(urth) Short Story 14: Paul's Treehouse

[Marc Aramini]

Paul’s Treehouse
This was first published in 1968 in Orbit.  Here is a link.  It is also in Castle of Days.

http://www.lexal.net/scifi/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/wolfe3/wolfe31.html

SUMMARY: Morris starts his hot day by rinsing out his mouth with scotch before going out to try and ignore his neighbor Russell.  There is talk of riots in town.  Morris’ son Paul has made himself a very inaccessible treehouse, probably not only through the wood that Morris has bought him but also through stealing lumber.  He has also taken up rocks and food.  Morris’ wife Sheila sleeps a bit late before being woken by the two men.  She is only capable of being astounded that her son has been up there since Thursday, and keeps repeating that fact.  Russell and Morris discuss how Paul build the house and think about how to get him to come down, since Morris’ authoritarian commands have failed.  As they go for a ladder to Russell’s house, they see a burning building and a suburban street that looks like theirs on TV.  They also hear the announcement,   "Word has reached our newsroom that the demonstration organized by Citizens For Peace has been
 disrupted by about five hundred storm troopers of the American Nazi Party. It appears that members of a motorcycle club have also entered the disturbance; it is not known on which side." 

Morris says, "Every time they have one of those bulletins I think it's going to be the big one." Morris threatens to cut down the tree, but as he is in the midst of making those mostly symbolic motions a stake truck full of white, brown, and black men in khaki pull up to the curb and then he is attacked from behind with a chain while Paul tries to throw rocks down from above to defend him.

COMMENTARY:  The overt action here is entirely concerned with Morris’ feelings of inadequacy and failure – he cannot see anything of himself in his son.  He is jealous of his neighbor Russell for his “athletic” lean lines, and he appears to start drinking very early in the morning. (The name Russell does mean “red”, but I don’t really think this is a commentary on communism, unless it be invoking a somewhat uncomfortable alliance with communism against the Nazis in the early parts of the 20th century)  His wife collects floribundas but is really more concerned with going shopping than danger, and she is infinitely amused that her son has been stocking up there since Thursday.  When Morris offers Russell a drink, he gives him the cheap whiskey.  His son does not obey his commands.  He seems to have lost his authority, and his distant son is isolated but understands the danger better than he does.  

Morris can’t recognize the problem until it is too late, and I think this is part of Wolfe’s commentary in this tale.  He tries to get a boy out of a tree house ineffectually with an ax instead of being able to wield any kind of positive power.   When he warns his wife against going into town, she replies, “"I'm not going down there—I'm going to the good stores."  (WHO has started the riots where she would normally be going?  People involved in the “not good” stores?  Shelve stockers? Supermarket people at the A +P?)

Another concern is that beside the obvious bad guys, they are taking the uniforms of cops and even the National Guard seems to be defecting against order.  When dissension becomes ubiquitous and the threat comes in the form of figures that should hasten in a feeling of security, what is to be done?

We can only infer that there are several factions that have dissented, and in many ways this is reflected in Morris household too.  His son has established his own house and Morris is so concerned trying to get him to come out of the tree that he gets attacked from a chain from behind.  At the distance Paul has separated himself from the world, his stones can neither reach their targets nor aid his father.
Morris is lost in personal problems, it seems, and he does not recognize himself as part of the bigger world until it is too late, even when he sees his house on TV and the burning smoke that warns of danger -  Thus his preoccupation with getting Paul out of the treehouse that will actually serve some purpose seems a bit ironic – as he has isolated himself in his own treehouse from the worldly problems that are about to cut him down from behind.

I think the allusions in this one are minimal, though I am welcome to suggestions.  This is a welcome break of straightforwardness before 1970, when Wolfe’s talent just explodes.

RELIGIOUS ALLUSIONS: Besides the name Paul, Russell does comment in the morning that it is “hotter than the hinges of hell” – probably an appropriate image to bring up for where everyone is teetering in this tale.  Also, Sheila keeps repeating that Paul has been up there since Thursday, and this is Saturday morning.  The Governor calls the guard on Friday.  It’s hard to map this to holy week, except for the “descent into hell for three days” aspect, but we don’t really see Sunday.  

FUTURE ECHOES: Wolfe’s contemporary dystopias seem to show parties and agendas losing their aim and focus.  They put on the regalia of authority and attempt to deceive.  I think stories like How the Whip Came Back and Hour of Trust as well as perhaps Home Fires and An Evil Guest show how interest groups/dissenters can implode and lose their identities.  Isolation will also be prevalent in “The Island of Doctor Death and other stories” – especially the isolation of a young boy who can at times perceive what is really going on.

QUESTIONS: I would welcome further suggestions but this one seems pretty straightforward to me – it is primarily  interesting for its offscreen treatment of an isolated boy who knows what’s going on better than adults do.  Who is causing the riots?  Who wears khaki pants and drives around in stake trucks in the late 1960s?

Next up is the uncollected “A Method Bit in ‘B’”