Week 8: Fredston and casual danger

In the second part of Fredston's Rowing to Latitude, I am continuously impressed with the nonchalance with which the author treats the dangers she encounters. Particularly interesting is Fredston's discussion of fear on page 108, where she notes that "most of the time it isn't real fear that seems to cripple people; it is the worry about all the bad things that could happen." Previous to reading Fredston's explanation, I probably would have defined fear as a the worries about the bad things that could happen, real fear for Fredston is not apprehension, but rather fear in the moment of danger -- of which she seems to have little as she tells of her adventures. Perhaps it is the same kind of sense of authority which is conveyed through Fredston's writing that allows her to feel like she doesn't need to employ fear in order to avoid feeling powerless, in order to feel active, which she cites as one function of fear. Perhaps Fredston's experience and acquired authority give her enough confidence that she has no need for fear to maintain control.

The most obvious examples in which fear is only (if at all) minimally conveyed when we, as readers might expect it to be quite natural, are Fredston's numerous encounters with bears. While at first it seems odd to have what may seem to us such a frightening encounter relayed to the reader as something quite matter-of-fact and very rarely sensationalized, Fredston's nonchalant description of her experiences involving bears are oddly intriguing in their calmness. Though I expect that many sensationalized descriptions after another would eventually cause such encounters with bears to seem dull, I find each of Fredston's encounters with bears to be as interesting as the last, even in her refusal to dramatize her experiences seems to draw me to them even more. I suspect that this has something to do with the authenticity I seem to associate with Fredston's non-theatrical presentation of events.

Fredston later writes about the idea that while she can be as prepared as possible, which contributes to her calmness, there are certain situations in which she must admit powerlessness. She notes that while it may seem difficult to remain calm while simultaneously acknowledging that a situation is completely out of her hands, particular scenarios require such level-headedness. I think that the acceptance of her situation and the understanding that she is a foreigner in the wilderness through which she travels is what makes Fredston's narrative so captivating. We are aware (as is she) that anything can happen at any time, and similarly aware, if not expectant, that the unexpected will happen.