premises for these gut reactions of “white people are bad for the natives, they ruin everything they touch, they will cause the native’s demise and never truly be able to understand them.” (Also see Orvo’s thoughts on page 139—very interesting.) Ply’mau also voices doubts about John’s assimilation, “You’re a white man, and you need these things more” (159) but also acts as John’s foil in accepting John, his way of life, and teaching him Chukchi ways (as opposed to John accepting her way of life) in mixed actions from washing her face (page 131) to questioning how their daughter could possibly not be ‘real’, “As you see, this baby is real enough, and I’m sure that Tynevirineu-Mary will fly” (211).

This reflection only touches on a variety of events/themes that could be explored much more in depth (the significance of Tynevirineu-Mary, especially her name, how Rytkheu may or may not present his own opinion in Orvo’s point of view, Armol’s jealousy and what that means, Ply’mau’s role her own questioning of cultural assumptions), but I was very interested in how it all works together, and especially the idea of judgement (having just read a multitude of The Orient opinion articles in response to “I am Brett Kavanaugh”). There are also a lot of other ideas I had, from comparing Mr. Carpenter to John (notable page 146-149) and views on religion, and questions of “who benefits” from these interactions. Anyway, looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on these topics and others.

One question I had, that I would like to put out there before I forget, is on page 169, are they talking about children killing their parents because the parents are no longer self-sufficient and so are a drain on resources? Or am I misreading this?

Imagery of Fire, Imagery of Ice: Rytkheu’s Portrayal of John’s Crew versus the Chukchi People

This week’s reading of Yuri Rytkheu’s A Dream in Polar Fog opens with a quick developing narrative about John MacLennan, a Canadian university dropout, and his near death boating accident in the Russian arctic sea off the coast of Chukotka. In order to develop the scene within the first few chapters, MacLennan utilizes imagery such as “blasts of icy wind” and “frosty air” that “surge” through the “ice strip,” a description of the ever-freezing waters that surround the boat (Rytkheu’s chap. 1,2). Rytkheu’s utilization of cold and unforgiving diction about climate and topography suggests that the coast of Chukotka is strong, frigid, and even isolating. As for the MacLennan and his fellow sailors, Rytkheu’s utilizes imagery of fire and warmth, which ultimately differentiates these Canadians from the region they newly inhabit. For example, beginning chapter two, Rytkheu describes crew-members “Hugh and John” as “on fire for explorers’ glory” (2). Then again after John’s accident, he is referenced as a body that “suffused with fire,” with a “hot stream pulsating in his wrists” (2). Rytkheu continues to reference John’s state of “fiery pain” for the duration of this chapter, which directly precedes John’s introduction to the three Chukchi that agree to bring him to Anadyr after learning of his physical state. Up to this point, Rytkheu’s utilization of hot and uncomfortable imagery distinguishes John and his crewmen from the frozen regions that surround them.

 

With all this said, I do find an interesting divergence in Rytkheu’s use of imagery in describing the Canadian crew versus the Russian environment. At the beginning of chapter three while Grover notifies the “three Chukchi” of their task: to “deliver John MacLennan to Anadyr’, wait there until he is recovered, and then bring him back here,” one of the Chukchi named Toko “looks over” at John and notices his “icy, cold eyes” (3). Rytkheu emphasizes this moment, harping on the fact that “Toko could feel John’s star pierce him through, giving rise to a strange chill in the pit of his stomach” (3). Note Rytkheu’s in-depth description of John’s frigid stare. John no longer represents a hot, fiery force; instead, he is now cold and somber in relation to those around him, giving off a chill that “not even the fiery run could chase away” (3). I find it very interesting that while there is a complete transition in John’s nature from warm to frigid, there also exists a reference to something “fiery,” but this time “fiery” describes the rum offered by The Chukchi. It is interesting to think of not only the purpose of this change in Rytkheu’s differentiation between John’s crew and the people Chukotka, but also the implications that this transition has on John’s placement in and among the Chukchi. Could this adoption of regional characteristics, i.e. ice-cold features, be a form of foreshadowing John’s budding relationship alongside his Chukchi acquaintances? Or perhaps that both peoples are on track to connect with each other more connectively as they set out to begin this month-long trek. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments!

