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Essence And Attribute

On July 25, as I tried to hit letter A, I noticed a slight wart on the pinky of my left hand. On the 27th it seemed considerably larger. On the third of August, with the help of a jeweler's loupe, I was able to discern its shape. It was a sort of diminutive elephant: the world's smallest elephant, yes, but an elephant complete down to the smallest detail. It was attached to my finger at the end of its little tail. So that, while it was my pinky finger's prisoner, it nevertheless enjoyed freedom of movement except that its locomotion completely depended on my will.

Proudly, fearfully, hesitatingly I exhibited him to my friends. They were revolted, they said it couldn't be good to have an elephant on one's pinky, they advised me to consult a dermatologist. I scorned their words, I consulted with no one, I had nothing further to do with them, I gave myself over entirely to studying the evolution of the elephant.

Toward the end of August it was already a handsome little gray elephant the length of my pinky although quite a bit thicker. I played with him all day. At times I was pleased, to annoy him, to tickle him, to teach him to do somersaults and to jump over tiny obstacles: a match box, a pencil sharpener, an eraser.

At that time it seemed appropriate to christen him. I thought of several silly, and apparently traditional, names worthy of an elephant: Dumbo, Jumbo, Yumbo ..., Finally, I ascetically decided to call him just plain Elephant.

I loved to feed Elephant. I scattered over the table bread crumbs, lettuce leaves, bits of grass. And out there at the edge, a piece of chocolate. Then Elephant would struggle to get to his treat. But if I held my hand tight, Elephant never could reach it. In this way I confirmed the fact that Elephant was only a part - the weakest part - of myself.

A short time later - when Elephant had acquired the size of a rat, let us say - I could no longer control him so easily. My pinky was too puny to withstand his impetuousness.

At that time I still was under the misapprehension that the phenomenon consisted solely of Elephant's growth. I was disabused of this idea when Elephant reached the size of a lamb: on that day I too was the size of a lamb.

That night - and a few others too - I slept on my stomach with my left hand protruding from the bed: on the floor beside me slept Elephant. Afterwards I had to sleep - face down, my head on his croup, my feet on his back - on top of Elephant. Almost immediately I found just a portion of his haunch to be sufficient. Afterward, his tail. Afterward, the very tip of his tail, where I was only a small wart, totally imperceptible.

←2

At that time I was afraid I might disappear, cease to be me, be a mere millimeter of Elephant's tail. Later I lost that fear, I regained my appetite. I learned to feed myself with leftover crumbs, with grains of birdseed, with bits of grass, with almost microscopic insects.

Of course this was before. Now I have come to occupy once again a more worthy space on Elephant's tail. True, I am still aleatory. But I can now get hold of an entire biscuit and watch - invisibly, inexpugnably - the visitors to the Zoo.

At this stage of the game I am very optimistic. I know that Elephant has begun to shrink. As a result, I am filled with an anticipated feeling of superiority by the unconcerned passers - by who toss biscuits to us, believing only in the obvious Elephant they have before them without suspecting that he is no more than a future attribute of the latent essence which still lies in wait.

 

From En defensa propia, Buenos Aires, Editorial de Belgrano, 1982.

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Average: 5 (1 vote)

Comments

Submitted by admin on Thu, 01/19/2006 - 09:49

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great story

Submitted by admin on Mon, 01/23/2006 - 16:37

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Brilliant

Submitted by admin on Thu, 01/26/2006 - 14:18

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Well.... I don´t know very well, because it´s very very strange, but it´s funny and very original. I think that Fernando Sorrentino is crazy to write it. I don´t understand.... why an elephant??? Why not a dog or cat??. Clic

Submitted by admin on Sat, 01/28/2006 - 03:45

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according to my perception it is about the relationship of the gaurdian with the gaurded. Like the relationship of parent and their children ,teacher and student....a child is a part of u which u bring up . you fight everyone to protect it and when it grows up u hope that he will be a source of pride and respect for u and it will protect u.....then u r dependant upon it.....great story with inner meaning

Submitted by admin on Sun, 02/05/2006 - 17:50

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Great story (like just about all the other ones by this author that Ive read).
The level I took it on had nothing to do with deeper meanings such as the nature of having a child etc. I dont think it has to be about anything other than what it seems to be at face value, which is funny, quirky, inventive, interesting, and well written.

