Tapping the Source by Kem Nunns - Essay Example

Tapping the Source by Kem Nunns Having chosen a rather ordinary and familiar to American readers’ setting- California seacoast Kem Nunns managed to create an unexpected and capturing novel which is often tagged as “surf noir”. Despite the bright and picturesque location which is associated with fun, sun, and sex, this story shows the dark side of permanent high and entertainment. The plot of the novel is based on the necessary quest of the hero and as well as many quests it starts in the desert. A young and timid boy hopes to find his lost sister and the trace leads him to the Hungtinton beach. He suspects that his sister was murdered, and the whole story turns into detective. To survive in the unfamiliar setting and to find out what happened to his sibling he has to adapt to the local lifestyle and accept it: he must make friends with locals, start taking drugs, and of course learn to surf. Of course in the process he also must meet his love but it will be later. All these things gradually change the principal hero and he starts realizing what is hidden beyond the surfing lifestyle, he starts seeing the mysticism of the situation. In this chapter almost all principle heroes are mentioned: Ike, Milo, Michelle, and Hound Adams. Their communication and interaction allows seeing them in a slightly different light. It is possible to observe how the relationships of Milo, Ike, and Michelle transform in this chapter as Milo is showing the house to Ike and Michelle. The couple is absolutely fascinated by this house and the view from the widow and this conversation creates an atmosphere of total understanding. Milo is extremely friendly and familiar with both Ike and Michelle, and it is obvious that Ike is now accepted as a true dweller of Hungtinton that is why Milo asks Ike if he had a board with him. Hound Adams is introduced in a anew light as Ike notices something strange in his behavior for the first time. And as a real Hungtinton person that is when the major part of the chapter begins-surfing. The chapter 36 is fully dedicated to the major trends of this book: surfing, relationships, and mystique. I this chapter everything is mixed together very craftily: romanticism, surfing high, friendship, and detective clue. The author managed to flow really harmoniously between such different directions and create one coherent story. The author flows from tide to tide: from romantic date: to surfing: from exaltation to returning to the bitter reality. As it is a “surfing novel” a genre created partially by Ken Nunns the major accent made on the description of the process of riding a tide and the preparation to it. It is necessary to understand that surfing is the core of the story as the whole narration is based around it. For amateurs like Ike surfing was rather a kind of sports and fun initially but after he found a guru everything changed- he realized that surfing can be a philosophy, even a religion, and the way to enlightment. For Ike surfing has become the impetus to development, and the way to seeing reality more clearly. So this chapter demonstrates initial transformation of the hero, his sudden revelation but according to the requirements of the genre this transformation happens while riding the tide. The author shows that Ike despite fact that he is searching his sister primarily wants to discover his true self like every hero who starts a journey, and for Ike- surfing, as well as for many heroes- riding a car, or fighting in a war, becomes this valuable experience. The chapter concentrates on how Ike`s surfing experience contributed to his general transformation. In this very chapter the moment of Ike`s serious internal change is marked. Moreover the author mentions the title of the book pointing to the significance of the event: “It struck him this morning that what he was doing was not separated into different things. Paddling out, catching tides, setting up. Suddenly it was all one act, one fluid series of motions, one motion even. Everything coming together until it was all one thing: the birds, the porpoise, the leaves of seaweed catching sunlight through water, all one thing and he was one with it. Locked in. Not just tapping the sources but of the source” (Nunns 245). So the chapter is crucial in terms of characters because it is when Ike`s leap occurs. It is possible to call this moment a culmination because it serves as a serious push for further Ike`s self-actualization. He starts feeling the meaning of his journey, of his relationships with people, and the connection of everything that surrounds him. The author intentionally continues this chapter with a sexual scene between Ike and Michelle since sex is inevitable part of surfing culture. For Ike Michelle has become that friend and a partner he was missing. She also became a woman he needed so much in his life because his mother left him and soon his sister disappeared. So all that longing for a woman`s understanding and support was given to him by Michelle. The scene of sex on the beach is typical for surfing novels and it adds to romanticism and poignancy of the novel. It is possible to see how bald, emancipated, and relaxed the main hero has become. The scene is very provocative and nevertheless romantic because unlike most couple of the beach having sex Ike and Michelle share feelings to each other and are intimately connected. That is another point of transformation of the hero. Their relationships with Michelle influenced him in a positive way and led to real connection which is demonstrated through their intimate communication. Moreover, having realized that everything is united and he is metaphorically on the right way in his quest, Ike notices a piece of ivory which he once gave to his sister. And not accidentally he notices it in Michelle`s hair. This moment is also exceptionally important to the plot development because here Ike receives a real clue to the further actions. It is interesting how his feeling and emotions in this chapter change reminding the waves: first he feels exaltation from surfing later he is absolutely absorbed by making love to Michelle and suddenly he is brought down dramatically noticing the ivory. These fluctuations allow understanding intense emotional life the hero passes through. Ike is numbed by his discovery of a piece of his sister`s jewelry in the hair of her girlfriend, and it is here where the mysticism of the novel is seen. Everything is connected: people, words, nature for anyone to pass through his/her way. So this chapter turns out be really important for the whole book and extracting it would leave the plot without its culmination. The chapter is a mix of dramatic and romantic material with a hint on mysticism, craftily combined together. It is in this chapter Ike, the one who is in the quest, discovers some real transformation in him with the help of surfing under the influence of his intimate relationships with Michelle. In some sense here in this chapter the spiritual quest of Ike ends. But this transformation is inner and it allows the hero to see things in a completely new light-first he notices his connection to the world, and then quite literally discovers a clue in his investigation. And it is necessary to remember that the hero first of all has to complete his quest- to find sister`s murderers. Works Cited Nunns, K. Tapping the Source.1984. New York: A Division of Simon and Schuster Inc. Read More