If you have any question you would like to have answered about the story feel free to email at pete@claymorepictures.com
This is the second post that I have done answering questions from readers, if you would like to read the first click here.
WARNING SPOLIER ALERT!
If you are planning on reading Sargasso and do not want the story to be ruined I would recommend you not reading this blog before hand. If you would like to read Sargasso, click the picture on the right hand side of the screen and it will take you to Chapter 1. (links will follow at the end of each chapter.)
Priscilla, below are your questions and my best attempt to answer them :-)
Priscilla, below are your questions and my best attempt to answer them :-)
All the best. Peter-John
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| The Flag of 'The State" |
Q: Will you write a sequel?
A: I might, at this point I don't know what happens to So-young. I left the ending vague intentionally to leave space for this very question, "what becomes of So-young?" I would like my readers to decide for themselves.
Now that I'm working on the screen-play I have played around with some ideas for a final scene which would come after the battle sequence. It would show So-young in the North country and what has become of her. So let me think on that... I might end up putting something in the film about this. I get a lot of questions on this one.
However, in my mind if I were to write a sequel I think I would explore the character of Sun Chung-Ho, the man briefly mentioned when the Thin Man is in the Searchers room. I think that story would be more political and would answer more of the questions about the government of The State and the mechanics of how that country works. - I wanted the focus of So-young's story on an average women; not a super hero, or a super cop, or some rouge unit, just a regular lady against all odds who finds her freedom.
Q: "It doesn't appear that So-young knew much about the new city/country that she had fled to. I wonder if the land that proclaimed freedom was really free - or was she going to be bound by new chains such as race, gender, religious, health, or economic discrimination."
A: I have received this question in various ways, more than any other, so I guess I better answer it. :-)
I wrote the North Country as a symbol of uncertain hope. You're right, So-young has no idea what she's getting herself into by going there. She's taking a risk. But one thing is certain for her if she stays they are going to kill her, or send her to "the south" which is worse than death. So with no other choice left, she takes the risk.
Is the country free? I think your asking about the patch on the doctors jacket at the end. But notice though that the doctor wearing the jacket is a women. I might have been too clever for my own good in writing this, what I'm trying to imply is that this is a very different country. I think that might touch a little on your next question about equality.
Q: It seems like maybe freedom should not be the ultimate goal of governments. I wonder if equal opportunity would be a better goal of governments.
A: As for the North Country fighting for the freedom of those in So-young's home land, over using another word on their patch. It would seem to me that without the freedom of speech, expression, religion, etc. mutual respect or equality cannot exist.
For example there is no such thing as equality in North Korea, the idea of having a conversation with Kim jong un about equal rights for his people would be laughable at best. So I guess that's why I made the word freedom play so heavily in this story.
However, on the other side of that, we here in the USA having these freedoms seem to struggle with finding equality. I'm sure that this could lead to a very long discussion, but given the choice between the two, I personally would take our situation over here than that of North Korea. Equality is such a tough issue and one I think I am not smart enough to even begin to address intelligently.
*As a side note, the word in Chinese for freedom is the same word you would use for liberty. It's two characters 自由 (Zìyóu). 自 meaning "self." 由 meaning "will." "Self will." So "freedom" is the translation of this concept, the real illegal word would be that of "self will."*
To get at the heart of your question though, I think you are getting at the reason why I wrote Sargasso.
In a story like this it's hard to address every social ill that we are contending with today. You bring up a good question regarding the nature of freedom and what does that look like in the North country. I might have to leave that for another story.
The primary commentary that I'm attempting to address is the government requiring all women to produce children for the advancement of The State. We are seeing this trend in Russia, Singapore and other nations right now, I find this troubling. On the flip side, I'm also trying to get at the issue of the one child policy that has been going on in China for some time.
(I wrote some about this in the blog post called "Sargasso Retrospective")
Priscilla your final question is bound to get me in trouble with someone. But after writing my answer I feel that it is relevant to the broader conversation to the story so I posted it here, whatever comments may come. :-)
Q: As I was reading your So-young story last night, I was also wondering what you think Edward Snowden the whistle-blower, do you see him as a hero or a traitor?
A: Boy that's a tough one. I'm grateful for what he did. Hero might be a strong word. I did call him that on my facebook page when the story first broke, but now that we are weeks into the story I have mixed feelings on the matter.
Does what he did put our nation at risk? It might. I'm sure glad that I'm not the one that has to make all of those decisions on what to do in the days ahead.
It probably comes as no shock to the readers of Sargasso, I am not a fan of big government no matter what side of the isle it comes from. When we passed the Patriot act back in 2001 I was naïvely supportive of it at the time. Looking back on that now I can't help thinking that maybe there could have been a better way to achieve the same goal.
What troubles me, if I may be so blunt, for all the hot air blown about the Patriot Act by those on the blue side of the isle, during the Bush administration, now that they are in power they have done nothing to negate or repeal it. It seems to me that if they had a problem with it when they weren't in charge then they should put an end to now that they are. But the opposite appears to have happened and powers have been expanded. And so what then? A new administration will come along in a few years, what will they do with it?
What Snowden did was expose this and I'm glad he did. But it upsets me too, because I feel betrayed and violated by the very government that is suppose to be protecting me.
Reflecting on this makes me think of several things. It makes me think of Julius Caesar when he "temporality" seized power to protect Rome. Which he never gave back, until they killed him.
It also makes me think of the 2nd movie in the recent Batman series, "The Dark Knight." Which is a profound film by Christopher Nolan that explores this issue. I don't know if you have seen the film or not, if you haven't I'm about to ruin it for you. :-)
The Joker, a terrorist, is running wild throughout Gotham City. And all attempts to stop the madman fail. Bruce Wayne/Batman decides to use a massive computer that taps into every cell phone in the city in order to track down the Joker and finally defeats him. Bruce's chief technical officer Lucius Fox (Morgan Freedman) protest against this idea, "This is wrong Mr. Wayne, no one should have this much power..." Fox does help Bruce but only with the promise that when the deed is done that he will quit Wayne Enterprises and never help Bruce again.
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| Lucius Fox (Morgan Freedman) "The Dark Knight" Christopher Nolan |
But Bruce has thought ahead, knowing that Caesar was not willing return his power (a discussion earlier in the film). Bruce tells Fox "when you're finish, type in your name." - At the end of the film when the Joker is defeated, Fox types his name into the computer which sets off a self-destruct sequence
destroying the machine.
The Dark Knight is a wonderful commentary on what we dealing with today with Patriot Act and the NSA. Some times we must take desperate ends to stop a mad man, but how far is too far? And then once defeated what do we do?
What we need is a real life Lucius Fox. We need a leader like Bruce Wayne who is willing to give up the power. We need a real life self-destruct sequence. Because no one is willing to give up that power once it has been taken.
So I'm grateful for Snowden and the risk he has taken. I'm sure it will come at great cost for many, maybe even us someday. But I think that our freedom and our right to privacy is worth the risk.
And now that I'm sure I just made everyone mad at me and I will sign off on this post :)
Great questions thanks for asking, let me know if you have any more.
Peter-John
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