English author Rudyard Kipling once said, “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Graham Swift manifests the authenticity of this notion in his fictional autobiography, Waterland. Published in 1968, Waterland focuses on both the enigmatic complexity of history and the traditional practice of storytelling. By connecting these seemingly contrasting renditions of the past, the protagonist of the novel, history teacher Tom Crick, details the local history of his homeland while also recounting the misadventures of his adolescence. In narrating the story of his life to his pupils, Crick analyzes the significance of history and its insistent ramifications on the future. Thus, to comprehend the relevance of
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Fishman explains why Crick, his students, and the rest of the world must study history. After determining that history begins with mistakes, the next stage of history involves the prevention of repeating those same mistakes. According to Fishman, “Crick begins to examine his past in order to find out where he has been and to gain a better understanding of where he is going.” Corresponding with the same motive, the world must study the past in order to foresee the future. For this reason, Crick delves into his past in search of logical connections between what did happen and what will happen. These connections are essentially the key plot elements in his early narration. Specifically, these plot points begin with the death of Freddie Parr and lead to Mary’s abortion. Nevertheless, this well-intentioned study of history presents Crick with one major complication. In his literary analysis, Fishman explains that, “The fundamental problem of history is that there can never be enough actual ‘facts’ to paint a true picture of the past. History becomes in Tom's eyes an impossible thing: the attempt to give an account, with incomplete knowledge, of actions themselves undertaken with incomplete knowledge.” Crick’s first-person narrative only allows him to analyze the feelings and motivations of his own mind. Therefore, with insufficient knowledge and a worn memory, it is practically impossible for Crick to depict a reliable recollection of the past. This ultimately leads to the repetitive nature of
Fishman explains why Crick, his students, and the rest of the world must study history. After determining that history begins with mistakes, the next stage of history involves the prevention of repeating those same mistakes. According to Fishman, “Crick begins to examine his past in order to find out where he has been and to gain a better understanding of where he is going.” Corresponding with the same motive, the world must study the past in order to foresee the future. For this reason, Crick delves into his past in search of logical connections between what did happen and what will happen. These connections are essentially the key plot elements in his early narration. Specifically, these plot points begin with the death of Freddie Parr and lead to Mary’s abortion. Nevertheless, this well-intentioned study of history presents Crick with one major complication. In his literary analysis, Fishman explains that, “The fundamental problem of history is that there can never be enough actual ‘facts’ to paint a true picture of the past. History becomes in Tom's eyes an impossible thing: the attempt to give an account, with incomplete knowledge, of actions themselves undertaken with incomplete knowledge.” Crick’s first-person narrative only allows him to analyze the feelings and motivations of his own mind. Therefore, with insufficient knowledge and a worn memory, it is practically impossible for Crick to depict a reliable recollection of the past. This ultimately leads to the repetitive nature of