Qtyr Dattg Sar Bert
McLaurmVCured by Fire’
Raises Issue of Religion
Main Character’s Faith
Preserves His Humanity
Through Troubled Times
At the beginning of Tim McLaurin’s
fourth novel “Cured by Fire”, one of the
main characters, Elbridge Snipes, has a
conversion experience. While Snipes is
saved, in the course of his experience he
gives up all the money he has, in exchange
for “a little Bible the size of a pack of
cigarettes”.
The reader can view this exchange in
two ways, depending mi the amount of
faith they pos
sess. Is Snipes
merely taken
for a ride by a
half-breed with
flaming orange
AZI7.HUQ
Mlhmi
'Cured By Fire'
by Tim McLaurin
hair who has never found acceptance in
any other situation? Is he an easy target for
preachers (just as freshmen, away from
home for the first time, and emotionally
vulnerable, are the target of so many reli
gious groups). Be this as it may, the faith
that Snipes from this experience.
The faith that Snipes gains from this
experience carries him through troubled
times, and allows Snipes to retain his hu
manity, to stay away from drink and to
reach a kind of peace with his situation.
Thus, one must conclude that McLaurin
intends for us to take fire religious experi
ence as a genuine experience, at least in
this case. However, one is still allowed a
measure of cyndsm, at least at this early
stage of the novel. Later on, those who find
it difficult to accept that any sort of faith
really exists will find their enjoyment wan
ing. However, this would be completely
their loss: “Cured by Fire” isa fine and rich
book, whatever one’s religious leaning*
maybe.
One of few books of fiction that deal
directly with the idea of religious experi
ence and the notion of faith, “Cured by
Fire” is the story of two men, whose lives
intertwine and parafleL Lewis Calhoun is
the son of an alcoholic father, growing up
harvesting tobacco in the fields of North
Carolina, who wins a football scholarship
toUNC.
For those of you who delight in novels
set in familiar locale, “Cured by Fine” ha*
parts set in and around Chapel Hill -and
even one set in Kenan Stadium! Leaving
college, seemingly on tip of die world,
with a beautiful wife, a child and a budding
company. Calhoun starts to drink Thing*
sour. His downward fall ends with him in
the homeless community (ironically, con
sidering that he used to build houses) on
the Northwest Coast The chapters de
scribing Calhoun's upbringing are juxta
posed with scenes of Snipes growing up.
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Asa half-breed, Snipes hardly has an easy
life, but because of his religious faith, en
joys it more and reaps more of its benefits
than Calhoun, who is unable even to ap
preciate what he has.
These scenes of childhood are perhaps
where McLaurin’s talent flowers to the
best effect. The rich interplay of nature and
Southern culture -a mix of guns, booze
and racism (although this is only a small
part of Southern culture}- is desaibed in
unening detail. Scenes that could have
been just plain cheesy, such as the parallel
chapters in which both boys receive guns
are handled with empathetic care and sen
sitivity. Calhoun’s first hunt could easily
have degenerated into the kind of “River
Runs Through It” Disney soft-focus nature
boy sentimentality, but McLaurin steers
dear of such dangers. He is less successful
in the central part of the book in the scenes
of Calhoun’s life around and immediately
after college. These domestic scenes are
stilted, to say the least, and one feels the
unease of the author’s style, when he is
disconnected from matters that are close to
his heart Having said this, McLaurin is a
UNC alumnus, and thus should have some
sense of what these scenes should feel like.
Indeed, he was taught by Doris Betts of the
Creative Writing Program here.
Fire and the feeling of heat are associ
ated with religious experience, with some
sort of contact with the divine in many
cultures. In Russia, it is also a metaphor for
being drunk. In this novel, we have ex
amples of both these types of heat.
McLaurin has provided us with a beautiful
example of a religious nevel, fervent with
out being preachy, illumined without burn
ing up in the reader’s hands. “Cured by
Fire” is a fine addition to the growing
collection of UNC alumni literature.
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DIVERSIONS
Alternative
The Question Remains:
Do Anthony’s Everyday
Secrets Really Qualify?
I have a secret to tell you. It’s extremely
personal, so you have to promise not to
tell anyone.
That picture you see of the doofy guy in
the coat isn’t really me. I had somebody
stand in for me. I know it’s shocking, but I
paid the guy pretty well. I even gave him a
tip. And while we’re at it, here’s something
else you don’t know.
I am an anarchist. I scoff at society and
the power hungry millionaires that hold it
together. I believe that government is death,
that death is life, and that life has nothing
to do with either of the other two.
I spraypaint messages on the sides of
buildings in my spare time. I talk with my
mouth full.
I am an anarchist. I avoid symbolic
bartering. When I cannot escape, I use
Southern-Slanted Chili’s
Chillin’ Even on a Friday
BYCANDACE BRYAN
STAFF WRITER
Ok, so maybe Chili’s isn’t exactly “on
the Hill,” but it’s close enough. Just a short
ride down 15-501 takes you to one of a
chain of many Southwestern style restau
rants that provides an atmosphere a little
different from Chapel Hill’s own
Applebee’s or Ham’s.