“Melding” Reality and Distant Home

As John, Toko, Orvo, and Armol’ travel, John’s flashbacks to his home are especially interesting. Over the course of the trip, as John’s initial suspicion and mistrust of the Chukchi people slowly (emphasis on slowly!) fades down, his images of home continue to return to him. As he faces mortality, in somewhat of a delirium, he mixes images of his Canadian hometown into his present reality in Siberia.

In the first day of the expedition to Anadyr’, John sees “Orvo’s flat smiling face, incredibly similar to the stylized picture of an Eskimo in the National University Museum in Toronto” (32). This connection in his imagination speaks to the utter cultural disconnect in his perception of Orvo. His only previous exposure to these people had been through a token image in a museum. Clearly, seeing such a stylized image of the Eskimo while back in Toronto had no strong impact on John, since he has no sense of respect or even interest in any of the Chukchi people at the beginning of the expedition.

Then, as John sleeps the first night, he hones in on the “blazing fires of maple-leaf fall” of his last autumn as a child at home, playing with his family, “watching squirrels cavort in the branches overhead.” These warm images of home are familiar to our (as in the western readers in our class) conceptions of childhood. While the flashback may have been a very typical afternoon for John, in his current position, traveling in Siberia, he romanticizes the otherwise normal visions of home. This romanticization of home, and nostalgia for the simple past is a theme we have seen multiple times in past readings: Turgenev, as he wrote from abroad in his Notes of a Hunter, Pasternak, reflecting on the nostalgia of the country-side.

(I also wonder if these connected images of his distant home with his reality can be considered an example of estrangement. I’m curious to discuss the concept of estrangement more, to understand whether it applies in this case.)

However, John’s romanticization of home as he finds himself in an unfamiliar place and culture,  contrasts sharply with Olenin’s denunciation of home, while in the Caucasus. As we continue to read this novel, I want to think more about comparing Olenin and John. Of course, the context of the stories are very different. However, both characters find themselves in a completely different culture. I think that while Olenin enters his Caucasus excursion with good intentions, John enters his situation with little intent to respect the Chukchi. And yet, we see that (so far) both Olenin and John are able to gain some level of connection with the locals, yet maintain their difference as outsiders. By the time they are back in Enmyn, Orvo tells John, “we’ve grown fond of you, but you could not bear this life of ours.” I feel that this will be the case for any of the outsiders who enter a different culture, in the works we continue to read going forward.

 

The Complexities of how Cultures Interact

A Dream in Polar Fog is the first story in which we have seen a perspective on Russian culture from a non-Russian. And it is fascinating to see him (in this case a Canadian named John MacLennan) attempt to interact with the native people of Siberia. His interactions with the indigenous people create a sharp contrast between his comfortable modern world, where he longed for adventure and danger, and their far more severe and intense world, where they don’t necessarily have the luxury of yearning for another life. Everything is different, and they both feel as though their culture is superior. John constantly thinks of the natives in a negative light, calling them “savages” and describing them as “unwashed.” The natives take a less harsh tone but are just as critical. They don’t seem to understand the white man, confused by the way they speak, interact with each other, and what they choose to value.

