Literary Analysis Essay on "Salvage" by Orson Scott Card

Introduction

The short story "salvage" by American writer Orson Scott Card was published originally in February 1986 issue of the Asimov's Science magazine of fiction. Salvage appeared in the story collections of Card "The Folk of the Fringe" and was reprinted in the wasteland's anthology: The Apocalypse stories. Therefore, the paper is premised on a discussion on the short story "Salvage" by Orson Scott Card, the summary, setting and its connection to other stories in the series.

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Summary of the Story

After Deaver Teague had lost his parents at an early age, he was found and raised by a group of Mormons who were traveling, where he was named after two men in the group. The trauma that Deaver had in his youth makes him be detached largely from other people. He is a salvager as an adult, who draws his income by collecting abandoned items before the apocalyptic war that took place many years ago. However, Deaver becomes largely pessimistic about life and holds a naive idealistic view on finding a treasure that is hidden. Also, he is aware that his salvaging profitable work will never last forever, thus, his decision for the search for wealth. Therefore, Deaver decides to look for his two friends, Lehi and Rain to escort him to the temple and they all agree reluctantly. Lehi offers to give out her boat to be used in the journey, and it can be seen in the place where Deaver says, "I know what you meant. She has a boat." On their way to the temple, Deaver opens up to his allies, although he hates talking about himself while with friends because he knows that friends can never keep secrets, and tells them how he became orphaned. Also, Lehi and Rain try to persuade Deaver that there is nothing in the temple, but Deaver does not listen, which makes them lure him more. "let us meet tomorrow at five-thirty," they all do so in time to escort their friend and not be seen as hypocrites.

However, upon reaching the temple, Deaver dives into the building and emerges with some pieces of metal thinking that it was the hidden treasure. Lehi says quietly, "it is old cans, Deaver." And upon realizing that the "treasure" he was looking for is not what he envisioned, he feels betrayed by his friends for not informing him about the temple and the story of the hidden treasures. Lehi and Rain did so as they did not want to hurt Deaver. "you brought them down here, you knew what was down here, and you let me proceed. Then why would you let me come here?" Despite their positive intentions, Deaver decides to move away to the land of New Soils to start a new life. Thus, he has shut out his allies and isolated himself further. "He had driven the truck of salvage and had lived in the closet for a long period. Maybe he would qualify a new piece of land, south into the New Soil Lands." Says the narrator.

The setting of the Story

The setting of this story takes place in the flooded Salt Lake City and the state of Utah. Before the actions and events of the story, there had been a catastrophic war that decimated America, raising the levels of water in Utah, and the citizens who were surviving being reduced to settling in small villages and towns. Form the short story; Card depicts that systems of monetary no longer exist as they the characters are battering goods rather than money. Therefore, it should be noted that the government of Mormon has set itself up in a strong power and bishops are elected annually. Nevertheless, Scott Card, being a devout Mormon, incorporates his beliefs in the short story. While numerous critics of Card feel that his Mormonism use is too obvious or overkill, it works in the elements of existentialist of the story as Lehi and Deaver in most cases, debated the advantages and disadvantages of having faith. However, Rain and Lehi were likable yet not religious, and Deaver is religious though very pessimistic. Thus, the story's intention appears to be that a person must dig for her or his faith, as nothing can be guaranteed in this life.

Connection to other Stories in the Series

Following the novels of Ender, Card broached the question of religious faith directly in the science-fictional extrapolation context. Mormons, who picked the issue of February 1986, of Asimov's magazine, were startled to see the short story Salvage which was a drawing of two pages of the Salt Lake Temple submerged halfway in the rising waters of the Mormon sea. Nevertheless, the Salvage story takes place in a future America where many religions have died and become extinct when the Salt Lake Temple is important ostensibly because of the rumors of it containing treasures that are hidden. On the surface, the narration runs counter to a common belief of the folks in the community of the LDS, that the temple might remain sacrosanct till the second coming of Jesus Christ. Card notes after writing the short story that it was majorly based directly on an image in his mind of the Temple of Salt Lake under the water and was threatening to many doctrine folks on the future of the Salt Lake Valley. However, under the surface of illusory of a future that is imaginary, lies the story of Card in enduring the power of faith especially in the history of LDS. Moreover, Deaver, who is a non-Mormon character, understands vaguely the temple's centrality as an image of faith which underlies Mormonism, and as the story ends, he can understand that there is a treasure in the empty temple that is half submerged and intangible, yet a precious treasure that no one can know fully. Deaver says, "I have come to find something here for me, and you all knew that your stuff was down there." This physical structure symbolizes that faith might decay, but it abides.

However, Card had published The Fringe several months earlier, which took place shortly, southeast of Utah near a Great Salt Lake, now called the Mormon sea. The story's settlement is an outpost of a highlighted life by a backdrop of desolation and destruction. Moreover, the story, together with Salvage was completed in 1985. The third published story in the series was the Tales of the Mormon Sea Saga which defines more explicitly the attempts of Card in exploiting the science of fiction as a way of talking about the Mormonism substance. In this story, the Mormon heritage of Card is very important that the headnotes editorial refers to it as Mr. Card being able to draw his firsthand knowledge in Brazil." The story mostly revolves around two characters who are Anamari Boagente and Sam Monson. The first narration is of a scrawny teenager from Utah who is isolated psychologically and physically from his lapsed, hypocritical Mormon father, working the jungle of Brazil. As the story ends, Sam becomes the governor of Deseret. Nonetheless, the second character who is Anamari Boagente is a spinster who is middle-aged and an Indian, attracted to Sam Monson. Much of the details of the story in the meetings in the jungle, identifies the hatred of Sam to his adulterous father and his complex relationship with Anamari. Later on, Anamari develops an attachment to the Yanqui youth, and it is seen as sarcasm. The story ends with the death of Sam and Anamari, and the narrator concludes his relocations: "sitting under the shade of a tree, and on the hill bro, I write this. Looking out across the orchards and woodlands, where the land was once a grit, rock, and sagebrush.

Additionally, in the story of Card, "West," a group of traveling Mormons found Deaver Teague after his parents were killed and they decided to carry him along with them in Utah. At the time Deaver could not talk, and they did not know his name, they decided to name him after Jamie Teague and Brother Deaver. Also, the story Pageant Wagon," features Deaver Teague and it takes place when Deaver is in his late twenties. The story is about he meets and joins a group of actors who are traveling. Therefore, will all the mentioned, it is evident that most of the literature of Card, a Mormon or a Christian influence is always present?