When you walk into the restaurant, you
notice a lively southwestern decor, that is if
you can see past all of the people. It does
get a little crowded, but if you’re not ex
tremely claustrophobic, you should be able
to handle it. The full bar, complete with
closed caption television, provides a tem
porary escape from the long wait list. Go
ing at eightish on a Friday night could
mean waiting for up to an hour, but Chili’s
does allow for calling to get on the wait list.
Upon being seated, a friendly waitress
(at least in our case) rushed immediately to
ourtable, got drink orders, and then quickly
returned to take our main meal order. She
continually checked on us and made sure
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STARTS TOMORROW W
IN DOLBY DIGITAL J3IGITA^_|
Individual Claims to Be Anarchist
only two-dollar
bills and wheat
pennies. Ibelieve
capitalism is the
curse of a higher
being.
I do not actu
allybelieveinthat
higher being. If
that higher being
exists, I don’tcare
unless it owes me
money. Ibreak in
line.
ANTHONY KING
RUNNING ON ICE
I am an anarchist. I never do what
people tell me to do. I study on my bed and
sleep on my desk. I shovel the driveway
BEFORE it snows. I pee in the sink and
wash my hands in the toilet. I read the last
page of a novel first. 1 bite jawbreakers.
I am an anarchist. I never follow a set
format. I misspell wurds whenever I want.
I doesn’t never use correct grammar. I
wrote this co'-’tnn in the wrong word order
so my editor would have to fix it.
I am an anarchist. I drive on the wrong
our glasses were full (which I love). It is
rare to find such friendly service on such a
crowded night, but we definitely hit the
jackpot.
The menu has a southern slant to it,
with lots of spicy Mexican-type foods such
as fajitas, nachos, and such. But if you
aren’t into that Mexican thing, there are
lots of other things to choose, ranging from
your basic burger, to cheesesteaks and sal
ads. I have to throw in a quick recommen
dation for the grilled chicken pasta in a
spicy cream sauce it was excellent.
The price range is a normal one, with
main dishes averaging around $5-$9. I
thought the price was reasonable for the
amount of food they give you. And, if
you’re into saving money, they have really
good deals on soup and salads - only 99
cents with any meal.
Despite the fact that Chili’s is in Duriiam,
you’ll still see a lot of Chapel Hill faces, and
probably feel right at home.
And if you don’t try the one in Durham,
try one somewhere else, there are Chili's
all over the place.
side of the road and occasionally in the
median. I stop every two miles to refill my
gas tank. I thought “Click It orTicket” was
a stupid catchphrase. I don’t use my airbag.
I am an anarchist. I read “Playboy” for
the articles. I watch “Murder She Wrote”
because I find Angela Lansbury to be sexu
ally stimulating. I never watch “Unsolved
Mysteries” because the title is redundant I
like Barney.
I am an anarchist. It amuses me that at
a quick glance, “anarchist” looks like “anti
christ.” I find it funny that “antipasto”
does not mean “opposed to pasto.”
I break down laughing when I think
about the fact that “Christmas” can be
shortened to “X-Mas”, which means that
Christ marks the spot, you fight your Christ
wife in court, and on the “Family Feud,”
three Christs means the other team gets a
chance to steal.
I am an anarchist. I sing off-key inten
tionally. I wear shoes that don’t match,
socks that do, and no pants. I have an
earring in my spleen.
I am an anarchist. I believe in truth and
(§)
EATING ON
THE HILL
PEPPER'S
Pizza
A Sunny Place / j
for Shady People
127-129 E. Franklin St. Downtown Chapel Hill
Next to Varsity Theatre 967-7766
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New Classes Beginning March 1 4th.
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NATIONSBANK PLAZA 136 E. ROSEMARY ST. 967-8264
Thursday, February 16,1995
justice, but I lie and steal. I am a vegetar
ian, but I eat jerky. I believe that Oswald
acted alone and that Kennedy really died
from food poisoning. I sing the alphabet in
chronological order.
I am an anarchist. I have closed
captioning, but I am not hearing impaired.
I once taught a dog to purr, a cat to squedl,
and a guinea pig to refuse experimenta
tion. I beat someone up and videotaped
myself doing it. I cook sushi.
I am an alternative individual. I did not
begin this paragraph like the others bp
cause it was what you expected me to do.
I am not really an anarchist because that
would mean I was labeling myself and
would sacrifice my beliefs in anarchy.
I do not really believe in anarchy.
lam an idiot. You should stop reading.
FOOTNOTE: The opinions expressed
in this column are not necessarily the opin
ions of the “Running on Ice” staff, spon
sors or hockey team. If asked, the author
will deny everything, including the golf
alibi.
Chili's
FOOD: MMMMM
SERVICE: MMMM
ATMOSPHERE: M M M
PRICE RANGE: Main Dishesss-$9
LO C A TIO N: 4600 Chapel Hill Blvd.
PHONE: 489-6699
7