When comparing these two cultures, it is clear that one has more influence than the other. Throughout the last few centuries, Western culture has rapidly encroached on indigenous cultures around the world, and Orvo feels the pressures this creates. He is constantly worrying about letting down the traditional beliefs of his ancestors and at one point, while lost in thought, he finds himself feeling guilty about letting the foreign and seductive feeling of greed win: [he was] sure that he had made a mistake in submitting to the worst of temptations – greed. Yes, it went without saying that those goods were excellent. And yet they had lived without such thing, lived as Orvo’s ancestors had done, without tobacco, tea, the bad joy-making water, woven cloth, metal needles, and had managed to hunt with bows and arrows. These new things, brought by the white men to Chukchi shores, had only complicated life. The sweetness of sugar also held a bitter tang.” Orvo is struggling with a conflict we have seen throughout this class, a conflict of tradition and simplicity with technology and wealth. A battle between the old and new that was constantly being waged in the 20th century.

However, even though Orvo is struggling with John’s culture, he still manages to try and understand where John is coming from. At one point he figures that as much as he is alienated by John’s way of life, John must be alienated by the Chukchi way of life, saying: “That world [the white man’s world] had not set well with him, but who can vouch that the white men like Chukchi way of life? All people live their own way, and there’s no use making another person do as you do, changing his customs and habits.”

And, after the initial conflict, this becomes a common theme throughout the first ten chapters, even with the divide between the characters, John and Orvo manage to connect in a basic but profound way. At one point John is thirsty, and at first he reacts with disgust as Orvo gives him water in a primitive flask, warm from being kept underneath his coat, but then John has a change of heart after he feels refreshed by the water and Orvo’s generosity: “John managed a smile. He had wanted to show his gratitude with it, but something sparked inside him, and the resulting smile was sincere, not forced.” This interaction shows that underneath the tension between their cultures there is a connection, and (perhaps undermining the argument Tolstoy was making in the Cossacks that Olenin’s relationship with the Cossack culture was largely superficial) that there are unbreakable bonds that can be brought together between all humans no matter where they come from.

Trade Relations

Rythkheu’s A Dream in Polar Fog brings back the theme of a mutually beneficial relationship between man and nature: nature will be kind to the man that is kind to it and, in contrast, will do no favors for the man who is unkind to it. This relationship between man and nature is shown in the contrast between the white man and the Chukchi and in the value of trade in the different societies.

The relationship between man and nature first appeared when the Belinda was getting overrun by the ice field. Rythkheu explains that “Belinda’s speed depended on the speed of the north-easterly wind that was driving the churning ice… The last hope that they had was that the ice would carry the vessel through the straits and into the open waters of the Bering Sea” (18). Though the men are capable sailors, they are totally at the will of nature. When the sailors try to manipulate nature by blowing out the ice, John is punished by the explosion. In describing the explosion, Rythkheu invokes the northern lights: “That first instant, John saw a blazing light, as though it were the Northern Lights rearing up in front of his eyes” (20). The use of the Northern Lights as the description for the explosion makes it seem like nature is teaching John a lesson for trying to over power it. Had not the snow and ice covered the fifth cartridge, the explosions still would likely not have helped the Belinda return to sea.

The Chukchi, who have a much more positive relationship with nature than the sailors, value trade over money. When the Captain first tries to enlist Orvo’s help, he “laid down a crumpled wad of paper notes, the kind that Orvo had not much faith in, despite knowing well that the whites liked them no less than the metal ones” (11). Money offers the Chukchi little value in the arctic, but because the white man is just a visitor, he does not grasp the value of useful items for trade until later in the bargain. Trade is also a symbol for the relationship with nature that the Chukchi have. After the Shaman Kelena heals John and kills the dog, she buries the dog’s bones in the snow and afterwards chants: “Let the white man’s anger blow past us like a springtime storm. We saved his life. Teach him this, and make him understand what we did” (59). Though Kelena would not accept payment for her services, she does hope that John will understand the ways of the Chukchi and, in turn, the way to both give to and receive from nature.

There is not enough space in a blog post to include all of the evidence I found about this connection, and it is definitely not a fully formed thought, but I found it impossible to ignore the resurfacing of the idea of a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and nature and how trade, both human to human and human to nature, is often a factor in man’s relationship with nature.