Water Under Water
Page 22
I understand, Jeremy told her, and I will pass on your thanks as soon as I get home.
They shook hands, and he watched as she moved slowly up the grassy slope towards her husband. As she passed the group on the lawn, four of them fell in beside her. One young girl, Jeremy noticed, held her hand as they walked.
This book is for our daughter, Jo. And for the others: Amit, with his memory; Virginia, with her smile; Newton, with his party trick; Lizzie, who used to be Elizabeth; and Karen, on the computer.
To all the Kaylees and Russells, thank you for your common sense and kindness.
The character of Dr Jeremy Farmer is dedicated to my late brother-in-law, John Fisher, who was for several years the resident medical practitioner for a small town and settlement on the New South Wales north coast.
I am grateful to my family, friends, tutors, fellow students and colleagues, who were generous with their time and astute with their comments as I worked on the manuscript for Water under Water. My special thanks in particular to Dr Manny Aston, John Oldmeadow, Ros Rix, Shelley Kenigsberg, Wendy Thomas, Kaye Barrett, Michael Rix, Judith Pellow, Suzanne Rix, Peter Lamb, Jean Bedford and Rosie Fink.
Many thanks also to my agent Gaby Naher for her skill and support, and to Meredith Curnow and Kevin O’Brien at Random House for their expertise and encouragement.
Finally, my enduring gratitude to my wife, Jenny, whose knowledge, understanding and untiring enthusiasm for the project were critical to its completion.
A note on terminology. Water under Water covers a period from 1980 to 2000. During this time, the term ‘Down’s Syndrome’ was superseded by ‘Down Syndrome’ in Australia (although not in the United Kingdom). For simplicity, this book uses the latter term throughout, rather than being faithful to the year. These days, the condition is usually written as ‘Down syndrome’, with a lower-case ‘s’.
Discussion points
A central issue in the story is what makes us different and what makes us the same. Did you feel that the characters of Jim and Tom help to develop this idea?
Jim Campion claims that there is an inherent difference in the possible relationship between mother and child and father and child. Did you believe him?
Is Jim a bad father? Did you see him in any sense as a victim, and, if so, of what?
Statistically, having a child with a significant disability in the family increases the likelihood of relationship breakdown. Was Tom the reason for Jim and Fran’s estrangement?
Social policy today is to ‘normalise’ the relationships between people with intellectual disabilities and others in the community. Tom and his friends enjoyed each other’s company, and were perhaps more content within their own environment. Is it possible that current policies are a form of social engineering that might not, in fact, be ideal for the very people they are designed to benefit?
Water under Water is told mainly from two points of view: Jim’s and Tom’s. How do you think this approach affected your understanding of the two characters? What benefits or limitations are there in telling the story from particular points of view?
What role did the setting and inhabitants of Wassford play in the story?
Did you wonder what Jim saw in Andy as a friend and how this motivated his visit to Sutton’s Lake after nearly twenty years?
How does the author use the imagery of ‘water under water’ to illustrate the story’s themes?
Do you regard Water under Water ultimately as a tragedy or as a celebration of a hero?
www.randomhouse.com.au