/lit/ - Literature

Why do some of the animals in this story have names whereas others don't? Tarka, obviously, is named, and the story even tells you what his name means, but his mother is always "the otter." His father is always referred to as "the dog" or "the dog-otter." The owl is likewise never named but the kingfisher Halcyon is.

It does not appear to be a matter of mere prominence, since Tarka's mother and father are prominent figures throughout the first third of the book. It appears that only those animals of a certain generation are named. Halcyon's son is referred to as "one of the sons of Halcyon" and not by name.

Today is the m'f'in' day.
Calling all otter lovers, nature lovers, or just plain lovers of luxurious prose. Today a bunch of us will begin reading and discussing "Tarka the Otter" by Henry Williamson.

Written in a poetic yet accessible style, "Tarka the Otter" follows the birth, life, and inevitable death of the titular character.

This is the official thread for "Tarka," with helpful links and discussion to follow.
Happy reading, /lit/.