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 11:18

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I was hating this right up until the last few paragraphs and then I suddenly liked it. Im a big fan of Mr. Sorrentino and his work is the type of work that I would like to do. This story is just a little too far out for me though. Not sure why.

Submitted by admin on Sat, 02/18/2006 - 09:08

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I thought the writing was pretty bland and I made
myself read through it. I bet it sounds much better
in Spanish. However, when I got to the second page
I suddenly liked it and the last paragraph got me
laughing out loud. Sorrentino left the very punch to
the end and its great.

"...they have before them without suspecting that
he is no more than a future attribute of the latent
essence which still lies in wait."

ha!

Submitted by admin on Sat, 02/25/2006 - 21:24

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people are werid, its too werid for me, and i find it unbelivable and cant take it seriously. its just nonsense basically, well written nonsense. the only part i liked was where it starts to take over him and he then becomes the wart on the elephant.

Submitted by admin on Thu, 03/02/2006 - 10:20

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What I thimk of this story is that is very funny and that the little boy is so sweet to his Elephant. What I like about him is that he said that he loves feeding Elephants, and that Elephant was his favorite pet and was going to take good care of him because he loves him so much.

By: Emily Castro
Middle School
West New York

Submitted by admin on Sat, 03/04/2006 - 18:52

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I really enjoyed becuase it showed the realtion ship between the good and bad and how good and bad feeds off each other

the human feed the wart
when the wart got bigger it feed the human

Submitted by admin on Thu, 03/09/2006 - 21:21

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Kafka-esque, and intriguing, but it reminds me of poems and stories that have meanings that are deliberately cryptic enough to force everyone to take guessing stabs at what they might be. That is not depth. Depth can be influential, beautiful, and and arresting right out in the open. Some day I might find a work that absolutely has to be cryptic in order to escape obious and shallow interpretations that would surely come if not for some nagging mystery that went unaccounted for. Until then I will be disappointed by work such as this (wonderful but unnecessarily cloaked in ambiguity.
That said, I take it to mean that an attribute of a person can become so much more noticable than the person to whom it is attached. The person almost disappears (relative to it), yet some day the story of the attribute might become a contribution to the understanding of the greater essence that had once given rise to both the "big" attribute and the "smaller" person. When things become reversed, the elephant will once again become an attribute of the essence. Hows that sound?

Submitted by admin on Sat, 04/01/2006 - 11:27

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Hilarious !

Submitted by admin on Sun, 04/16/2006 - 16:03

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This story has some real original aspects to it, but could be much better I think. Perhaps something truly did get lost in translation, however I think the truth is this story needs much improvement. I think with lots of hard work it could be an excellent two page story or with more development over several pages this story could be excellent. The concept of the story is original enough to allow a writer to go in many directions, maybe even a novel, if one could find the right way to expand it. Mostly I like it for its original aspects. The flaws are equal to the originality, given their number, but I see nothing wrong that could not be overcome by the writer. This is his only work I have read to date. Interesting thinker, this writer.

Submitted by admin on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 17:11

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Yeah, I get it the pinky..(little problem) is let go until it turns uncontrollable,(big problem) but one day it will subside.. and after the hardship will come ease... very good Mr Sorrentino

peace

Ibrahim

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/01/2006 - 17:02

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i have 3 questions someone can anwser them....???
how does the title relate to the story??

why do you think someone would keep an elephant attached to themselves and what benefit would the elephant provide??

And what is happening at the end between the elephant and the man??

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/08/2006 - 23:21

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This story is very well written but leaves me with questions. Maybe if it was a little longer, questions could be answered.One question being, why the heck and elephant? and why name the wart on his finger elephant? The fact that the story is about a little boy though is interesting and makes me think about a child hood obbsesion of mine.

Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/11/2006 - 22:15

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Odd, elegant, symmetrical little tale.
The author compresses several intriguing ideas into just a few pages. I like the way the essence and attribute keep switching between human and elephant....Tim, London

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