We were the Mulvaneys: Joyce Carol Oates

Image Credit: FantasticFiction

We were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates is an amazing portrayal of America’s transition from the 60s through 90s albeit via the titular Mulvaney family. One can see why this is one of the most popular and well read books about America. The rich dark tale of an ordinary farm family caught in a furious tornado of events beyond their reckoning, broken to pieces at several levels (emotionally, financially and to a large extent even morally I think) and eventually redeemed, if that is ever possible...

The Mulvaney family consists of six people, Corrine Mulvaney the mother, Michael Mulvaney the father, Mike Jr/Mule their first born is an ace when it comes to sports - even wins a scholarship due to his excellent performance in football; however chooses to drop out of college and help out his father in his roofing business. Patrick, their second son is a true geek of those days... very scientific minded and clever enough to go on to become another Einstein or a Newton but fate wills otherwise and he becomes a wanderer instead until he meets the love of his life and decides to settle down. Then there is Marianne, their third and only girl child; a cheerleader in the local school at the beginning of this story and later the source of all things tragic in this story. And finally Judd (Judson) (Andrew) Mulvaney – who is the primary narrator of the story for about three-fourths of this novel.

But let me start at the very beginning – I loved the beginning of this book, ah! The rich descriptions of High Point Farm where the Mulvaneys live, I can almost taste even today (after several weeks of finishing the book). The extreme attention to detail in characterization almost makes you believe that each of the Mulvaneys’ are real and you can almost tell who has a mole where and what specific gesture by each Mulvaney conveys what!!! We must hand that to JCO...

And then the darkness begins - Imagine a sweet innocent girl of 16, loved by all incapable of hating anyone herself and with a religiocity almost Catholic hence very chaste. Yet very pretty in fact a cheerleader in her school no less. This, dear reader, as you have rightly guessed by now is Marianne.

What happens when she is raped by a senior boy in her school on their prom night? What repercussions would it have on each member of the Mulvaney family and more importantly herself? How does this one incident change the very fabric of Mt. Ephraim? THIS is what the book explores.

At this point I must remind the readers that the semi-rural America of 1960s is the India of 90s-till date. Mt. Ephraim where the Mulvaneys live everyone knows everyone else and any little gossip/news just flows across town at lightning speed even though no one may talk about it openly... just maybe in whispers only. Yet, the slight but very palpable shift in behaviour of the towns’ people is a resounding confirmation that “the news” has indeed spread. And the town is just watching and waiting to see what the next move of the Mulvaneys would be?

Remember too, that in this close knit society the father of the perpetrator of the crime is also a good friend of Michael Mulvaney Sr. How does one go about exacting justice in such a situation? Especially when all the evidence has been destroyed due to the sheer shame of having let oneself be “fallen” in such a manner? Whose side will the town’s people take?

With not many alternatives left and with the fire of the “injustice of it all” burning in his belly Michael does what any man in his situation would do – assaults the boy and his father in their own house. Then follows a series of Court cases, hiring and firing of a series of lawyers and drinking binges which slowly deplete the family money and eventually the farm itself has to be sold off. At the very beginning of all this poor Marianne is banished to live with a spinster “Aunt” because her father cannot bear to look at her!

What happens next is too depressing to write about... I will let you read and find out for yourself.

But I will say this – the book is not without faults, at least for me. The rich vibrant description, the very things which excite and stimulate you to keep on reading initially becomes a drag towards the end. I mean does the reader really need to know the history of a cabinet box out of which a rifle or a gun is taken out? At times I found myself shouting “Ohh no not again! Just get on with the story will you!?!?” I am sure we as readers do not want to know the history of every piece of furniture, every damn quilt, every scratch on the wall right in the middle of a “situation”, for heaven sake please spare us the torture!!!”

All the characters are very well developed except for Mike Jr. Poor fellow is enlisted into the Marines early on and forgotten until about the very end. He sort of keeps vacillating in and out of the story as and when needed to the whims and fancies of our dear author.

Also, the reason why I call this a dark tale is because of the tone it carries throughout - that everything BAD that happens to the Mulvaney family is all because of Marianne getting raped – as if everything is her fault! JCO smartly never directly indicts her in the novel but by portraying the family as a “failed one” she does more than convey that Marianne is the root of the downfall of this family.

Yes there is some sort of redemption for the family in the end but it comes across as so contrived and dished out in a hurry that it is unsatisfying to the modern soul of the 21st century (me). It could be because we belong to the “if-you-have-a-problem-fix-it!-don’t-whine-about-it” generation.

And please tell me why towards the very end political issues such as Tehran and Israel are included? What was that about? Was America more politically aware in the 80s and 90s than in the 60s/70s?

Well, for all my griping about the faults I did read every page and every word so it isn’t a complete waste of time. And I did take time out to write a lengthy review didn’t I?


Verdict: Do read; but remember - it won’t harm to skip a few descriptions here and there towards the end

Rating: 3/5