Earthly Possessions by Anne Tyler

Here another instalment in the Anne Tyler project (hosted by Liz Dexter at Adventures in reading, running and working from home). This month's first book is Earthly Possessions, and it might be my absolute favourite so far. 

"Charlotte Emory has always lived a quiet, conventional life in Clarion, Maryland. She lives as simply as possible, and one day decides to simplify everything and leave her husband. Her last trip to the bank throws Charlotte's life into an entirely different direction when a restless young man in a nylon jacket takes her hostage during the robbery--and soon the two are heading south into an unknown future, and a most unexpected fate...."

Maybe you can say that being taken hostage is typical of Charlotte. People seem to be drawn to her. It was of course coincidental that the nervous young man grabbed her, but still. Charlotte being Charlotte meant that she trotted along as the robber ran away with her from the scene. As we follow Charlotte on her trip with the robber, Jake Simms, we get glimpses of her past life. Jake is a somewhat lost, a young man and Charlotte is a woman of experience and turns out to be the stronger of the two. 

Long before this specific point Charlotte's life never did go according to plan. Her parents were not like other parents; her mother so obese she could hardly move and her father a recluse who spent most of his time in his photo studio. Her main aim as a young girl was to get away from the family and the town. She enrolled to study at university, but had not even started when her father died and she had to take care of her mother who became more or less bedridden. 

This is when she feels she has to clean up her life, that is, get rid of her earthly possessions. Somehow they represent the burden that is lingering over her life and traps her. One day the oldest son of the former neighbours is back and rents a room in her house. Charlotte always loved his family, so different from her own. They start to go out together and end up being married to Saul without Charlotte really figuring out how it all happened.  Saul is very religious and educates himself to become a priest. Another burden on Charlotte who does not  believe in God. 

"Which is not to say I didn't go to church. Oh, no, I showed up every Sunday morning, sitting between my mother and Julian, smiling my glazed wifely smile. I believe I almost enjoyed it; I took some pleasure in his distance, in my own dreamy docility and my private, untouchable deafness. His words slipped past me like the sound of a clock or an ocean. Meanwhile I watched his hands gripping the pulpit, I admired his chiseled lips. Plotted how to get him into bed with me. There was something magical about the pew that sent all my thoughts swooning toward bed. Contrariness, I suppose. He was against making love on a Sunday. I was in favour of it. Sometimes I won, sometimes he won. I wouldn't have missed Sunday for the world."

When Saul moves in it comes with furniture from his old house and all of a sudden her almost empty house is now full again. Not only of furniture, but of people. When Saul encounters needy people he puts out a helping hand. 

Charlotte reminds me of Elizabeth in The Clock Winder. Like Elizabeth she seems to draw people to her. Nothing is too complicated for her to take care of.

"I didn't understand you. Now I see everyone grabbing for the pieces of you, and still you're never diminished. Clutching on your skirts and they don't even slow you down. And you're the one who told her the truth; I heard you. Said the word out loud. Cancer. You sail through this house like a moon, you're strong enough for all of them."

I think the last sentence above is a key to the whole novel. As before, Anne Tyler gives us a strong female character who, in the end, seems to be above everything else. The sun that shines in the lives of the people surrounding her, just like Elizabeth does. Reading all of Tyler's novels like we are doing now, clearly highlights her family stories. Strong female characters, seemingly dependent on someone; mother, father, brother or husband, but in the end, going through life with a perspective and drive to achieve something. Apparently having a plan. Reaching a point where they make a decision how to live their lives. It can be staying put and be happy with how things are, or choose another way.