By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: I suppose it’s strangely fitting that a state like Florida with its tourist traps, Florida Men, and hordes of retirees would have a mythological story connected to its origins as a Spanish colony. It’s a state that practically lives for a story like that: quirky sites for people to visit, odd locals who are stereotyped as dim, weird, and boisterous, and an economy practically built on tourists and people relocating towards a sunny climate. With how Florida is often seen, is it any wonder that the Fountain of Youth myth is so prevalent in its legends?
Historically, there is some doubt whether Juan Ponce de Leon was really looking for the Fountain of Youth. Modern historians thought the explorer and conquistador was more concerned about finding new lands to conquer and plunder for its riches than preserving his youth. But still the Fountain of Youth legend persists and continues in pop culture.
Brian Van Norman explores the Fountain of Youth legend in his novel, Immortal Water. It is a Historical and Contemporary Novel about the search for eternal youth, and immortality, the problems with aging, and the experience and wisdom that come with it.
Immortal Water tells two stories. The first is that of Ponce de Leon who is suffering from a series of setbacks involving rivalries and political machinations against him. On one last voyage, Mayaimi, a captive Calusa woman, spins him tales of a fountain whose waters promise eternal life, so Ponce knows exactly where he’s going next.
The contemporary story is that of Ross Porter, a retired history professor who receives the devastating news that his wife, Emily is dying. While the two are determined to make the most of Emily’s final days, Ross becomes consumed with the legend of Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth. After Emily dies, he is determined to find the Fountain himself.
Immortal Water ties the two stories thematically of two men faced with their aging bodies and diminished reputations trying to find a lasting legacy that allows them to live if not physically then certainly metaphorically forever. They want to find a means to escape death, age, and decline and acquire second chances to recapture their youth and glory.
Ponce de Leon and Ross couldn’t be more different from each other though their end goals are the same. It's through their differences where the motivations become clear.
Ponce de Leon is motivated by his diminishing reputation and influence. He was once a proud conquistador and explorer, appointed governor of the island that he overpowered, a friend and fellow voyager of Christopher Columbus. He plundered many lands and enslaved or vanquished their people. To the Reader, that is not a proud accomplishment but to de Leon himself and to the Spanish Kingdom of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella whose goal was to obtain wealth and spread Christianity by word or sword, it was.
Unfortunately, a world like that where conquest of outside lands is all too easy so are conquests from within. Corruption, currying favor, and political enemies are quite common in these nations that are now governed by representatives from Spain. Ponce de Leon has his share of enemies. Even though he was personally close to Christopher Columbus, Ponce de Leon finds himself at odds with Columbus’s son, Diego who is now viceroy and is removing the old guards who no longer have a place within the current Spanish colonial governments.
Ponce de Leon feels the punch of being tyrannized. As he dominated the indigenous people, he was dominated by the current government that he helped bring about. He feels redundant and his influence diminishes as he gets older. He lost respect from his fellow countryman and his own family. Even his son backs Columbus Junior over him. He believes that finding the Fountain of Youth will not only extend his life but revitalize his reputation.
A counter to Ponce de Leon’s journey is Mayaimi. She was abducted from her village and is extremely resentful of being passed around and treated like a sexual plaything by her captors. Ponce de Leon dismisses her as being ignorant and backwards, but she is definitely smarter, more self-aware, and manipulative than he realizes. His experience with her is limited because of his arrogance in leadership. It never occurs to him that she and her people will resist their captivity in any way possible.
She is the one who encourages his search for the Fountain of Youth. She builds up the legend knowing that Ponce de Leon could not resist chasing such a dream. While she follows the spiritual path, it appears that she doesn't believe in the Fountain of Youth or at least doesn't think it's worth pursuing. However, she doesn't mind playing her village legends to her benefit. If Ponce de Leon finds it, she's none the better. But if he doesn't, he will have wasted his life on a fool's errand or die in the process.
Ponce de Leon's story is one of the arrogance of shaping the world including the passage of time to fit one's own desires. By contrast, Ross Porter’s story is one of obsession that comes with filling a void of grief. Instead of wanting to control the world, Ross himself is shaped and controlled by it.
Instead of a life of suspicion, tyranny, and ambition, Ross’ is one of loss, regret, and sorrow. He had a happy life with Emily and his family. He and Emily were curious about history but not consumed by it. They enjoyed the search and the reading more than the pursuit. The book spends quite a long time exploring Ross and Emily's marriage before he goes looking for the Fountain of Youth. Their marriage was one of happiness, curiosity, and an awareness of aging bodies and time running out.
Even during the most joyful events, there is always a sense that Ross and Emily's happiness is short lived. They reunite with their children, in-laws, and grandchildren knowing that this may be the last time that they will be together. When Emily dies, Ross feels a deep growing hollow chasm in his life, one that can't be filled. He remembers his wife's weakening frail body and diminished spirit. Every pain and ache that comes with aging is magnified within him. He needs something to fill that chasm and like most academics, it's filled with the pursuit of knowledge, the pursuit of eternal youth and immortality.
Ross’ mind is caught inside memories of his life with Emily and his research of the Fountain's location. His motives might be different but he is every bit as single minded and determined as Ponce de Leon. This determination puts him at odds with friends and family, particularly his son who questions Ross’ obsession and sanity. Even though his concern is out of love and not power like de Leon’s son, Ross feels just as isolated as de Leon did in his search. The isolation turns to obsession to find the Fountain.
While Emily is not cunning or manipulative as Mayaimi, she is just as much a catalyst for her husband's search as the Calusa woman is to her captors. Her deteriorating body reminds her husband about the physical complications of age. Her love of vacationing in Florida gives Ross a means to begin his journey. Ross even dreams of her giving clues to the location of the Fountain.
Both Ross and Ponce de Leon share certain attributes in common. The most important are feeling ostracized and silenced by the younger generation, diminishing of their influence and authority, feeling physical pain, and the yearning to find late in life significance. They may long to swallow the drink that rejuvenates their bodies, gives them energy, and allows them to live a few more years. But the most important draw is not the physical benefits but the prestigious ones.
If they find and deliver the Fountain of Youth, their names will go down in history. Ponce de Leon could obtain money and power that eluded him. Ross could create a lasting legacy to his and Emily's marriage. It's the immortality of fame that is just as if not more important than the immortality of the body.
Immortal Water is a fascinating quest about two flawed men searching for immortality only to find that the real immortality happens during the time they have left. It is in the legacy, the lessons, the people, and the emotional impact that they left behind.
No comments:
Post a Comment