The Monsters of Templeton

      Currently, I'm reading a book.  A very good book. (Well, in my opinion.) The title of this book is The Monsters of Templeton, by  Lauren Groff. In this novel, Willie Upton returns to her suburbean  home town of  Templeton, New York, from an archeology mission in Alaska, the same day a horrific yet beautiful beast surfaces on Templeton's Lake Glimmerglass. Willie doesn't return to "recharge," and she certainly doesn't return home because she adores her home town. She returns because 29 year old Willie Upton is pregnant with her married professors child. Scandalous, I know. Not only this, but she attempts to slaughter her professors wife in a Bush Plane. However, this isn't really relevant. At least not yet. It's all just leading up to her returning to Templeton.

                                 I believe that this gigantic monster that floated, dead, onto the glimmering glassy surface of Lake Glimmerglass is more than just an amusing side story. Granted, it hasn't been giving VERY much attention by my placement on page 83. However, every author writes what they write for a reason. Willie's life is screwed up, big time. Her professor impregnated her, she has to leave her exciting, door-opening expedition because she could be charged for attempt of murder. She comes home to find her hippie mother has gone church-crazy. Her best friend, home in San Franscisco,    is ill and out of work, due to her lupus. And now, for the big guns. She found out her father is not, in fact, a random hippie her mother met in Chicago. He IS, however, a well-respected man with a family in her very town. As you can see, Willie Upton's life is all over the place. 

       Based on these facts, this is my theory. The monster, emerged from water, represents a calm, pure, peaceful aspect that just isn't present in Willie's life. It is desperately, desperately wanted. When the dead monster was the center of attention, before it was dragged from it's home/death site, and after it was discovered, Willie touched it. She placed her hands on it's huge, cold scales. And when she did? She felt a nostalgic, pure sense of serenity. She had a memory of being in the water. Now I don't know why the author choice this for the symbol, but I'll find out.